Kia Sportage Celebrates 30 Years with New 30th Anniversary with Special Edition

The Kia Corp has been a very progressive and forward-moving name in the auto industry. Revolutionizing its look and its name, the automaker has a jump on electrifying its lineup and releasing all-electric vehicles like the EV6 and EV9. Recently, all-time favorite models have been getting electrified, and automotive media has definitely taken notice. The Kia Sportage SUV has some rugged style, and eventually, a Sportage Hybrid and Sportage Plug-in Hybrid broke out onto the streets. Celebrating 30 years, Kia will be launching a new 30th Anniversary Special Edition of the Kia Sportage overseas.

“The Kia Sportage was a groundbreaking product from day one…Over the 30 years since it has remained true to its revolutionary origins, bringing cutting-edge safety, performance and design to drivers around the world.” – Tae-Hun (Ted) Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Operations Division

First launched in 1993, the Sportage has been a high-selling point of the Kia lineup, and is officially the automaker’s best-selling model globally since 2015. Passing a large milestone, since its inception, the Kia Sportage has sold over 7 million units. Every generation of the Kia Sportage has brought something new to the model, embodying Kia’s commitment to innovation, quality, and enduring appeal. We can see it in the sleek design of the first-generation Sportage, built with a “body-on-frame” design that was advsanced for the time, feeling like a sedan while featuring off-road SUV capability with electronically controlled on-the-fly 4WD switching and rear coil springs, and the world’s first knee airbags.

The second generation of the Kia Sportage changed to a monocoque platform to improve ride comfort, prioritizing quality and safety after Kia ranked first in the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study in 2005. In the third generation of the SUV, this was known as the Sportage R (Revolution), giving life to the Tiger Nose grille design seen on almost every model today – battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are taking on more of a “Tiger Face” design for the front fascia. Gathering much acclaim and prestigious awards, the third generation of the Kia Sportage ranked first in J.D. Power’s 2013 Initial Quality Study, 2015 Vehicle Dependability Study.

Safety became a large part of the Kia portfolio, and the fourth generation brought more safety enhancements with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Shrinking down a bit, the model started using smaller engines, and this actually expanded its consumer base. In 2021, the fifth generation of the Kia Sportage was released, adopting a multi-structure body and increasing its SUV proportions. This is around the time the new “Opposites United” design philosophy sprang up, currently keeping a theme to the Kia lineup. It’s now wonder it hit the recent milestone, and the 30th Anniversary Edition is made to celebrate the history of the Kia Sportage.

The 30th Anniversary Edition will be enhancing the SUV with a focus on convenience and safety. Such enhancements include acoustic laminated glass in the first and second rows, eight airbags, including first-in-class rear seat left and right-side airbags. The exterior styling hosts two exclusive color packs: green and black, and has a bolder, more modern aesthetic thanks to the gloss black finish. The interior upholstery features a suede and graphic perforated pattern for a refreshing, high-quality feeling. A 30th anniversary logo can be found on the driver’s and passenger’s headrests.

Find your new Kia Sportage at Miami Lakes Automall. Follow along with us about the Kia Corp and new Kia models when you follow us on Miami Lakes Automall social media.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media