Completely redesigned Kia Sorento is expected to make it’s worldwide debut very soon. Kia has confirmed it will put it on display for the first time at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show, which opens it’s doors on March 2009.
The future Sorento has been codenamed XM and is known to receive some major technical upgrades over the current model. One of them, hidden from our eyes, will be the all-new six-speed automatic transmission, which had been developed jointly by Hyundai and Kia Motors.
Just yesterday, Hyundai announced the development of this highly advanced automatic transmission has been completed. In it’s official press release, Hyundai pointed out that it has joined the elite class of auto manufacturers who have designed their very own proprietary 6–speed automatics. After Ford-GM joint venture and Toyota, Hyundai became the 3rd company in the world to develop it’s own 6–speed automatic transaxle.
Until now, only Hyundai Genesis sedan and Kia Borrego have been using the six-speed automatics, but those transmissions were developed by Aisin and Germany’s ZF company.
Kia and Hyundai have already announced a wide range of their next generation vehicles will get this brand new 6-speed automatics. And first Kia vehicle to benefit from this newey developed tranny will be the next generation Kia Sorento!
6-speed automatic transmission
During the development, Hyundai has filed over 300 patents, which clearly demonstrates company’s advanced powertrain engineering capabilities. It was developed over the period of four years time and has cost the company $200 million.
Despite it’s extra gear, transmission’s weight has been sheded and now weights 12 kilograms less than a 5-speed equivalent. The new unit delivers up to 12,2% gain in fuel economy and also improves 0 to 100km/h acceleration times by 2,5%.
Official press release:
When it comes to gearsets, more is definitely better. The addition of a sixth gear enables closer spacing between gear ratios providing a better balance of performance and fuel economy while the wide overall gear ratio helps deliver strong acceleration.
The gearbox has three planetary gearsets whose hallmark is simplicity of design and a unique flat torque converter which shortens the unit´s overall length by 12mm. Four pinion differentials improve durability and further minimize size.
Another example of engineering ingenuity is to be found in the design of the hydraulic pressure control unit. Because there are always slight manufacturing deviations from one solenoid valve to the next which cause fluctuation in the hydraulic pressure and affect shift precision and quality, the transaxle features cleverly integrated adjustment screws in the valves which enable each of the eight valves to be calibrated at the factory.
This novel feature ensures stable hydraulic pressure at any shift point which facilitates a high degree of precision and control needed to deliver ultra–fast, smooth and precise shifts throughout the rpm range.
The new 6–speed went into production this month (December) and will see its first application in Grandeur/Azera models beginning in January 2009. A total of five variants of the 6–speed transaxle will be produced to accommodate a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines. A total of sixteen different Hyundai models will get this transmission including a redesigned Santa Fe, which is due to arrive in late in 2009 and early 2010 in some markets. [Source: Hyundai]
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December 24th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
O I’m so happy! all next gen Kias will get the tranny. I hope all the time and money spent in development will pay of. We’ve been waiting a long time time for this. I hope it can find a place in the 2010 soul’s drivetrain too. will be even better in a rio…
December 24th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I hope this Trans works well. The new Equinox will get 30 MPG HWY NON HYBRID and 22 City. Not to mention that the new equinox looks great, but will also get best in class MPG. They are using a 180HP 2.4L w/ 6 speed A/T.
December 24th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Yup Colby, troubled American friends (GM) is making some real proggress with their engines and latest new cars. I’m really impressed by some latest product. They are designed very appealing and nice.
To be honest, their latest vehicles have nicer designed interiors than many Kias at the moment.
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Since Kia has hired Schreyer to make their cars look unique and attractive, they should do the same and find someone who can do the same to their interiors.
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Interior design and materials are the next thing Kia should seriously consider improving in order to keep up with the competition.
December 24th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Just pull up the 2010 Chevy Equinox. It really is impresive from what we have come to know from GM products. They have some interior shots and they make the sportage look extremely old and outdated
December 24th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I was alwys felt the sportage was lacking in interior design. I think its cuz I feel fauax varnished wood looks cheap. Borrego’s wood panels look better and could be used in other interiors but aluminium accents or some type of metal accents will be welcome. I too am quiet impressed with the equinox.
December 24th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I don’t like the new equinox. It is actually really nice, but it just seems like it’s lacking something. Hmm.
December 25th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Excellent! With either of those diesel engines mentioned in an earlier article here, and this transmission, the new Sorento is going to be one fuel efficient vehicle.
December 25th, 2008 at 1:54 am
What is GM trying to do to Chevy’s face though they have nice body styles but the face is a turn off for me. It reminds me a little of the 2005 Acura MDX but not out dated. Kia’s working on somthing for the Sorento I just know it.
December 25th, 2008 at 4:00 am
I just hope Hyundai has lowered the Engine RPM at 70 MPH, its kind of scary turning 3500 for long distances at that speed. The sixth gear should accomplish this. Lower RPM longer engine life expectancy and of course increase fuel mileage. I prefer to drive at 80 MPH myself but now when I am taching out at almost 4 grand..Hyundai Kia need to create their own market, don’t try to woo Acura owners away, they will always buy Acura, same with Mercedes owners, but instead create your own market follower and I know they will in time. Sporty Reliable and Affordable..
December 25th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
What are you driving that has such high rpms at those speeds? Optima 4 cyl hits 2,000 rpm at 70 MPH and 2,500 rpm at 80 MPH. Could you imagine how low rpm would be if Optima has the 6 speed?
December 25th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
My mums car (2004 Cerato 2.0L) gets near 3500rpm on the highway as well at around 100km/h in fifth gear.
December 25th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Greg, Spectra and a Rio at 70 to 80 mph on the freeway..
December 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Woooow, I hve just looked at some interior shots of the new Equinox and MAN, I’m impressed!!
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It’s so nice and modern! Faaaar better looking than any Kia interior. To be honest, Kia has done a tremendous job with the exterior designs, but they have not made the same step forward with interiors.
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Chevrolet has made some major proggress in that area and have passed Kia behind. I first noticed that by the all-new Chevrolet/Daewoo Cruze, when I compared it to Kia Forte.
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In my humble opinion, the Cruze has a lot nicer interior, with modern lines and some chrome accents added tht round up a pleasant interior look, while Forte’s interior is really nothing special. The concept KOUP had really nice one, but it was toned down for production.
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Can someone tell me to which Kia model is Equinox competiting against? Sorento or Sportage?
December 25th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
quote from an article if its any help: The all-new 2010 Equinox is a compact crossover SUV that is…
December 25th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Then it’s the Sportage competitor. Wow, I don’t see many people buying Sportage over Equinox when considering only exterior and interior looks…
December 25th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
well I’m still not sure if chevy’s new grille works with models besides Tahoe and pick-ups based on it.
December 25th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
That chevy looks good and i hear it’s going to get 30mpg on highway or more.
December 25th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
then the accadia i mean the treverse is up against the sorento.
December 25th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
well, that I know for sure. Acaida is to compete with this new sorento.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:22 am
The Equinox looks like a Rondo with a chevy grille.. No wonder GM is tanking, they need new marketing engineers.. Make a vehicle people want, don’t dictate and tell me want I want.. one word GM.. AZTEK.
Kia listens and delivers!!
December 26th, 2008 at 5:32 am
I amjust stoked to see some of the new technology that Kia is going to be putting into this new generation Sorento. This thing is going to perform like a beast, and hopfully set the mold for future SUV/Crossover vehciles and there performance. The only thing with me is that the exterior may not be to appealing to my tastes, but I am going to hold my judgement on that until i can see this car with all the camoflauge off. Way to go Kia and nice work on exceeding everyones expectations and raising that bar in the automotive world.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I noticed something about Chevy this morning. Take a good look at the front of the Mazda CX-7. You will see the new face of Chevy. At least Kia has an original grille. Honestly, I think that Chevy will completely disappoint because they will realize how expensive the new interiors are, and because they have to pay the idiot union workers so much that they will not be able to afford nice interiors. It is what I have come to expect from Chevy. I can’t believe how everyone freaks out about Kia’s interiors, Kia is not Mercedes or Audi, they have really nice interiors for the price. You can’t expect Lobster for Hamburger prices.
December 26th, 2008 at 8:25 am
the chvy’s grille never reminds me of mazda. but if you want to put it that way, you can also find Kias that look like other cars. if you look closely that is.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Just take a look at the CX-7 and then look at the front of a Chevy. You’ll see what I’m talking about.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Click my name to see what I’m talking about.
December 26th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Hmm. I have to say they look similar, but would Chevy’s designers really COPY something? Kind of like Honda and Toyota’s cars aren’t copied from European cars? Yet when one line on a Kia is SIMILAR to the line on another vehicle, Kia immediately copied a Japanese company. Ugh, I hate people.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:09 am
that grille does look like the aveo’s… but even if they did copy it, it looks out of place on vehicles besides the tahoe, suburban and its pick-up counterparts.
December 26th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Greg, I agree with you 100% on your last post above. That is why I stopped visiting caradvice.com.au, sick of all the slander toward Hyundai-Kia, even when there is a positive thing like this new 6 speed auto, these bogans still had to post negatively.
December 26th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Mazda’s are not that original neither. You know I always thought Mazda’s new face looked like Aston Martain’s And your right they Chevy looks a lot like a CX-7 with the Sorento’s body style. When the Borrego was first reveled many people thought it looked like the Pacifica but now one said the Acadia looked like a Chrysler Pacifica. You know what I don’t understand about GM? They want us to buy American cars but the Saturn Vue, Pontiac Matrix, Chevy Avel, Buick Lucern (it has a German Engine) are foreign. Buying thoses products should put more cash in Daewoo and Toyota’s pockets. But they want us tax payers to bail them out of debt.
December 27th, 2008 at 1:12 am
Hyundai has also begun shopping this transmission around to other car companies, so don’t be surprised to see it end up in non-Hyundai/Kia vehicles as well. As part of the Koreans’ plans to take on Toyota, they’re also looking to go after Toyota’s Denso and Aisin-Werner subsidiaries as well.
December 28th, 2008 at 12:18 am
I read that Toyota and GM are purchasing a Hyundai Genesis, and Porsche is purchasing a Tesla Roadster. The article was talking about reverse engineering, so Hyundai must have caught the attention of GM and Toyota with the Genesis! The part I am talking about is above the story on the Borrego Fuel Cell Vehicle.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/electric-cars/ke1030.html
January 15th, 2009 at 11:29 am
It’s no more Once Upon A Time, it’s a Sorento!
If you’ve been told a tale of how generations gone by employed the services of camels and horses, and possibly elephants as means of transportation, one should be appreciative of the natural advantages and characters of the antiquated transportation vehicles such as allowing better view, feeling of confidence for the rider as the animal structures give the seated rider a straight-spine seating outlook.
However, the differentiation in the highlighted old days transport mode was their different speed. While one, the camel, has the capacity for long distance travel without rest albeit moving with measured strides, the horse on the other hand has the ability to travel at speed and strength, while the elephant exhibited route clearance ability, that is, nothing barred its movement.
Before getting green with envy and wishing why you didn’t exist in that era to have a feel of what it takes to be serviced by these mammals. Well, now, you can find solace in the fact that those once-upon-a-time qualities of riding beast of burden as means of transportation are packed into one power machine. The Sorento combines all these qualities.
Kia Motors Corporation, makers of quality vehicles for the young-at-heart, was founded in 1944 and is Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. And going through the company track records, it would be agreed that their reputation is well deserved. Kia aims to become one of the world’s premier automotive brands. This aspiration is displayed in its products, especially in the Sorento.
The mid-size SUV Kia Sorento, with a big breathing V6 heart, is truck-like in design, having a separate truck-style frame, but never forget, despite this, to maintain a civil attitude on the pavement. And you know, it’s no fable when I said the vehicle is once-upon-a-time, with the ability to drive either in rear-wheel with base, LX and EX trims, or as a four-wheel drive LX or EX trim.
The Sorento is a traditional body-on-frame SUV with a fully boxed chassis, a live-axle rear suspension, and optional four-wheel drive with a conventional two speed transfer case. All this adds up to a rugged package designed for the demands of serious off-road driving. Despite the uncomfortability of the ride, the SUV still offers good acceleration for its class.
The 3.3-liter V6 engine makes 242 horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque, while the 3.8-liter V6 makes 262 horsepower and 260 pound-feet torques boosting its towing capacity from 3,500 to 5,000 pounds and beating some top brands to it and specifically having a close run with Ford Explorer at 5,210 pounds.
Economically, the Sorento’s larger 3.8-liter engine should net 15/21 city/highway miles per gallon respectively, while 15/22 city/highway with the 3.3-liter engine. And if it’s the speed of the then horse makes you green, Sorento is a good option. The engine has a definite throb upon hard acceleration.
The body roll around corners is minimal, overall, cornering performance is good. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and two types of four wheels are available as mentioned earlier, and the optional 4WD is well recommended for its “all-surface convenience” just as its gravel road prowess is quite satisfying. And just like horses in the once-upon-a-time scenario, the brakes offer good stopping control. But it is worthy preparing your mind to the fact that the Kia’s soft suspension displays more front-end dive and rear squat than is comfortable during harder acceleration and braking. Although the goodwill of Kia in making the wheel light to handle is well appreciated but then, it is too loose for a vehicle this quick and sporty. I think it is over assisted. But above all, Kia Sorento has a reasonable off-road capability.
The Sorento is sleek and modern without looking goofy. The mid-sized vehicle’s resemblance to an upscale SUV makes it equally adept at shuttling business clients as it is the kids and family. It also ranks in the top half of its class and earns praise for interior quality, spaciousness and an upscale feel. Its interior is tasteful and, for the most part, well-made. The five passenger cabin provides good head-room and leg-room, yet allows a fairly large cargo area behind. The gray leather seemed well-made, and the glove box and sliding sunroof door felt solid and durable.
With a new centre fascia, gauge cluster and floor console, the 2008 Sorento boasts tasteful use of wood and metal trim materials. Kia takes care not to have the conventional boring steering wheel by mounting audio controls conveniently on it, while the dashboard boasts of a well lit, clearly marked, and conveniently located climate controls. The Sorento also incorporates enough cupholders; two in the front centre console and four in the back seat, including over-sized holders in each rear door. While garnishing the whole design with a bright chrome door handles and handles on the ashtrays.
Accidents happen. The 2008 Sorento passed extremely in crash tests. With top five-stars scores stamped vividly on its chest for both the driver and passenger in frontal crash tests, the safety of its occupants is ensured. The 2WD model gets a three-star rollover rating, while the 4WD model gets four stars. However, the Sorento gets the lowest possible rating of “Poor” in side impact tests, a much lower score than other mid-size SUVs. But the machine compensated for faring much better than most others in its rear protection, for which it receives a top score of “Good.”
Its standard features include dual front advance air-bags and full length side curtain air-bags. Under the wheel, a kneel air-bags helps prevent drivers from sliding under the belt in a frontal collision, in addition to an energy-absorbing steering column that helps cushion the initial blow to the driver’s chest.
Kia, considering the foregoing, records another global commitment in surpassing customer expectations through continuous automotive innovation. Indeed, Kia Motor Corporation has the power to surprise!
March 24th, 2009 at 5:16 am
I am the owner of a Kia Sorento and I am having troulbe with my taillights not working properly. I have been reading Kia Maintenance and Repair Forums and have discovered
that there are alot of unsatisfied customers that have various problems with tail lights,
head lights, dome lights and dash lights. If Kia management reads these different
forums that will discover that this statement is true. Service techs do not know how
to correct the problem and say it is the customers fault. Thank you for taking the
time to read my statement. I have loved my Kia for two years and will be purchasing
a new car soon. I have to now consider my options, if the warranty will not be honored.
Sincerely, George Heisler