The first vehicle to roll out of a Kia Motor’s factory under construction in USA, will be the next generation Sorento SUV, said Kia’s spokesman today. Confusion about what model the $1.2 billion plant will build arose earlier this week, after an official from Hyundai Motor Group said the factory might also produce small Hyundai cars.
But Michael Choo, Kia’s top spokesman, said that while other vehicles will be built in West Point, no decisions had been made about what models they will be. “The Sorento will be the first model to be produced in Georgia,” Choo said. “But the size and scale of that plant will require more than one model being produced there.” For now, Kia is not ready to talk about it’s detailed plans.
When asked if a description of the new Sorento model in the automotive magazine Leftlane was accurate, Choo declined to comment. Last month, Leftlane reported that the new Sorento, which is to be produced in Georgia, will have three rows of seating and share it’s platform with Hyundai Santa Fe SUV.
“Maybe they’re referring to some spy shots. Someone caught a glimpse of it being tested and they tried to put two and two together. That’s just their speculation.” added Choo.
Click image to enlarge!
Specialt thanks to our reader Mark from Australia, who sent us these great Sorento spy shots!
Latest Sorento spy shots: 2010 Kia Sorento
May 30th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
hey, its got HDC like borrego! I know that this will be a very good off-roader.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
So Left Lane just assumed that it was gonna share the Sante Fe platform just because Hyundai owns Kia. I hate it when reports assume somthing before the manufactorer confirmes something. That’s how we were told that the Borrego was going to be named Mesa. Or how the Veracruz was going to be called Mesa.
May 31st, 2008 at 12:25 am
but the USA assembled kia cars will be to the north american market, and why kia abandon the “build on frame” of the sorento…those was the perfert combination of a SUV and off road…
May 31st, 2008 at 6:55 am
even though there’s demand for Body on frame SUVs, there’s a higher demand for car based crossovers. But, looking at the sorentos in the spy shots, I can say with confidence that its a good off-roader taking in consideration, the HDC [hill decent control] and high ground clearance
May 31st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
yeah body-on-frame FTW! i cant believe the ignorance displayed by the top magazines and websites just getting the enthusiasts angry at kia only to find out that it is EXACTLY what i wanted as the next sorento. thanks guys. we all needed that.
on another note, i hope it has an improved lineup of turbo-diesel engines with more torque and less emissions. then it would be able to retain its satisfaction level in america.
May 31st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
there are so many incidents where our opinions are the same, Pat.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I have a question for you guys now. Do you think this is going to have thrid row seating? I’m going to say no only because neaither Kue or KND-4 have thrid row and if this is sharing the same platform, the design may not be capable for thrid row. However, an untility vehiclein this class usually have thrid row seating. I can’t even think of one midsize SUV like this with no thrid row but Nissan Xterra and Kia Sorento. Hmmmmm. I don’t really like thrid row in no SUV ( I think it looks stupid). If I want that, I’ll just get a slow minivan.
May 31st, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Kia never confirmed that this was going to be front wheel drive did they?
May 31st, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I had a few salesmen ask their customers why they bought a Sorento over a SantaFe
28%—-No idea what SantaFe is
32%—-Price
10%—-Sorento looks nicer
30%—-It is BOF
May 31st, 2008 at 6:28 pm
If Kia follows customers demands and other automakers, then they’ll offer third row of seats in new Sorento. Sorento will grow in size a bit, so there will be enough place for third row in the back.
I’m not a fan of third row either. It only takes trunk space away and adds the weight to the vehicle. There are only rare occasions when all 7 seats in a vehicle are used. Well, that depends mainly on how large family you have.
I think that sales of minivans is falling because of 7-seat crossovers. CUVs offer more utility in one package. You get as much of trunk space in crossovers as in minivans, there’s also place for 7 people, same amount of trunk space, plus crossovers offer car-like drive and have 4 wheel drive.
May 31st, 2008 at 6:44 pm
—Do you think this is going to have thrid row seating? I’m going to say no only because neaither Kue or KND-4 have thrid row—
.
I THINK it will. it looks quiet big and it should be able to have a 3rd row. Even the Carens didnt have seven seats when it was the Multi-S concept.
And for those sorento sales reasons. OK, sorento sells because of BOF but the sales will be much more than it is right now with the new model.
June 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am
but actually the sorento have a third row of seats, but only available in korea (http://www.global-autonews.com/upload/contents/imgfiles/97/1/28023_32_1.jpg sorento’s third row of seats). I not fun of that the sorento adopt the wheel base of the santa fe, but sorento will be a another lift up car…
June 1st, 2008 at 1:47 am
wow 30% because of BOF? nice~
June 1st, 2008 at 2:06 am
let’s hope a third row seat in Sorento will leave enough space for Borrego… to sell
June 1st, 2008 at 3:10 am
ooooo i forget something, the ATT (active torque transference) in the old sorento is lost in the new for a part time 4WD sistem (same to a simple SUV)
June 1st, 2008 at 4:32 am
how do ya know that?
June 1st, 2008 at 5:07 am
I’m glad you guys think this is getting 3rd row and all but this Sorento could be a problem for the Borrego if it gets 3rd row.
June 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
hmm. you make a point there. Lets compare.
.
sorento [new].
-crossover
-inferior off-roading controls
-good ground clearance
-expecting V6
-Curvy lines and sporty look
.
Borrego.
-Body On Frame [BOF]
-superior off-roading controls
-good ground clr.
-V6 and V8
-Muscular design
June 1st, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I just hope that if all get 3rd row, Sedona will not get scrapped. Really, for a minivan, it looks sporty and muscular. If I haa family with 3 or more children, I would not even dream of buying an SUV. Even if you can fit seven people, it just isn’t as comfortable or spacious as a minivan. Having 7 seats in the Rondo is EXTREMELY handy. But, like for long trips, it gets uncomfortable after a while. Sitting there non-stop for 4 hours gets somewhat annoying not having much space to stretch out. In cases like that, Sedona would be much handier. We don’t talk much about Sedona.
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:28 am
how do ya know that? – K-Sport (Boris)
the button “4WD Lock” is the same in the sportage KM, that have 4WD part time system, and the same system in the santa fe
http://www.global-autonews.com/upload/contents/imgfiles/97/1/23375_19_1.jpg
June 18th, 2008 at 9:22 am
but its got hill deseent cont. and there might be more buttons on the right of that 4WD lock button.
February 15th, 2009 at 1:57 am
this is not from Australia. The cabbie in first pic, is Korean. Judging by the white top “thingie” on his car with korean words on it
” GHE – IN ” ie private driver.