The Kia Sorento is one of those vehicles that has undergone several fundamental and decisive changes throughout its model history. The first Sorento, which appeared on our roads in 2002, was a tough one. The rustic five-door car was more of an off-road vehicle than a comfortable SUV – with a ladder frame, rear rigid axle and reduction gear for rides to the botany.
But from the second generation onwards, the vehicle mutated more and more into an SUV with premium ambitions; the Sorento always remained a stately car. This does not change with the current refresh. And the term facelift was taken literally, because the changes to the front are fundamental.
Picture: Kia
The striking headlights, which are separated from the large grill, immediately catch the eye. In addition, the Kia logo moved from the radiator grille to the hood. The underrun protection is also more accentuated. All in all, the front view is now reminiscent of the large, fully electric Kia EV9.
Gebogene’s Panorama display
The rear, on the other hand, has not been changed that much; what is noticeable here is the rear lights that are no longer divided, the more pronounced underrun protection and the reversing lights that have moved far downwards.
The cockpit has been fundamentally changed. The continuous horizontal lines make the interior appear wider and larger. The curved panoramic display, which includes the large touchscreen in the middle (now 12.3-inch diagonal) and the instrument cluster on the left, also contributes to this. As a result, the large, vertical ventilation nozzles in the middle had to disappear; They were replaced by significantly slimmer air outlet channels.
Picture: Kia
Diesel or plug-in hybrid
There is a change on the drive side, as the version with full hybrid drive is no longer available due to lack of demand. This means that between Lake Neusiedl and Lake Constance the only choice is between the 2.2 liter diesel and the plug-in hybrid drive (electric motor plus 1.6 liter turbo petrol engine) including a battery with a capacity of 13.8 kilowatt hours ( kWh). The former is combined with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, the latter with a six-speed automatic.
All-wheel drive is installed on both variants. The diesel engine can be ordered from January 2024, with the part-time electric vehicle following a little later in the spring.
The seven-year factory warranty also applies to the Sorento – and in the PHEV version it also includes the drive battery.
Author
Clemens Schuhmann
Head of Car & Motor
Clemens Schuhmann
