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• Third-generation Kia Sorento
• New body, better handling
• Quieter, quality, design
• To be launched at 2014 Paris auto show
SEOUL, Korea – Kia’s third generation Sorento has been unveiled in Korea ahead of its official debut at the 2014 Paris auto show on October 2.
Kia South Africa says the new Sorento will arrive locally during the first quarter of 2015.
According to Kia: “Although the styling changes are evolutionary, they subtly alter the character of the new Sorento, highlighting its sleek, sinuous, profile, while creating a sophisticated appearance and ensuring the new model has a bolder on-the-road presence.”
NEW DESIGN
In terms of design, the front of the car features a larger, more upright ‘tiger-nose’ grille, with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern, and long, swept-back headlights.
IMAGE GALLERY: 2015 Kia Sorrento
VIDEO: Designing the third-gen Kia Sorento
It has increased in length (+95mm to 4.78m), decreased in height (-15mm to 1.68m) and has an increased wheelbase at 2.78m (+80mm).
PRACTICAL SUV
Cargo space is increased, with a longer cargo bay floor (up by 87mm), and capacity with the third-row seats folded flat up from 515-litres to 605. The SUV has a new under-floor storage compartment.
Available in five- or seven-seat versions, the new Sorento features 40/20/40 second row split. The second row seats of the seven-seat version are equipped with 'remote folding' controlled by two levers in the side of the cargo bay.
The new Sorento debuts several new technologies. Depending on market, new features include Kia’s around-view monitor - four cameras to aid drivers in parking maneuvers. Its smart power tailgate opens the boot automatically when the key is in close proximity.
REFINED INTERIOR
Throughout the development of its new Sorento, Kia engineers also focused on strengthening its bodyshell and improving NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) characteristics. Torsional rigidity is increased by 14% compared to the outgoing model.
NVH-reducing measures include soundproofing material for the transmission tunnel, a thicker dashboard soundproofing panel (increased from 0.7mm to 0.9mm), larger engine and transmission mounts and, for diesel models, a new cover and an acoustic shield integrated into the engine. Cabin noise, Kia claims, is reduced by 3% to 6%, “depending on driving conditions”.
POWER
Five engines are available, depending on market, offering power outputs ranging from 125kW to 198kW - 2.4-litre petrol direct injection (GDI) unit, 2.4-litre and 3.3-litre multi-point injection (MPI) engines and revised 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre R turbo-diesel units.
The Sorento retains the suspension setup of the outgoing model (MacPherson Struts at the front and Kia's multi-link system at the rear) though modified front and rear.
LUXURY INTERIOR
Inside, it boasts a “more sophisticated, luxurious cabin with higher quality materials".
The styling of the interior is, Kia says, sports a “modern and wide” theme, demonstrated in the wider instrument cluster, interior garnish and the wrap-around shape of the dashboard. It has soft-touch materials and leather throughout.
One of highlights of the interior features is its Swiss watch-inspired interface, which incorporates Kia's latest ‘human-machine interface’ technologies.
For Europe and general markets (includes Africa), customers will be able to specify the interior in either single-tone black or two-tone (black and grey, with cloth or leather trim. Additionally, brown or light gray colour schemes in leather trim will be offered as an option.
The Sorento can be equipped with the following:
Adaptive Smart Cruise Control
Lane Departure Warning System - alerts the driver if he/she strays from a lane without using indicators.
Front Collision Warning
Blind-Spot Detection
Lane Change Assist
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert - warns driver of other cars behind the Sorento.
Speed Limit Information Function - displays the speed limit in the driver's instrument cluster based on cameras detecting roadside signs.
