Automotive

Third-gen Kia Sorento set for Paris debut

Third-gen Kia Sorento set for Paris debut
The new Kia Sorento will get a full European reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October
The new Kia Sorento will get a full European reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October
View 13 Images
Kia is aiming upmarket with the third-generation Sorento SUV
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Kia is aiming upmarket with the third-generation Sorento SUV
The new Sorento is built on a longer wheelbase than its predecessor
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The new Sorento is built on a longer wheelbase than its predecessor
The car has a lower roofline, but Kia says there is still plenty of rear headroom
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The car has a lower roofline, but Kia says there is still plenty of rear headroom
Drivers are treated to a full complement of active safety features
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Drivers are treated to a full complement of active safety features
Kia's stylists have taken an "evolutionary" approach with the new car
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Kia's stylists have taken an "evolutionary" approach with the new car
Four cameras give drivers a good idea of their surroundings at low speed
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Four cameras give drivers a good idea of their surroundings at low speed
Inside, Kia has tried to cut down on noise, vibration and harshness
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Inside, Kia has tried to cut down on noise, vibration and harshness
A seven-seat option is available
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A seven-seat option is available
The dash draws on Kia's "modern and wide" mantra
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The dash draws on Kia's "modern and wide" mantra
The Sorento also can be specced with an auto-tailgate
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The Sorento also can be specced with an auto-tailgate
The Sorento will be available with two different engines in Europe
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The Sorento will be available with two different engines in Europe
Kia claims the Sorento is more refined than its predecessor
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Kia claims the Sorento is more refined than its predecessor
The new Kia Sorento will get a full European reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October
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The new Kia Sorento will get a full European reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October
View gallery - 13 images

Kia is looking to continue its upmarket charge with its third-generation Sorento SUV. Billed as a leap in quality and technology, the latest Sorento SUV takes design cues from the 2013 Kia Cross GT concept and is built around a stiffer bodyshell that the company says delivers improved handling, comfort and safety.

In this quest for greater refinement, Kia has focused on keeping noise and vibration at bay. Thanks to extensive use of high-tensile steel, the bodyshell has 14 percent greater torsional rigidity than that of the car it replaces and extra soundproofing material in the dash and transmission tunnel, as well as new engine and transmission mounts, help cut down on vibrations transmitted to passengers.

The Korean manufacturer has focused on making the Sorento's interior a more luxurious place to be by using higher quality materials on all key touch-points. Thanks to repositioned seat-cushions, rear passengers are treated to extra headroom, and there is room for seven inside.

Inside, Kia has tried to cut down on noise, vibration and harshness
Inside, Kia has tried to cut down on noise, vibration and harshness

Kia has thrown a range of efficient petrol and diesel engines at the Sorento to keep it competitive in the packed compact SUV marketplace. Around the world five engines will be available, ranging in output from 170 hp (127 kW) to 266 hp (198 kW), but the European market will only see two: a turbocharged 2.2-liter diesel and a 2.4-liter petrol unit. Kia expects the diesel to account for most European sales.

The old Sorento's McPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension set up carries over, albeit with modified bushings in the rear subframe and larger shock absorbers than those on the outgoing car, which Kia says will provide a smoother, more refined ride. Steering is taken care of by Kia's new electric-motor driven power steering system, designed to be sharper and more responsive than the setup on the outgoing model, all the while using less fuel.

On the technology front, the new Sorento has a complement of active safety features available. Drivers can spec their car with active cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision alert, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert and an "around-view monitor" that uses four cameras to warn of objects in the car's immediate area. Not all features will be available in all markets, however.

The Sorento also can be specced with an auto-tailgate
The Sorento also can be specced with an auto-tailgate

The Sorento also has a hands-free tailgate system, but unlike the foot operated system in Ford's cars, the Sorento's tailgate senses when the key is in close proximity and automatically pops up.

The new Kia Sorento will get a full European reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Source: Kia

View gallery - 13 images
2 comments
2 comments
hkmk23
No chassis? That will be "interesting" after a real off road excursion......
The Skud
Anybody who takes these things on a [real off road excursion] deserves what he/she gets! Treat them as a mini version of a "suburban schoolbus' and you will enoy it for a bit longer .....