Building on the success of the outgoing model with a special blend of style, practicality and technology, the new Kia Sorento went on sale with an entry level price of €38,995.
The impressive new SUV is smoother, with a swept-back profile and more sculpted surfaces. The third-generation model delivers a premium look and feel, with more space in a much-improved interior and numerous innovative features.
The designers of the third-generation Kia Sorento named their inspiration for the new car as ‘Streetwolf’. Although the styling changes are evolutionary, they subtly alter the character of the new Sorento, highlighting its sleek, sinuous profile, as well as class-leading style, ensuring the new model has a bolder on-the-road presence.
The front of the new Sorento incorporates long, wrap-around headlamps and more prominent fog-lamps, as well as a larger, more upright ‘tiger-nose’ grille, with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern, first featured on the 2013 Kia Cross GT concept.
The sleeker look of the new Sorento is enhanced by its increased length, reduced height and extra width.
The new Sorento is targeting the bigger selling Hyundai Santa Fe with which it shares a platform, and of course in the bigger scheme of things, Hyundai owns Kia, although here in Ireland Hyundai is imported by an independently-owned distributor and Kia Motors Ireland is a subsidiary of Kia Europe.
The Santa Fe is actually priced about €700 lower than the Sorento, but Kia says it offers circa €2,500 worth of additional specification, including sat-nav, a panoramic roof, LED lights, and six-way electric driver's seat.
Kia Motors Ireland is offering two AWD variants of the new car – the EX at €38,995 and the expected volume model, the Platinum, at €43,995. The entry level model is a five-seater with a generous level of spec that includes 17” alloys, rear privacy glass, super vision instrument cluster and 7-inch screen including sat-nav with reversing camera.
The Platinum, as the names suggests, is a seven seater with a luxury spec that included the above plus panoramic sunroof, Xenon lights, leather and heated (front and second row rear ) seats, heated steering wheel, and an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat.
The Platinum automatic version at €49,500 adds 18” wheels and an electronic parking brake.
Power continues to come from the Kia 2.2 litre 197hp, Euro V1 diesel unit, which sees a drop in C02 from 155 to 149 for the MT, still remaining in Band C (and €390 a year ) for road tax purposes.
Kia expects to sell up to 300 Sorento units in the remainder of this year.
“The Sorento is one of the most recognisable model names associates with the brand since Kia Motors Ireland entered this market just over 10 years ago.”James Brooks, managing director of Kia Motors Ireland, told the Advertiser.
”In this time Sorento has evolved from a traditional 4 x 4 to a more refined urban SUV. The new Sorento reflects everything the Kia brand now stands for in terms of styling, engineering, technology and quality. And it clearly shows we are able to compete in one of the most demanding car segments where consumers demand this level exterior styling and a premium refined and quality interior.
“We are confident Irish customers in the market for a D segment SUV will take to the Sorento in the same way that C segment CUV customers have taken to Sportage and that this model will add both sales and brand enhancement for the Kia brand in Ireland.”
