Kia Sportage 2023 Review

Let's start out by saying that there's nothing overtly wrong with the current Kia Sportage. That might not sound like a ringing endorsement, but its comfortable seats, broad set of tech features, and long warranty make it a solid pick in the class.

Thing is, there are so many great compact SUVs that the Sportage gets lost in the shuffle. Kia has been on an upswing recently, and the idea of an underwhelming crossover in its otherwise remarkable lineup isn't sitting well with the automaker. Thankfully, a redesigned Sportage launches in just a few months, and it looks to solve much of what we don't love about the current model. Look for the 2023 Kia Sportage to reset expectations when it reaches dealer lots next spring.

Both Kia and parent company Hyundai have been expanding powertrain lineups for their small SUVs, so it should come as no surprise that the Sportage will be available with a variety of engines.

The standard motor will be a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a targeted 187 horsepower on tap. Kia hasn't confirmed torque specs yet, but the mechanically related Hyundai Tucson is also powered by a 2.5-liter engine and it produces 178 lb-ft. We think the Sportage will have a similar torque output. The Kia will also utilize an eight-speed automatic transmission and offer a choice between front- and all-wheel drive.

All-wheel drive will come standard on the new X-Line and X-Pro trim levels, which will be positioned as off-road-themed models. The X-Line merely looks the part, with unique front and rear fascias, gloss black exterior styling elements and a roof rack. The X-Pro goes even further, with all-terrain tires and additional traction modes, plus useful features such as LED foglights and a heated windshield.

Kia states that the gas-only engine will be joined by electrified versions in the future. It's worth noting that the Tucson and the Kia Sorento — the Sportage's big brother — are both available with 227-horsepower hybrid and 261-hp plug-in hybrid powertrains. We wouldn't be surprised if these exact powertrains make their way into the Sportage as well.

One of the downsides with the current Sportage is the lack of space inside the cabin. Its length places it right in between the subcompact and compact classes, so buyers looking for a family-friendly SUV but don't need the three-row Sorento may be disappointed. Kia heard the feedback and increased the 2023 model's overall length and wheelbase. The new Sportage should actually be a bit bigger than the Honda CR-V — the current reigning champ of passenger and cargo capacity. Indeed, the new Kia's 39.6 cubic feet of cargo storage edges out the CR-V's 39.2 cubes.

Though we're only judging by photos at this point, the redesigned interior has the potential to be another major highlight for the new Sportage. The available digital instrument panel and wide center touchscreen are joined in one housing unit, giving the impression of a single uninterrupted screen. It's a similar layout to the Sorento's, which we think is one of that vehicle's interior highlights.

The current Sportage offers several features that are hard to find in rivals, including ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and front and rear parking sensors. These premium items will return for the 2023 Sportage alongside new ones including a surround-view camera and a Wi-Fi hotspot. We're especially intrigued by the new control cluster below the touchscreen. It allows the user to switch between climate and radio functionality for the knobs, giving physical controls context sensitivity that we really haven't seen before. It's a neat feature that cleverly mixes digital and analog controls in a unique way.

The Sportage will come with a number of advanced driving aids as standard. Forward collision alert with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors and lane centering assist will come on every Sportage. Upper models are outfitted with blind-spot monitoring, a blind-spot camera and an adaptive cruise control system that can automatically reduce speed when you enter a zone with a lower speed limit. Suffice to say, the Sportage will be one of the most technologically advanced vehicles in the class when it launches.

The current Kia Sportage isn't terrible, but its list of strengths isn't any more impressive than any other compact SUV's. The redesigned 2023 model seems much more competitive than its predecessor, and it's likely worth the wait if you don't need a new crossover right now.