Photo: Kia
It's a big week for South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia, who both revealed new generations for two of their most prized models. Whereas Hyundai showed for the first time the 7th generation of the Elantra in the U.S., its sibling Kia dropped the covers off the fourth-generation Sorento.
The model has been Kia's flagship SUV model for years, and the refreshments it brings with this new version are extensive, starting with the visual appearance that features styling taken right off the stunning Telluride.
The new Sorento is the first Kia SUV to be built on a brand new platform, one that comes with a longer wheelbase than before (+35 mm) and the possibility of adding hybrid powertrains to the range.
Kia of course did not miss this opportunity and fitted the new Sorento with a hybrid system, making the lineup electrified for the first time. We're talking about a 1.6-litre T-GDi working together with a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 44.2kW electric motor. The combo's output has been rated at 230 ps and 350 Nm torque.
Kia will continue to offer ICE engines on the Sorento as before, including a new four-cylinder 2.2-litre Smartstream diesel, developing 202 ps and 440 Nm torque.
Described as the most high-tech Kia car ever, the new Sorento runs its infotainment system on a 10.25-inch touchscreen that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
“The Sorento’s evolution over the last 18 years echoes that of the Kia brand as a whole. While the car was initially launched in 2002 as a utilitarian all-terrain vehicle, the fourth-generation Sorento has been transformed into something altogether more desirable,” said in a statement Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe
“It is an important model for Kia, particularly now that it also represents the first use of electrified power in our flagship SUV.”
The new Sorento goes on sale in the third quarter of the year. Full details on the car can be found in the press release section below.
The new Sorento is the first Kia SUV to be built on a brand new platform, one that comes with a longer wheelbase than before (+35 mm) and the possibility of adding hybrid powertrains to the range.
Kia of course did not miss this opportunity and fitted the new Sorento with a hybrid system, making the lineup electrified for the first time. We're talking about a 1.6-litre T-GDi working together with a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 44.2kW electric motor. The combo's output has been rated at 230 ps and 350 Nm torque.
Kia will continue to offer ICE engines on the Sorento as before, including a new four-cylinder 2.2-litre Smartstream diesel, developing 202 ps and 440 Nm torque.
Described as the most high-tech Kia car ever, the new Sorento runs its infotainment system on a 10.25-inch touchscreen that is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
“The Sorento’s evolution over the last 18 years echoes that of the Kia brand as a whole. While the car was initially launched in 2002 as a utilitarian all-terrain vehicle, the fourth-generation Sorento has been transformed into something altogether more desirable,” said in a statement Emilio Herrera, Chief Operating Officer for Kia Motors Europe
“It is an important model for Kia, particularly now that it also represents the first use of electrified power in our flagship SUV.”
The new Sorento goes on sale in the third quarter of the year. Full details on the car can be found in the press release section below.
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