New KIA Sorento bound to amaze – on and off the road

THE all-new KIA Sorento, which went on sale nationwide on 1 July 2015, is destined to set the cat among the pigeons in South Africa’s large SUV segment thanks to its unique blend of muscular yet elegant style, unrivalled practicality and new technologies.

In fact, the all-new KIA Sorento represents a notable new level for KIA vehicles. With its smoother, swept-back profile and deeply sculpted surfaces, it introduces the next level of sophistication for the third-generation of KIA’s large SUV. This next-level, premium look and feel is echoed in the Sorento’s spacious and well-appointed cabin, which offers more space for up to seven occupants as well as numerous innovative features.

The front design incorporates long, wrap-around headlamps and more prominent fog-lamps, as well as a larger, more upright ‘tiger-nose’ grille with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern that was first seen on the 2013 Kia Cross GT concept.

In profile, the new model retains the Sorento’s hallmark long bonnet and characteristic wide D-pillar, but a lower roofline, higher beltline and swept-back shape gives the car a more dramatic and muscular stance.

The rear of the car features more prominent shoulders and a highly sculpted number plate surround.

But while the all-new KIA Sorento is a definite head-turner on the road, some of the most significant improvements to the car are to be found on the inside. Led by KIA’s European design team based in Frankfurt, the designers have created a more sophisticated, more luxurious cabin, featuring significantly higher quality materials that propel the KIA brand to a new level of sophistication.

The styling of the cabin follows a modern and wide theme, which is evident through the horizontal layout of the instrument cluster, interior trim and the wrap-around dashboard that extends into the door trims. A higher proportion of soft-touch materials and leather creates a modern, luxury feel to the cabin and gives the new Sorento the ambience of a genuinely premium interior space.

The flowing contours of the dashboard were inspired by the contours of the human body and rise to incorporate the driver’s instrument binnacle. The smoothly styled design curve in the doors, which leads from the audio speakers up to the grab handles and arm rests, also endows the cabin with a more sophisticated and visually harmonious appearance. All Sorento models come as standard with a Saturn Black interior, with cloth or leather trim depending on the model grade.

Depending on the model grade, the all-new KIA Sorento is equipped with one of two instrument binnacles. In entry-level guise, the new Sorento comes standard with a 3,5-inch mono LCD screen, located between two analogue dials in the centre of the instrument binnacle, that displays all major trip computer information in one place, such as vehicle range and average and instant fuel consumption.

The higher specification models features a seven-inch colour TFT LCD screen, with an electro-luminescent instrument cluster and digital speedometer that further improves the modern form and function of the interior while displaying all relevant journey information which the driver can select from the multi-function steering wheel.

All models come standard with a radio, CD and MP3 player, as well as multimedia ports for USB and AUX-in connections, and six speakers around the cabin. In the entry-level models, information is displayed on a 3,8-inch display, while higher specification grades feature a 4,3-inch colour touch screen that incorporates the rear-parking camera.

The local KIA Sorento models come with a choice between a 2.4-litre multi-point injection petrol engine and the 2.2-litre ‘R’ turbodiesel engine.

KIA offers the all-new Sorento in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configuration, with a choice between six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the combination is dependent on the specification grade however.

High-specification versions of the all-new Sorento is equipped with KIA’s DYNAMAX™ all-wheel drive system. The entry-level models feature a driver and passenger airbag as standard, while higher-specification models feature a six-airbag system.

KIA South Africa will offer the all-new Sorento in four specification grades, ranging from LS and LX at the entry level to the mid-spec EX and top-spec SX.

Pricing:

• KIA Sorento 2.4 LS – R379 995

• KIA Sorento 2.2 CRDi LX – R499 995

• KIA Sorento 2.2 CRDi EX AWD – R599 995

• KIA Sorento 2.2 CRDi SX AWD – R634 995.

All models come standard with KIA’s five-year or 150 000km warranty, as well three years of unlimited roadside assistance. The Sorento 2.4 LS comes standard with a four-year or 90 000km service plan, while the LX, EX and SX models include a five-year or 100 000km maintenance plan.