Kia claims that the upcoming fourth-gen Sorento will be the most tech-laden car it has ever produced, and the 7-seat SUV is expected to go on sale in late 2020
The Kia Sorento is a 7-seat full-size SUV that has been on sale globally since 2002. The 4th-generation version of the car was set to make its official debut 2020 Geneva Motor Show. However, the show was cancelled due to the ongoing situation.
Since Kia has promised a new car for the Indian market every six months, we wish that the Sorento is included in that list. While there is no official confirmation of bringing the Sorento to India yet, Kia might go ahead and launch the SUV in India next year. Take a read below to know everything about the Kia Sorento SUV –
1) Exterior Design & Dimensions
Up front, the Sorento features Kia’s signature ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, which is flanked by sleek LED headlamps. The front bumper looks a little too busy because of the black front air dam, and the front skid plate. At the rear, the Sorento’s tail lamps resemble the ones seen on its bigger sibling, the Telluride. However, unlike the Telluride’s single LED tail lamp setup, the Sorento gets a two-piece setup.
The Sorento measures 4,810 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, 1,700 mm in height and has a 2,815 mm long wheelbase. For a better understanding of its size, we compare its dimensions against the Skoda Kodiaq in the Indian market –
| Dimensions | Kia Sorento | Skoda Kodiaq |
| Length | 4,810 mm | 4,705 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,882 mm |
| Height | 1,700 mm | 1,676 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,791 mm |
2) Powertrain
The 2021 Sorento will come equipped with a 1.6-litre TGDi turbocharged petrol engine coupled with a 44.2 kW electric motor, which will make use of a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The said powertrain puts out 230 hp of maximum power, along with 350 Nm of peak torque, and comes mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Also on offer with the Sorento is a 2.2-litre diesel mill that produces 202 hp power and 440 Nm torque. Power is fed to all four wheels through a 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
3) Interiors & Features
The 10.25-inch infotainment system and the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster are conjoined, and take the center stage inside the cabin. The touchscreen infotainment unit will come equipped with features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as Kia’s UVO connected-car tech. The AC vents also feature a two-piece design, and have been placed below the centrally mounted infotainment system.
The Korean carmaker claims that the fourth-gen Sorento will be the most high-tech car it has ever made. While the official feature list of the upcoming new-gen model of the SUV is yet to be revealed, we expect it to come equipped with as many as seven USB charging ports inside the cabin, 64-colour ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, a 12-speaker Bose surround sound system and remote function for locking/unlocking, starting/stopping the engine, setting service reminders, geo-fencing and more!
4) Safety
On the safety front, the Sorento will come packed with a host of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), including blind-spot monitoring, blind-spot collision avoidance assistance, Forward Collision Assist, Lane Following Assist, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management and Driver Attention Warning. Apart from that, the Sorento also comes with level two autonomous driving technology that controls acceleration, braking, and steering using camera and radar sensors which monitor road signs.
5) Price & Competition
Kia is yet to reveal the pricing of the fourth-gen Sorento, and we expect that to be disclosed closer to its launch in the fourth quarter of this year, in the United States. The current third-gen Sorento retails at a base price of $26,990 (Rs 20.41 lakh), which goes up to $41,890 (31.67 lakh) in the US.
The Sorento rivals the likes of Dodge Durango, Ford Edge, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, and Toyota Highlander in the foreign markets. However, if brought to India, the SUV will put up against the Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace, Mahindra Alturas G4, Ford Endeavour, as well as the Toyota Fortuner.