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
The heavily revised Kia Sorento has been officially revealed at the LA motor show, showing off a new look inspired by the Kia EV9 and a raft of new technology.Â
The latest version of the brand’s most popular UK model will go on sale first in the US, in early 2024, before UK cars follow a few months later – with market-specific details still to be confirmed.Â
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.Â
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’.Â
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.Â
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.Â
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard on all trims in the US, but the brand has not confirmed if this will be the case in the UK.Â
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.Â
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.
US cars are offered with a 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder producing 191bhp or a range-topping 281bhp unit, with details on UK powertrains – including the revised Sorento hybrid and PHEV – to come.Â
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.Â
The brand will reveal UK specifications in the coming months, but prices are expected to climb slightly in light of wider market trends, meaning the entry-level diesel will be priced from roughly £42,000 and the top-line plug-in hybrid nearer £50,000.
