On Tuesday, February 2, Kia announced that it has kicked off production of the much-awaited 2023 Sportage at its facility in West Point, Georgia.
(Photo : JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
On Tuesday, February 2, Kia announced that it has kicked off production of the much-awaited 2023 Sportage at its facility in West Point, Georgia. That same factory also manufactures other popular Kia models such as the Sorento, K5 sedan, and the Telluride.
Production of that vehicle commenced on February 1, with many big names from the Kia brand and the state of Georgia there in attendance. Among those who saw the first 2023 Sportage roll off the production line were Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Kia Georgia's Vice President of production, James Watson, and the brand's local President and CEO, Sean Yoon.
Kemp was delighted to be there for the unveiling of the first 2023 Sportage, which was equipped with the X-Pro Prestige package and had a Jungle Green finish. The governor of Georgia said that "It was an honor to be here today for this milestone achievement by the Kia Georgia team."
Kemp hails Kia's contributions to the state of Georgia
Kemp added that the Sportage is yet another great product built in Georgia, and its launch here in West Point is a proud moment for their state. He congratulated all of the great team members of Kia Georgia for their continued commitment to quality and growth and thanked them for bringing more opportunities to the state of Georgia for business.
Compared to its outgoing model, Kia made several updates to the 2023 Sportage, with the South Korean automaker deciding to grow the vehicle in nearly every direction. The 2023 Sportage is 7.1 inches longer than the current 2022 model, 3.4 of which come from its extended wheelbase.
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Specs, interior and release date for 2023 Sportage
The new Sportage will get its power from a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that can generate around 187 horsepower. This engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, although a hybrid version for this model of the Sportage is also on the way. A front-wheel-drive is standard for the 2023 Sportage, and an all-wheel drive is also an option for this vehicle.
Regarding the 2023 Sportage's interior, Kia installed a curved instrument and infotainment screen and a rotary dial to help the driver select gears on the aforementioned transmission. Those features are a major upgrade compared to those in the 2022 model.
Kia will slot the 2023 Sportage between the Niro and Seltos in the brand's U.S. lineup. This vehicle comes to life next to the bigger Telluride and Sorento models of Kia and its K5 sedan. The automaker has yet to put a price on the 2023 Sportage, with Kia's official website still listing the price for the current model.
The 2022 Sportage, which is smaller than its successor, has an MSRP of $24,090. It should not be long until Kia drops information about the price of the 2023 Sportage with sales starting in the first quarter of the year.
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