Kia's third-generation Sorento has already been seen in the metal, as it were, but now the Korean carmaker is giving us more details on what will be going on inside and underneath its biggest SUV.
Exterior
The Sorento MkIII takes its visual styling from the Kia Cross GT concept premiered at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. It is longer, lower and wider than the old model, with an extended wheelbase too, but it retains the long bonnet and wide D-pillars of the previous generation. It also has features such as the tiger-nose grille with a 3D diamond pattern and swept-back headlamps.
Interior
So, let's get down to the new stuff. If a new car was ever to be launched with the accompanying bumf claiming its interior was 'sparser, made of cheaper materials and generally a bit poorer', we'd be very surprised - predictably, Kia claims the Sorento has a 'more sophisticated, more luxurious cabin, featuring significantly higher quality materials' and designed by Europeans. It is all about visual width in here, with the instrument cluster, interior trim and wraparound dashboard designed to seemingly stretch the compartment from side to side. Kia is also keen to point out the Swiss watch-inspired centre console. Single-tone or two-tone cloth or leather trim will be standard depending on model, with brown and light grey leathers offered as options. In terms of space, there's more of it inside despite the 15mm drop in the roofline - lower seat cushions ensure more headroom for all three rows of seats (the Sorento can accommodate seven in some guises) and a boot capacity that's 17.5 per cent bigger at 605 litres with the third row of chairs folded away. New technologies will be incorporated, such as an 'Around-View Monitor' to help when parking and a powered tailgate.
Mechanicals
The body shell structure has been beefed up and the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels have been given a seeing to in order to make the Sorento as tranquil as possible; it's more luxurious for occupants that way, you see. So the body is now 14 per cent stiffer than before while soundproofing materials are thicker, the engine and transmission mounts are more substantial and there's a new diesel particulate filter (DPF) cover and acoustic shield integrated into the engine's timing chain cover.
Cabin noise is said to be reduced by between three and six per cent. There's a choice of five engines for motive power, depending on the market, with power ranging from 172- to 270hp. There are three petrol engines - a 2.4-litre gasoline direct injection (GDI) and two multipoint injection units, of 2.4- and 3.3-litre capacities - and two turbodiesels, of 2.0- and 2.2-litre capacities. Only the GDI and the 2.2 diesel will be sold in Europe, with the oil-burner naturally taking the majority of sales. We expect only the diesel engine to be offered in Ireland. The suspension is once again fully independent (MacPherson front, multi-link rear) but the rear sub-frame has larger bushes and the uprated dampers are mounted vertically behind the axle line to improve body control. There's also an electric motor-drive power steering system, which is claimed to improve steering feel and give quicker rates of response.
Anything else?
The Sorento will also feature a wealth of active and passive safety, provided by extensive driver assist technologies (adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and more) and a body that is now 52.7 per cent ultra-high strength tensile steel, up from the previous figure of 24.4 per cent. The Sorento was unveiled in Korea but will make its European debut at the Paris Motor Show early next month.