The
Sorento’s redefined exterior design – with sharper lines, high-tech details,
and elongated proportions – gives it a more confident and mature presence.
Inside, its attractive cabin also introduces premium-quality materials,
cutting-edge infotainment technologies, and a stunning new design.
The
new Sorento is the first vehicle to be based on Kia’s new-generation midsize
SUV platform. Paired with a larger body to maximise cargo and luggage space,
the platform ensure the Sorento is one of the most versatile and spacious
three-row SUVs on the road.
Furthermore,
the Sorento’s innovative interior packaging means it can offer all this while
accommodating Kia’s new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrains – the first time
that hybrid power has featured in the Sorento line-up. As a result, the new
model offers greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and higher performance
than its predecessors.
This
will be Kia’s most high-tech car ever, thanks to its progressive connectivity,
driver assistance and infotainment technologies. Its user-friendly twin digital
displays deliver advanced graphics, new telematics features and smartphone
connectivity.
A
mainstay of Kia’s global line-up, more than three million Sorento models have
been sold worldwide since it was launched in 2002. In that time, Europe has
accounted for around 300,000 of these.
The
Sorento Hybrid is powered by a new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrain,
pairing a 1.6-litre T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) with a 1.49
kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and 44.2 kW electric motor. The intelligent
packaging of the Sorento’s new platform means the battery pack can be located
under the floor, with minimal impact on cabin or luggage space.
Producing
230 ps and 350 Nm torque, this electrified powertrain combines low CO2
emissions with high levels of performance. The new 1.6-litre T-GDi engine
features Kia’s new Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology,
regulating valve opening time according to driving conditions, instead of
operating on a fixed opening time. This boosts performance at low-to-mid engine
speeds and enhances fuel efficiency.
Power
is sent through the six-speed automatic transmission via a transmission-mounted
electrical device, allowing the full power of the engine and motor to be
transferred in parallel with minimal loss of energy. The result is immediacy in
acceleration response at any speed, with direct access to available battery
power at higher speeds.
The
Sorento Hybrid will go on-sale in select European markets from launch, with
others to follow later in 2020. The new Sorento will also be available as a
Plug-in Hybrid variant from late in 2020.
The
Sorento’s new four-cylinder 2.2-litre ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine is also
available for European customers, producing 202 ps and 440 Nm torque.