Sorento gets a freshly designed front fascia as on the EV9
Popular family SUV brings new design and tech including virtual key and advanced driver assist functions
Kia has revealed pricing and specification details for the new Sorento SUV, which gains a new look inspired by the all-electric Kia EV9, a suite of new technology and interior design changes for 2024.
The new Kia Sorento, the brand’s flagship SUV which has been a part of its model line-up for 21 years, is priced from £41,995 in the UK.
Orders are open now, with three specification levels available, numbered 2, 3 and 4. Standard equipment includes 17in alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, a 12.3in touchscreen, automatic wipes, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and adaptive cruise control.
The Sorento 3 raises the price to £46,195 and adds larger 19in wheels, electric front seats, ambient lighting, a 12.3in digital driver display, a premium Bose sound system, wireless phone charging and real self-leveling suspension.
Range-topping Sorento 4 cars get a unique alloy design, black Nappa leather upholstery, remote parking assistance, electric lumbar support, ventilated front seats and alloy pedals. Prices start from £50,695.
The Sorento is available with a 2.2-litre CRDI diesel with 190bhp, a 1.6 T-GDi hybrid petrol with 212bhp or a 1.6-litre T-GDi plug-in hybrid, which produced 249bhp. The two hybrids are equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the diesel gets an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The headline change for the 2024 Sorento is its new front end, which takes inspiration from both the EV9 – Kia’s new flagship electric SUV – and the US-market Telluride.
Redesigned in line with the brand’s Opposites United design philosophy, the new Sorento brings a more upright bonnet with sharp, squared-off edges and new, EV9-style vertical LED headlight designs for what Kia calls “a sleek and modern aesthetic”.
The front grille now lights up, too, like the EV9, with a digital ‘Star Map’ motif, and there is a chunky new skid plate to bolster the SUV’s ‘rugged appeal’.
The 2024 changes are much more obvious inside, where the outgoing Sorento’s infotainment suite is swapped for a pair of 12.3in screens incorporated in a single curved panel atop the dashboard – though this set-up is exclusive to higher-spec models from launch. The standard car gets a more conventional 4.3in gauge cluster and 12.3in infotainment touchscreen.
The new Sorento is Kia’s second car to come with a new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit system which introduces a ‘quick control’ function for easy access to core controls, over-the-air update functionality and faster processing times.
Also new is a digital key system which allows the Sorento to be unlocked and driven using a smartphone or NFC card – and owners can share the ‘key’ with other users via a simple text message.
The driver assistance package has been expanded, too, with the introduction of automatic lane-change and an adaptive cruise control system that learns the driver’s habits and mimics their acceleration and braking patterns.
Exclusive to the American market is the off-road-inspired X-Line trim revealed in LA, which gets a locking differential, chunky roof rack and a raft of 4×4 design elements including bespoke cladding and unique wheels wrapped in purposeful All-Terrain tyres.
