KIA Sportage Hidden Features - Making Your SUV Even Smarter

Cars are getting smarter now but this doesn't apply to all trims. The cheapest cars still come without a lot of important and convenient features that would make your driving safer and more pleasant. Your new KIA Sportage still has some features that you can unblock or add without a lot of investment and this is really important to know.

We are talking today about the new KIA Sportage sold in 2023 (started in 2021-2022 in the US). But a lot of our tips will work with the previous generation of the Sportage, too. Today, we'll tell you which hidden features your KIA Sportage SUV may have or which of them you may easily add without breaking the bank.

Here's what we will be talking about:

• The new Sportage - what features will it have in a base trim?
• What are 7 of the most important and coolest features you can add or unblock?
• Will unblocking new features in your Sportage void your warranty?
• How can you unblock or modify a certain feature in your Sportage?

Let's get started!

What will you get in a base Sportage?

The base trim of the KIA Sportage in 2023 is called LX and it costs about $27,600. This is still not the most popular trim, people love buying the X-Line trim with much more options onboard. But let's look at what exactly the new cheapest Sportage offers in terms of technology.

So, you can get the following:

• Good and beautiful light-alloy 17-inch wheels;
• LED lights including headlights;
• Keyless entry and push-button start;
• A solid 12.2-inch dash display (cool new feature);
• Driver attention warning system (warns you if sensors figure out you are falling asleep);
• Lane departure mitigation system and also collision avoidance system.

Not bad! But you will get a simple air-conditioner, no proper cruise control, front-wheel drive. All new Sportages come with a 2.5-liter gas engine and also with the automatic transmission (8-speed traditional tranny).

It may not seem bad for this money, but we wouldn't say this is a dream car and it surely should have more interesting options. But you may know that many car manufacturers hide some features in modern vehicles of base trims to sell their top-trim cars at higher prices. So, maybe you will be able to unlock some new features in your Sportage! Let's see.

7 cool features that are hidden in your new Sportage

First of all, you should know that if you buy an X-Line trim or even a more expensive version of the Sportage, some of these options may already be unlocked by the manufacturer.

So, here are 7 of the coolest features you may find locked in your new KIA Sportage:

1) Heated exterior mirrors

Your LX KIA Sportage doesn't have this feature on the list. But we've noticed that more expensive versions have this cool feature. It means you will only need to buy the new mirror-adjusting joystick that has the option to turn the heating on and off. This feature will cost you just some bucks but it's a cool thing for winter driving.

If you have heated rear mirrors, you won't need to worry about ice on them and won't risk damaging them with plastic scrubbers or other tools when you are in a hurry. The heating element is already there, in your mirror. You just need the tool to turn it on and off.

2) Remote engine start

If you have the push-button start version of the KIA Sportage, you can have the remote engine start unblocked in your vehicle. For this, you will need a code scanner and a person who understands how it's activated. Even some dealers may do this if you ask them. In some cases, you will need a new fob that would let you start your engine with a separate key.

The feature is super cool for cold areas and also for hot summers. You may start the engine 5 minutes before you go out of your house. For this time, the climate system will provide you with the needed temperature in your SUV and the engine will be warmed up and good to go.

3) Heated front seats

The cheapest LX version doesn't have heated seats. It means that in winter you will not be very comfortable in your Sportage for the first 10 minutes of your ride. Given we often just drive for 10 minutes, you will be uncomfortable pretty often.

But the good news is that most likely, your Sportage already has the heated elements in the seats. It just doesn't have the button to turn them on. Car manufacturers are pretty lazy and often make identic seats for all trims. They just don't install buttons for low-level trims but they even have prepared places for those buttons and wiring. You just need a button to improve the comfort of your vehicle.

4) Hands-free liftgate

Well, not all trims already have the appropriate lifters to just unlock the feature. But your KIA will most likely have the needed wiring and prepared places to install the sensor. Also, you may install the lifters for the hands-free liftgate and have this wonderful feature.

The lifters themselves are not extremely expensive. Also, the coding is not complicated after you install everything. This is one of the important options that owners of most Sportage SUVs will want to unlock because only SX and higher trims will have it.

5) Adaptive cruise control

This feature is also offered only in higher trims like SX or X-Pro. But the trick is that all Sportage vehicles have the needed sensors and computers. You will only need to add a couple of cheap sensors and then pay for coding. This feature is basically locked on the program level in your car, so it will require minimal physical changes.

Of course, you will need to turn this feature on, so some new elements in your interior will be needed, but these modifications aren't really expensive. This is one of the coolest things in the cruise control with adaptive features in your Sportage.

6) Highway autopilot

Well, it's not completely autopilot, but it's something that KIA and Hyundai owners call this way. If you already have the adaptive cruise control in your KIA Sportage, you can combine it with the lane assist and have the feature that will automatically keep your KIA in the lane, maintain a certain speed, and avoid collisions.

You will still need to be there in the driver's seat, you will have to be awake and look at the road. But most of the routine things your Sportage will be doing by itself. And this is a cool feature that helps you relax a little when traveling on highways.

7) Wireless smartphone charger

Your cheaper KIA Sportage trim will not have this option. It will just have an empty shelf where the charger should be located (just in front of the transmission shifter). But you can buy the charger and have it installed by a dealer. This will not cost you a lot because the charger itself is pretty affordable and the wiring is already there.

The wireless charger is extremely convenient. You just drop your phone there and it automatically starts charging, so you will always have the 100% ready-to-use smartphone with just a habit to drop it there every time you get into your vehicle.

How to code the needed function?

Coding certain functions is not easy and it's certainly not a DIY job. You may find a person who repairs KIA and Hyundai vehicles and has the needed equipment for computer coding. Alternatively, you can go to one of the KIA or Hyundai dealers and ask them for help. Try different options and find the most affordable and appropriate way.

Also, you may need some hardware like buttons or chargers, etc. You may choose OEM parts which is the best option but sometimes they are not really affordable. Also, you can choose aftermarket offers with prices 5-10 times more affordable than OEM options.

Will this void your warranty?

This depends on what types of things you are going to do and who is going to do the job. For example, your dealer may help you in unblocking pretty much any function in your KIA and this will not void the warranty. If it is going to affect the warranty, your dealer will obviously tell you.

But if you go to a local repair shop and make modifications to your KIA, you are risking the warranty. Of course, if the dealer will not see and find any changes, the warranty is safe. But if they find something that shouldn't be in your vehicle, they will use it.

Be careful and always speak to your dealer before you make a final decision on some new feature you want to add to your SUV. The KIA Sportage is not a bad car with quite a lot of tech for the money you pay. But now you know how you can make it even better!