The facelifted Kia Sorento has quietly appeared on Kia’s Malaysian
website. As with the others, the updated seven-seater SUV gets a new look, a
revised kit list and a new transmission for the diesel model.
The previous four-variant lineup has been simplified
– there’s now just one petrol and diesel variant each, the 2.4 EX and 2.2D SX,
and while pricing has yet to be released, the website lists a starting price of
RM 169,888. That’s exactly the same price as the current 2.4 EX variant after
the introduction of the sales and services tax (SST), so the 2.2D SX will
likely also hold station at RM 179,888.
Revisions to the design include a new front fascia
incorporating a reshaped “tiger nose” grille and reprofiled air intakes, plus
standard adaptive LED headlights in a triple projector design. The fog lights
also get the “ice cube” LED design that were previously only available in
selected markets.
At the back, there are redesigned internal graphics
for the LED tail lights and a new rear bumper design with fake air vents below
the rear fog lights. Completing the look are new two-tone alloy designs,
measuring 18 inches on the EX and a massive 19 inches on the SX.
Inside, the Sorento gets a new four-spoke
multifunction steering wheel with a round protrusion on the airbag boss,
revised seven-inch instrument display graphics and climate control switchgear
and greater use of leather, soft-touch plastics and gloss black trim. Also added
are driver’s seat memory, Qi wireless smartphone charging and Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto functionality on both models.
In fact, equipment is largely identical on the EX
and SX and includes keyless entry, push-button start, an acoustic and solar-attenuating
windscreen, auto lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control with rear air
vents and third-row temperature control, eight-way powered front seats, rear
side window sunshades, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a touchscreen
infotainment system and a handsfree powered tailgate.
Safety-wise, both models come with six airbags, ABS
with EBD and brake assist, hill start assist, hill descent control, ISOFIX
second-row child seat anchors, a tyre pressure monitoring system, a reverse
camera and front and rear parking sensors. Unfortunately, like the Stinger and
the other newly facelifted models, you don’t get autonomous emergency braking
here.
The Sorento soldiers on with the same two engines as
before – a 2.4 litre Theta II MPI petrol four-cylinder producing 172 PS at
6,000 rpm and 225 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, as well as a 2.2 litre R
turbodiesel with start/stop making 200 PS at 3,800 rpm and 442 Nm from 1,750 to
2,750 rpm. A new eight-speed automatic transmission replaces the six-speed unit
on the diesel, and on-demand all-wheel drive comes as standard.
