Car Connection Ranks 2023 Sportage and Telluride Tops as New Year’s First Kia Accolades in “Best to Buy 2023” Awards

The Car Connection chose the 2023 Kia Sportage and Telluride as their best buys for 2023, being recognized for both best in economy and family car offerings! 

This is an outstanding achievement that highlights our award-winning and versatile lineup of SUVs. The win for the Telluride once again proves Kia’s expertise in designing vehicles that have the features current customers want along with segment-leading style. The Sportage hybrid is an excellent component and symbol of ongoing efficiency, making a stellar impression on industry experts immediately. 

The Best Cars to Buy 2023 were chosen based on the everyday vehicle that provides the best balance of fuel efficiency, value, safety, interior spaciousness, and drying dynamics after a full year of testing. More than 100 vehicles under $50,000 were evaluated, allowing consumers browsing the web worldwide to find the best car for themselves from different categories. The Sportage hybrid’s 43 mpg combined EPA rating along with the FWD version and 38 mpg combined for the AWD set the benchmark thoroughly for today’s three-row SUV offerings, standing out as a family vehicle with above average cargo and safety ratings. 

The 2023 Telluride hit the scene with a fervor, ready to impress immediately with excellent design cues inside and out. The Edmunds.com review team gave it high praise for its adult-friendly 3rd-row seating, extensive standard features, and incredibly quiet cabin. Since its debut in 2020, it has earned their Top-Rated award each year, rising above the rest in its class with the smoothest ride quality out there and our world-class warranty coverage. The X-Line model features a completely reworked traction control system, and handy 8.4 inches of ground clearance. 

The 2023 Sportage is now in its 5th generation and is Kia’s longest-running nameplate in the US. Proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia alongside the K5 sedan, Sorento, and Telluride, the 2023 model is available in 7 trim levels. Once existing as the smallest model in the compact crossover utility vehicle segment, it has now become the largest. For the nice touch of added utility, the all-new Sportage offers a dual-level cargo floor and 30 percent more extra capacity directly behind the second-row seats. Newly available in the Sportage is a 24.6-inch panoramic curved display which integrates a 12.3-inch infotainment display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. 

2023 Kia Telluride Continues Car and Driver “10Best” Tradition With X-Pro Trim Additives, Class-Defining Midsize Domination

Being the best at anything will absolutely command a size-able bullseye on your back, and here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, the Telluride has righteously earned the bragging rights of receiving 3 straight 10Best awards since its arrival in 2020. It has effortlessly left various numbers of the competition in the dust such as the Mazda CX9, Toyota Highlander, and even its relative in the form of a Hyundai Palisade. 

Instead of cozying up in our slippers and getting comfortable being at the top, Kia has continued to make changes to the Telluride for the 2023 model, enhancing its equipment and adding more features with much-desired strength. The 291-horsepower V6 8-speed automatic and other mechanical bits are unchanged, but the reshaped grille adds a visually 3-dimensional aesthetic. The front bumper has a bit more square-off design, and its revised LED headlights have a pretty cool dual vertical presence. The X-Line and X-line Pro trims are new to the mix, and both provide the game-changing extras to properly conquer the challenges of the trail.

Both outdoor-ready trim upgrades sport standard all-wheel drive, greater approach and departure angles, and in extra boost in the all-important ground clearance department. They also come with standard roof rails which make it easier to haul along the toys that will make the adventure that much more epic. You’ll also be busting through the challenges of the fire trail you’ve been scoping out for some times that much easier with 18-inch wheels and Continental TerrainContact all-terrain tires and revised traction-control software for added assistance. 

There’s also an additional cooling fan that boosts towing capacity by 500 pounds, and the Car and Driver experts were thoroughly impressed with the SUV’s pinpoint-accurate steering, compliant ride, and firm-as-ever body control. The SX-Prestige model flared up to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds, rendering it just a bit quicker than the previous Telluride models the crew had tried out. To experience all the best elements of the X-Pro trim, the gang took the drive route outside of San Antonio to a uniquely challenging off-road course to defiantly kick up some dust. 

Here they got to see the electronically blocking center differential in full-on action, which aided in the task of crawling over a challenging rock bed and a few straight drainage ditches. The very cool feature of Hill descent control is new and standard on all 2023 tellurides, and it was the perfect tool for managing speed on nearly terrifying downgrades. EPA fuel ratings see the front and all-wheel drive models both coming in at 23 and 21 mpg combined, after tested on a 75-mph highway route. 

Inside the color options are abundant with the sweet varieties of Navy, Sage Green, and Terracotta topping our personal list. There is a completely redesigned dashboard, with restyled trim and HVAC vents that lead to a new interface. Here you’ll be easily accessing two 12.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and center touchscreen situated in a single unit, and an updated infotainment system that makes way for more screen space to operate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The sales of this model raised 60% last year alone, distinct proof that Kia has fared well during the task of edging generously ahead of the competition!