Kia Sportage Struts Segment-Leading Clout as “Utility Vehicle of the Year” in 2023 AutoGuide Awards

We are never short of enthusiasm for the Kia lineup here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, especially now as some models are getting the first increments of awards and accolades for the year. The 2023 Kia Sportage has now been named the Utility Vehicle of the Year in the 2023 AutoGuide awards, where editors give digital homage to the best vehicles on the market. Already enjoying its existence as a Kia icon, the Sportage was elevated to prime recognition after its overhaul last year.

Beginning in 2013, the AutoGuide Awards celebrate the best new or recently updated vehicles of the year. 2014 saw the addition of truck and SUV categories, and Family Vehicle as well as Green Vehicle of the year were added to the roster in 2021. This year, as interest and segment representation grew, there were refined categories for Truck, Utility Vehicle, and Electric Vehicle of the year. AutoGuide managing editor Mike Schlee commented on how the team is impressed every time they drive the Sportage, and was enthusiastic about its gas, hybrid, and plug-in options that provide appeal to every demographic.

The Sportage has always stood out with its comfortable ride quality, spacious seating, and more-than-ample rear cargo area. The X-Pro Trim offers more off-road capability, and so many here at Jim Butler Kia have loved the Sportage’s tech-rich package that comes at a very reasonable price. In direct competition with the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota RAV4, the Sportage is an eager contender that doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, with its striking looks and class-leading warranty. 

The off-road-focused qualities of the X-Pro trim are helpful for tackling the trail with all-terrain tires, all-wheel drive, and a locking center differential as standard. Another sweet addition to this setup is the Prestige Package, which adds LED headlights and taillights, ventilated front seats, a power front passenger seat, and a larger array of safety technology. At highway speeds, the Sportage cruised with minimal road and wind noise for the Motor Trend team. They also noted that it felt ideally light and perfectly precise during cornering. 

The Sportage also has snagged the honors of Top Safety Pick from IIHS and flexes its protective nature with lane-keeping assist, forward collision-avoidance assist, driver attention alerts, rear backup sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, and hands-free adaptive cruise control on every model. X-Pro Prestige models also sport the 360-degree camera view mode, parking collision avoidance, and front and rear parking sensors. Delivery and great execution of its formula allow the Sportage to never fall short of Kia standards, and the Car and Driver testing crew was thrilled with its EPA combined estimate of 43 mpg with front-wheel drive.

Always a grade above what you need for the accessible daily drive, the Sportage’s ultimate tire set comes in the form of BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. Each Sportage model equipped with all-wheel drive also fares well for bouldering and fording with 8.3 inches of ground clearance. Fiercely  growing larger, more capable, and powerful, we have nothing but the highest of recommendations and praise for this valuable member of our lineup and “movement that inspires.”

Kia Telluride X-Pro Displays Elevated Styling and Technology During 74th Emmy Awards

The Telluride SUV has enjoyed its clout as our brand’s most awarded vehicle ever here at Jim Butler Kia of Saint Louis. Its reign of popularity continues with it as the brightly shining star of a new creative campaign that made its debut last week! During the exciting live broadcast of the 74th Emmy Awards on NBC, it was made official that the 2023 Telluride will now include a brand-new X-Pro Model, built specifically for conquering demanding adventures far off the beaten path. 

The Telluride was Kia’s excellent opportunity to take the brand to a very exciting and successful new status and show everyone just how durable and capable the X-Pro will be. Boasting the valuable ability to adapt to a wide variety of terrain situations, the Telluride will provide an amazing drive quality for all genres of driver lifestyle, and adaptability to a variety of demanding situations. We were proud to make a return as the official sponsor of the Television Academy and the 74th EMMY Awards for the third consecutive year, eagerly standing by with several video spots that depict the versatility of this incoming SUV.

These spots were ingeniously created by David And Goliath, Kia’s award-winning creative agency at the fitting location near Imogen Pass at Telluride, Colorado. Performing at peak capacity while braving an elevation of 13,114 feet, the spot follows an excited couple as they embark with the X-Pro up a winding path on the side of a treacherous mountain. As they come up on a clearing, they come to a stop where painters are working on a rendition of the actual sky itself, then lament to each other that the Telluride is so capable that they mistakenly “went too high”. 

In addition to this entertaining spot, the Telluride X-Pro is going to be featured as part of a quirky new in-show installment that will highlight the effectiveness of using one scenario with different actors engaging in completely different approaches to the topic. New for the 2023 model is updated front and rear bumpers, an updated grille, redesigned vertical LED headlights, and new wheel designs for each trim level. You’ll be boosting your drive-time productivity and location scouting with the 12.3-inch curved navigation, gauge-cluster displays, and a larger head-up display. 

The Motor Trend team claimed that the current-year Telluride is “through and through a premium product, providing high levels of quality, style, features, and refinement minus the premium price tag”. The 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 is still on deck for the 2023 model, cranking out 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, while paired to the 8-speed automatic. The 2022 Telluride was awarded the five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, and you’ll also be enjoying the convenience of the available hands-free liftgate. You can also pick from the dazzling new paint choices in the form of Midnight Lake Blue, Dawning Red, and Jungle Wood Green.