I know, I know, the intro to this article is a bit loud, but we can’t help it when the Fusion Orange on this Sportage is making the most noise. I love it actually.

So, here’s what’s actually going on. The good folk at Kia South Africa were kind enough, and they decided to loan us this machine to spend the holidays with. The only catch? Have as much fun as possible with the vehicle and show it off to the rest of Mzansi. And that’s exactly what we have planned. Over the next 3 – or 4 weeks, we’ll be exploring the greater parts of Mzansi with this cute orange baddie. The term baddie is used loosely here. And no, the car is not bad.

According to Urban Dictionary, a baddie is someone who is always slaying the game and always on fleek. Basically, a person that is extremely put together and looks phenomenal even on her off days.

Our test vehicle is the 2023 Sportage GT-Line, coming in at R664 995. The GT-Line trim adds a number of features to the EX package, most notably 18″ alloy wheels, remote folding rear seats, blind-spot assist, panoramic sunroof, a 12.3″ touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, power driver’s seat, and a wireless phone charging pad.

Just when you thought we’re done, its worth adding that the interior of the Sportage GT-Line is a lovely place to spend some time. Leg, head, and shoulder room front and rear are amazing. Not forgetting, Cargo capacity, even with the rear seats occupied, is similarly excellent.

The seats are finished off in a deep black animal-free leather. A material, which I could best explain as vinyl. It’s not too obvious. Nor does it scream premium at you. It feels darn good to the touch though.

My time behind the wheel of the new Kia Sportage till date has been, well, less than astonishing. But its only been a week. The ride itself is comfortable, quiet and powerful enough for almost any driving condition you throw at it.

Again, I know this article might be a bit vague when you read it, but it was just an introduction to our lovely December ride. I’ll be sharing more with you as the days and weeks go by about my experience with the Sportage. From sunny Cape Town, have a lekker one!

Kia has yet to reveal all the specifics, but it did mention some of the must-see features in its newest Sportage crossover. Branding it as ‘the ultimate urban SUV,’ the latest Sportage has grown marginally over the previous generation. It now measures 4,660 mm long, 1,865 mm wide, and 1,660 mm in height, slightly longer than the Tucson and more prominent than the Honda CR-V.

Additionally, it has a 2,755 mm wheelbase, offering more legroom and rear passenger room than the more popular Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Kia claims 1,050 mm of legroom and 1,000 mm of headroom in the second row, while the added length enables Sportage to swallow 637 litres of storage space behind the back seats.

The latest Sportage features an electronic 4WD system and electronic suspension to offer outstanding stability and driving comfort whether on or off-road. Also new is an All-Terrain driving mode in conjunction with the Sportage’s Comfort, Eco, Sport, and default Drive modes. As expected, the all-terrain driving mode provides optimal vehicle settings to cope with rugged terrains like mud, snow, sand, and ice.

On the safety front, the 2023 Kia Sportage boasts class-leading active safety features and advanced driving aids. It comes with navigation-based smart cruise control, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision assist, blind-spot monitoring, and remote parking assist, to name a few.

The 2023 Kia Sportage will make its global debut later this year, and we suspect the first Mzansi units will start arriving by early or mid-2022. Kia will announce the pricing, exact launch date, trim levels, and other specs at a later date.