Tested: 2023 Kia Sportage Leads with Bold Styling
Given the smashing success that is the Kia Telluride, it might have been smart for Kia’s designers to simply scale down that three-row SUV’s squared-off looks when it came time to redesign the brand’s smaller crossovers. But the latest generation of the mid-size Sorento doesn’t stick to that template, nor does the new 2023 Sportage, which brings a distinctive look to the compact segment.
Whether you’ll be a fan of the Sportage’s design is another story. We won’t call it ugly, but its face is somewhat polarizing. With boomerang-shaped accent lights, low-mounted headlights, and a wide-mouth grille, the front end makes a strong statement. What exactly that statement is, we’ll leave up to you. The rear end is a bit more cohesive, with smooth surfaces and taillights that remind us of the handsome units on the Kia EV6. The Sportage surely won’t be mistaken for its corporate sibling, the Hyundai Tucson, which also looks striking for a mainstream crossover.
The Sportage is not all about form, though. Significantly larger than its predecessor in length, wheelbase, and many other dimensions, the new model is on the big end of the compact-SUV spectrum. It doesn’t offer a third row of seats like the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Mitsubishi Outlander, but a 3.4-inch increase in wheelbase greatly expands its rear-seat and cargo space. We like how the rear seats slide and recline, and the Sportage’s 40 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row just edges out what the Honda CR-V offers.
