A spokesperson for Kia Motors has explained how a mid-life update for the Sorento can be claimed to include a ‘completely new’ platform.
“It [upgraded Sorento] is the new Santa Fe platform – which is significantly changed from the old platform though it is a development of it,” the spokesperson told just-auto via email. “We want people to understand that it will provide a new driving quality including revised towing, better ride and handling and a variety of minor improvements in body control, safety and other areas,” Kia’s spokesperson added.
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Kia Motors Europe will reveal the revised version of this SUV at the Paris motor show in late September. To be fair to the company, the vehicle has been extensively re-engineered, with the changes extending to the floor having been lowered. This is claimed to provide 30mm more legroom in the second row and 9mm more in the third row. The Sorento’s body also sits 10mm closer to the road.
Exterior changes include new headlamps, foglamps, grille and revised front and rear bumpers as well as new wheels. Inside there is mock-chrome trim for the door handles, air vent surrounds and certain switches, a new centre stack with revised LCD monitor (8-inch in many markets but 7-inch in Europe).
There will three four-cylinder engines for Europe: a 150PS 2.0-litre turbo, a newly revised 192PS 2.4-litre and 197PS 2.2-litre turbodiesel. In certain other markets, a 176PS version of the 2.4-litre petrol unit, and/or a 280PS 3.5-litre V6 will be available. Transmission choice will consist of six-speed manuals and automatics, and there will again be front- and all-wheel drive variants in most countries.
Kia says in addition to revised rear suspension, there is a new power steering system. There are also extensive revisions to the bodyshell, which incorporates a high percentage (25%) of ultra high-tensile strength steel. Hot stamping is used to heat steel to 900º C and press immensely strong components to produce ultra high-tensile strength steel that is used for the front bumper, centre floor member and rear floor side members – improving crashworthiness.
Since its introduction in 2009, Sorento sales have now reached 620,000 units worldwide. That compares to the 800,000 for the first generation model that was launched back in 2002. The company is hoping for 265,000 Sorento sales in 2013.
The Sorento is built at Kia’s Hwasung plant in South Korea; at West Point, Georgia in the US, and assembled by Asia-Auto at Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan.
As Kia Motors America has already announced its 2013 model year Sorento, the styling and engineering update will not become available in the US and Canada until the 2014 model year.
Author: Glenn Brooks
