An unveiling ceremony in Kia’s native Korea has revealed the all-new Sorento model.
The new Sorento brings with it a new look, with a sculpted, swept-back profile, wrap-around headlamps, and with a larger and more upright version of Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille. It shares the long bonnet and wide D-pillar of the previous Kia Sorento, but with a lower roofline and raised beltline. The result is a 15mm reduction in overall height, but with a shape which is longer by 95mm and wider by 5mm.
Interior design for the new Sorento was led by Kia’s European design team in Frankfurt. The increased width of the design has enabled the inclusion of a wider instrument cluster with a wrap-around dashboard that curves into the doors. The interior trim features heavy use of soft-touch materials and leather. A centre console which Kia claims is inspired by Swiss watch manufacture incorporates the Korean car maker’s latest in human-machine interface technology. Dependent on market, customers can choose between Saturn Black or two-tone Saturn Black and Stone interior colour schemes, with either cloth or leather trim, while optional brown or light grey leather colour schemes will be offered.
The new Kia Sorento comes in both five and seven-seat variants, and despite the lower roofline the cabin redesign has resulted in increased head and legroom, and a boot capacity of 515 litres which grows to 605 litres with the third row of seats folded flat.
New features which come with the all-new Sorento include a four camera around-view monitor and a SmartPower Tailgate which opens automatically when the key is sensed in close proximity.
Refinement and safety have been enhanced by a 14 per cent increase in torsional rigidity compared to the previous Sorento’s bodyshell. Ultra-high tensile steel now accounts for over half of the bodyshell’s construction, being used to strengthen key areas such as the wheel arches, tailgate surround, and rear-wheel surround. New soundproofing material on the transmission tunnel, thicker soundproofing on the dashboard panel, and acoustic shield on the engine timing chain cover, have all contributed to reduced cabin noise.
Safety and driver assistance features available on the new Kia Sorento include Adaptive Smart Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Front Collision Warning, Blind-Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Speed Limit Information Function.
European models will be sold with a choice of a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel or 2.4-litre direct injection petrol engine, but final confirmation on UK engine specification is yet to be made. Suspension improvements as well as the longer wheelbase have resulted in greater body control. An electric motor-driven power steering system is now mounted directly onto the steering rack rather than the steering column, improving steering feedback compared to the previous Sorento.
Kia will give the new Sorento its European unveiling at the Paris Motor Show in October.
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