The new 2021 Kia
Sorento has been caught with its guard down again, this time, without a shred
of camo. Aside from the two white and silver colored examples of the SUVs
photographed parked next to each other, Korean forum posters also revealed a
digital outline of the Sorento that seems to have been sourced from the
infotainment screen.
Many new-age Sorento prototypes have been
spied testing in recent months and if the vehicle is indeed shown off in Korea
in mid-February, there’s a very good chance it will make its European premiere
at March’s Geneva Motor Show with the North American model to follow suit.
Whereas the outgoing third-generation Kia
Sorento has a rather bland and uninspiring design, the new model seems far more
appealing to the eye. At the front, it adopts a chunkier version of Kia’s Tiger
Nose grille as well as a set of LED headlights. Kia has been spotted
benchmarking the Sorento against the latest BMW X5, indicating the new vehicle
will be more premium than any of its predecessors.
A series of images out of South Korea have
revealed some of the car’s new interior that sports a digital instrument
cluster, a four-spoke steering wheel, and has a large central infotainment
screen, giving an overall more premium and upscale feeling over today’s model.
In terms of engines, we expect engines
including a 2.4-liter GDI inline-four, 2.0-liter turbocharged four, a 2.2-liter
CRDI diesel, and the 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid found in the current
Hyundai Sonata. It’s possible the range will be topped out by a 3.8-liter GDI
V6 that’s good for 291 hp and 355 Nm of torque. When the new Kia
Sorento hits the market, it will compete against the likes of the Ford
Explorer, Mazda CX-9, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Skoda Kodiaq, GMC Acadia, Toyota
Highlander, Nissan Murano, and Dodge Durango.
