New Upgrades for the Kia Sorento

Automobile vehicles go through several generations during their time out on the market. Sometimes it’s a few design changes; other times it’s a completely new vehicle. Take the new Kia Sorento as an example. Currently in its third generation, the Sorento received a lot of changes for the 2018 model year and though it is still in the same generation it almost feels like a completely new vehicle.

Powertrain

With three engines available, a 2.0-liter I4, a 2.2-liter I4, and a 2.4-liter engine with GDI, the main change to the Sorento’s powertrain will be lower emissions and Kia’s in-house eight-speed automatic transmission. The design of this transmission allows the unit to use less control valves, allowing for a more direct link to the engine when switching gears. Moreover, gears may change faster and enable faster acceleration while still reducing carbon emissions. This transmission also offers four different driving modes that a driver can select based on their preference for vehicle response. The modes include Eco for better fuel economy, Comfort and Sport for driving style, and Smart, an automatic feature that adapts to the driver’s driving behavior and style as road conditions change.

Style

The exterior has received many more changes, including revised front and rear bumpers, new LED head- and tail-lamps, and a new dark metallic finish to the ‘tiger-nose’ grille for a more sophisticated look. Two new paint jobs have been added as well, Rich Espresso and Gravity Blue. The Kia Sorento still does ride on 17-, 18-, and 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin and console are covered in soft touch materials, and leather upholstery is available for more comfortable seating. The interior may be a single-tone black or two-tone black/beige, and the upholstery may be either brown or a light grey.

A new GT trim has also been added to the Kia Sorento lineup. With a range of upgrades for added style and presence, the Sorento GT comes with four-lamp LED fog lights, red brake callipers, a more prominent sill step, and subtle GT Line badging designed to distinguish it from other Sorento models. The interior has quilted seats, finished in black leather with grey stitching, GT Line embroidered emblems, unique gear shift paddles, and a series of satin chrome highlights throughout the interior.

Technology

For technology, the new Kia Sorento gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Kia connected services powered by TomTom. The new Sorento will now have full smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto and a wireless smartphone charger. If looking to upgrade the sound system, the new Harman/Kardon sound system will be available with Clari-Fi music restoration technology and QuantumLogic surround sound technology.

Now here’s the catch. A lot of this is said to be on the European line, but the main change we can see are diesel engine options that the Sorento has yet to feature. Other than that, it’s a safe bet most of these changes will make it into American models. We’ll know more come the Frankfurt International Motor Show this month, September 2017.

* Want to compare the new Sorento to the old? You can check out our inventory or read more about the 2017 Kia Sorento here. *

* Photo Source/Copyright: Kia.com *

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