Kia Sorento Unveiled: The 3-Row SUV Confirmed With Diesel, Hybrid And AWD Options

Kia India has unveiled its flagship SUV in India called the Sorento. This will go up against the big-boy SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and the Skoda Kodiaq. The Sorento will be locally assembled, and hence, we expect the prices to be competitive in typical Kia fashion. While there hasn’t been an official unveil event, Kia has released basic details of what the Sorento will be.

Exterior

The Sorento is a typical modern Kia design. The Tiger Nose Grille sits proudly and centred on the fascia. The L-shaped DRLs on either side give the flagship Kia its unmistakable presence. The lighting design is similar to the Carnival, which is already on sale in India. Notice the vertically stacked ice-cube-like headlamps, which are bracketed by the DRLs.

The upright face has a confident look to it thanks to the sculpted bumper. The bumper also houses the number plate housing and the LED fog lamps down below. The silver faux skid plate at the bottom gives it the finishing touch to this butch-looking SUV. 

The side profile has the typical premium SUV silhouette with the stretched bonnet design, the overall large body and the chunky roof rails. There are tasteful amounts of chrome used in the side profile of the India-spec Sorento. Like on the window surrounds, accenting the door cladding and the fender.

The rear profile of the Sorento also has a distinct look to it. The boxy LED tail lamps give it a unique look, unlike many SUVs which have connected lights on the rear. Like the rest of the car, the bootlid is also tastefully designed withoutwithout looking too busy. The rear wiper is hidden under the rear spoiler, while the reverse lamps are also neatly integrated into the lower half of the bumper. The bumper also includes a silver accent trim, which elevates the premium appeal of the Sorento. 

Interior

Step inside the Sorento and it has an aura of sophistication. The beige and black interior theme gives it a family-friendly vibe inside. The dashboard has a multi-layered design with the floating dual-screen setup. The two layers are separated by the silver accent lines, which also neatly house the AC vents. Interestingly, this also has a multi-purpose touch panel for the climate controls and the music system, which can switch with the press of a button. 

Interestingly, the indian Sorento gets a new 4-spoke steering wheel design with a two-tone leatherette wrapping as well. 

Though the interiors have not been fully revealed, we can say that it will be available with a 6-seater setup and most likely also with a 7-seater version as well. 

The interiors, in typical Kia fashion, look well finished with leatherette finishes on most touchpoints, with good fit and finish. 

Features And Safety

The Kia Sorento will pack in features like three-zone climate control, connected car technology, in-display inside-rear-view mirror (IRVM), powered tailgate, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display.

The screens also include a first-in-segment generative AI assistant.

The Sorento will also come packed with ventilated and powered front seats with memory, auto headlamps, cruise control, and drive modes.

The Sorento will pack in a good list of safety features like multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, Level-2 ADAS, integrated dashcam, hill-hold control (HHC), and traction control (TC).

Powertrain

Kia India has confirmed two powertrain options for India. A strong hybrid, which will include a 1.6-litre turbo petrol with all-wheel drive and a 2.2-litre diesel engine with an 8-speed DCT transmission.

Though Kia has not yet confirmed the India-spec powertrain specifications, the following numbers are the global spec figures with the same engine options:

*eCVT - Continuously Variable Transmission (automatic) / DCT - Dual-Clutch Transmission (automatic)

AWD- All-wheel Drive, FWD- Front-wheel Drive

Price And Rivals

The Sorento will be priced at the premium end of the mass-market SUV segment. That means we expect pricing to start at Rs 40 lakh ex-showroom onwards. 

The Sorento in this space will go against the likes of the Volkswagen Tayron, Skoda Kodiaq, Honda ZR-V and the ladder-on-frame SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and the MG Majestor. Surprisingly, Kia has decided to bring the Sorento to India through the completely knocked-down (CKD) route, meaning it will be assembled in India. It will be key for Kia to price the Sorento competitively against its German rivals.

ZigSays…

Though the Sorento will sit under the Carnival MPV in India, it will be an important flagship SUV to further build the Kia brand image in India. The move to assemble the SUV in India will also keep costs in check.

The Sorento is the first Kia in India which will be available with a hybrid powertrain option, but the second in the segment after the ZR-V. Given the rising traffic and the complications of diesels with the DPFs, the hybrid is an ideal solution for people who want the versatility of both city and highway usage with good fuel economy. Moreover, the availability of the all-wheel-drive setup will make the Sorento even more versatile for Indian conditions.