Kia Sorento detailed further as more technical details emerge

Having released the first official images of all-new Sorento earlier this week, Kia has dropped more details of its fourth generation model ahead of its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

With both the interior and exterior revealed, the latest details surrounds what lays underneath the skin where the Sorento rides on brand-new SUV optimised platform that measures 4 810 mm in overall length with the wheelbase measuring 2 815 mm, height 1 700 mm and width 1 900 mm.

Reflecting a 10 m overall increase with the wheelbase expanded by 35 mm, width by 10 mm and the height remaining unchanged, the platform has resulted in a weight cut of 80 kg with Kia also claiming improvements in the ride quality and handling departments.

Providing seating for six or seven, safety in the Sorento has gone up a notch with the debut of an automatic braking system known as Multi Collision Brake that applies the brakes when the airbags fire so as to avoid a secondary impact. Also available for the first time is a smartphone-based Surround View Monitor system that works in conjunction with that of the Sorento’s in order to aid parking entry and exit.

Unspecified with the release of the official pictures, specification about the Sorento’s engine options have now been announced with Kia confirming the availability of three powerunits; a hybrid that marries a 132 kW 1.6 T-GDI petrol engine with a 44 kW electric motor for a total system output of 162kW/350Nm, a 2.5 T-GDI delivering 210kW/420Nm and a revised 2.2 CRDI turbodiesel outputting 147kW/440Nm.

In spite of the leaking of a specification document earlier this month suggesting the availability of a normally aspirated 2.5-litre engine and a six-speed manual gearbox as well as a six-speed automatic, Kia has indicated that all three powerunits will be paired to a brand-new eight-speed dual-clutch ‘box as standard, suggesting that the mentioned hardware could be market specific or available at a later stage.

While no mentioning of the Sorento has yet been made for South Africa, chances are that it will become available later this year.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.