Kia has revealed the North American version of the 5th gen Sportage that made its global debut in June 2021. Pricing is yet to be revealed but the new Sportage is expected to go on sale in the U.S. market in the first quarter of 2022 as a 2023 model. The trim lineup includes LX, EX, SX, SX-Prestige, and adventure-focused trims such as X-Line, Sportage X-Pro, and X-Pro Prestige that leverage Sportage AWD’s 1.5-inch increased ground clearance.
The X-Line and X-Pro trims come standard with AWD. The X-Line boasts unique front and rear bumpers; side mirrors, roof rack and window surrounds in gloss black; raised roof rails to support adventure-ready accessories, and exclusive 19-inch wheels. The X-Pro gets 17-inch matte black off-road wheels wrapped with B.F. Goodrich all-terrain tires; LED fog lights; optional LED Projector headlights (standard on X-Pro Prestige); heated windshield and wiper washer nozzle; ventilated front seats (X-Pro Prestige); 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat (X-Pro Prestige); Multi-Terrain drive modes (Normal, Sport, Smart, and Snow modes), and optional two-tone roof.
Tech inside includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment system, standard Android Auto & Apple CarPlay on all trims, optional Harman Kardon premium audio system, optional wireless charging pad, optional 360-degree Surround-View Monitor with 3D view, and optional Kia Connect services. Rear cargo capacity of 39.6 cu-ft. (1,121-litres) is claimed to be the best-in-class.
Standard ADAS includes all the usual stuff such as Driver Attention Warning, Lane Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance with Cyclist detection, Rear Occupant Alert, and Reverse Parking Distance Warning. Optional systems include Blind Spot Collision Avoidance-Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance-Assist, Forward Collision Avoidance with Junction Turning capability, Forward Parking Distance Warning, Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Curve, Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control-Zone, Safe Exit Warning, and a few more.
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story then, the 2023 Sportage in America will be powered by a 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with an estimated 140 kW (190 metric hp/187 bhp) output. The transmission will be an 8-speed automatic. Kia said that it is targeting an 8% better fuel economy despite a larger overall size. Electrified powertrains are in the pipeline, the details of which, will be available at a later date.
The new Sportage will be assembled alongside Telluride, Sorento, and K5 at Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant.
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