Kia recently revealed the fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento in a world premiere via Facebook Livestream in March and the SUV has already won the ‘All-Wheel Drive Car of the Year 2020’ award in the ‘Design’ category of the renowned ‘Auto Bild Allrad’ contest. The contest was held by renowned European four-wheel-drive magazine ‘Auto Bild Allrad’ and the results of the competition were published in the 7/2020 issue of the aforementioned magazine. The brand has also announced that the award ceremony will not be taking place due to the COVID-19 / CoronaVirus pandemic.
The fourth-generation Kia Sorento was unveiled using the brand’s digital social media channels and in terms of design, the category which the midsize SUV was awarded for, features noticeably sharper lines as compared to the more round-edged predecessor, geometric designs on the front apron, large imposing tiger-nose grille with chrome accents, sweptback triple pot headlamps that integrate with the grille, ‘tiger-eyeline’ LED daytime running lights, a rectangular lower air intake, wing-shaped air ducts flanking the bumper, a prominent bumper lip capped with a skid plate.
When viewed from the profile the SUV features rounded wheel arches, options of 17/18/19 and 20-inch aluminium alloy wheels, extended bonnet, a trailing hood arch, and a wider D- pillar. On the rear, the Sorento features vertically oriented LED tail lamps that wrap around the rear corners, lower bumper with silver skid plate and elements that reverberate the front and a tailgate integrated spoiler with a high-mounted third stoplight.
The fourth-generation SUV is based on Kia’s new third-generation midsize SUV platform and features a compact engine bay and the new SUV is 10 mm longer at 4,810 mm 10 mm wider at 1910 mm and gets a 35 mm longer wheelbase which now stands at 2,815 mm, as compared to its predecessor. Though the SUV is longer and gets 10mm added to it as compared to its predecessor yet has shorter front and rear overhangs thanks to the new platform. The larger than before SUV provides enough space to accommodate 7-seats inside the cabin.
On the interiors, the 2021 Kia Sorento features a next-generation cabin with twin digital displays on the dashboard fascia with a 12.3-inch digital driver instrument cluster and 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with navigation system flanking the centrally placed infotainment system haptic touch buttons are placed that control various functions, below are controls for the climate control which features vertically oriented air vents with chrome trim.
The 2021 Kia Sorento is powered by a new ‘Smartstream’ 1.6-litre T-GDi turbo-hybrid gasoline direct injection engine coupled to a 44.2 kW electric motor and 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack that produces a combined output of 230 ps of power and 350 Nm of torque matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Another 2.2-litre ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine that produces 202 ps of power and 440 Nm of torque paired to a new 8-speed wet double-clutch transmission (8DCT) is also offered in the Korean and European markets.
The 2021 Kia Sorento will be manufactured at the brand’s Hwasung manufacturing facility in Korea for the European and select other markets as well as at Kia’s West Point, Georgia, USA production plant for the North American market. Sales on the 2021 Kia Sorento will commence from the second half of 2020 and most of the global markets by the end of the year.