Kia builds some of the best affordable SUVs on the market, and the Kia Sportage is its most popular offering. This good-looking family transporter is now in its fifth generation and was revealed last month to much acclaim. We always expected the new Sportage to be a big hit once orders finally opened up, and it seems as though all the buildup and sneaky teasers have done their job: Kia has announced that the new car has achieved 16,078 orders on its first day, which is the second most orders ever received for an SUV in the Korean market. The only car to receive more orders is the fourth generation Kia Sorento with 18,941 orders.

The Sportage is also the first Kia vehicle to exceed a global sales figure of 6 million units after it started out in 1993. It seems that people are responding well to the improved quality and refinement of the new car. "Customers are responding to the innovative interior space that could not be seen in existing semi-midsize SUVs. We will lead the semi-midsize SUV market through the new Sportage, which has been completely transformed into a high-quality SUV," a Kia official recently told the press.

The 2022 Kia Sportage rides on a new platform which it shares with the Hyundai Tucson and promises improved driving dynamics, a more refined ride, and superior interior space. New tech such as a continuous damping system and electronic AWD system further improve the Sportage's on-road, and light off-road capabilities. Power comes in the form of a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing 177 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque which is channeled to either a seven-speed dual-clutch or a six-speed manual transmission. Hybrid versions of the Sportage are expected to arrive after the gas engine has made its landing. Expect lots of standard features, driver assistance tech, and a friendly price.