Motoring News: KIA reveals its’s high tech adventurer, the Sorento 2020

MOTORING NEWS: KIA REVEALS ITS’S HIGH TECH ADVENTURER, THE SORENTO 2020

KIA has revealed new details of the next-generation Sorento ahead of its arrival in European dealerships later this year.

The fourth-generation model adopts an angular styling distinctly different to that of its predecessor. The brand’s trademark ‘tiger-nose’ grille has been subtly reshaped and is flanked by a pair of LED headlights, while a wide lower air intake and air-channelling devices help to enhance the model’s aerodynamic efficiency. At the rear, the outgoing car’s elliptical brake light clusters have made way for vertically oriented units and a new rear bumper has been designed to appear as if it houses twin exhausts.

Kia claims the SUV has been “engineered to maximise driving stability in all environments”, with a new Terrain Mode helping the wheels to achieve peak traction on snow, sand and muddy ground.

Internal highlights include a larger infotainment touchscreen linked to a new digital instrument display, while a separate climate control panel is flanked by central air vents. The brand calls the new Sorento the ‘most high-tech’ model it has ever produced.

Technical firsts for Kia include improved cruise control that automatically readjusts limits according to corner gradients, a self-parking function accessed via the key fob, automatic braking and a blind spot monitoring system that uses cameras mounted on the door mirrors to project images of what is next to the car onto the dashboard.

Alongside safety features such as park assist, blindspot assist, driver alertness detector and speed limit recognition, the Sorento is the first model to feature Kia’s new ‘multi-collision brake system’, which can determine the risk of a secondary collision after a crash, applying the brakes to prevent additional impact.

The Sorento will be launched with a 199bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine and a hybrid powertrain comprising a 1.6-litre petrol engine, a 59bhp electric motor and a 1.5kWh battery for combined outputs of 227bhp and 258lb ft. The diesel sends its power to the wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, while the hybrid uses a six-speed automatic unit.

A plug-in hybrid will follow shortly after with 261bhp overall, an 89bhp motor and a 16.6kWh battery.

Buyers will have the choice of front- or four-wheel drive except with the plug-in hybrid, which will exclusively be a 4×4.