10 Things To Know About The 2020 Kia Sorento

Kia has taken the covers off the new Sorento. It’s the fourth generation of the popular large family SUV and slots into the range above the Kia Sportage. The new Kia Sorento is expected to arrive in Ireland in the third quarter of 2020 with pricing to be confirmed closer to launch. It will be sold in Europe with Kia’s seven-year, 150,000-kilometre warranty as standard.

1. The new Sorento is the first vehicle to be based on Kia’s new-generation midsize SUV platform. It will be larger than the outgoing model with more passenger and boot space. Kia promises one of the most versatile and spacious three-row SUVs on the road. The 7 seat Sorento is much in demand in Ireland so this is good news for family buyers.

2. The 2020 Kia Sorento will debut electrification for the first time with a new plug-in hybrid powertrain. As a result, the new model offers greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions and higher performance than its predecessors.

3. Diesel models will also be offered and will be the first to arrive here in Ireland, followed by the PHEV variant in late 2020. The Sorento’s new four-cylinder 2.2-litre ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine produces 202 ps and 440 Nm torque. It will be paired with Kia’s new eight-speed double-clutch transmission (8DCT).

4. This will be Kia’s most high-tech car ever with the latest connectivity, driver assistance and infotainment technologies. In the cabin we are promised twin digital displays with advanced graphics, new telematics features and smartphone connectivity. The 12.3-inch digital driver instrument cluster is twinned with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system at the centre of the dashboard for a wide-screen user experience.

5. The new Sorento is the result of a collaborative design effort by Kia’s worldwide design network and is inspired by the concept of ‘refined boldness’! They wanted to retain the robust, tough-looking aesthetic of earlier generations of Sorento, while applying a greater degree of refinement and elegance, and even a sense of sportiness. So there are more sharp lines and creases this time and contemporary geometric details.

6. Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger nose’ grille is now wider and the headlamps feature a new ‘tiger eyeline’ LED daytime running light, which Kia says adds “extra focus to the design by depicting the intense impression of the lines around a tiger’s eyes”! Like the ProCeed, the Sorento model name is spelt out centrally across the tailgate.

7. The new Sorento has grown in all directions. It’s 10 mm wider than the third-generation Sorento, 10 mm longer, 10 mm taller, with a 35 mm longer wheelbase thanks to the new platform.

8. In seven-seat models, with all seven seats in place, boot space is also increased by 32% compared to its predecessor, to 187 litres. Controls in the side wall of the boot also let users fold down the second-row seat backs at the touch of a button. The second-row seats now slide up to 45 mm further.

9. The new Sorento will have enhanced all-terrain capability thanks to a new Terrain Mode. Paired with the optional all-wheel drive system, Terrain Mode makes the Sorento more capable in mud, snow and sand. With each mode selectable from a dial on the centre console, Terrain Mode carefully controls the car’s standard electronic stability control (ESC), as well as the distribution of torque to all four wheels. It also adapts transmission shift times to help the car find and maintain traction in a range of driving environments.

10. The 2020 Kia Sorento will be the first Kia available in Europe with the company’s new Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA), which enables drivers to move their car autonomously out of a front-and-back parking space remotely with their key fob.