Kia has taken the wraps off its all-new 2010 Sorento – the landmark vehicle that took the Korean brand onto the world stage – at the Seoul Motor Show.
Longer and lower, the new Sorento brings sleek styling and a futuristic touch to the world of the urban CUV. With its longer front overhang, wedge profile, crisply defined greenhouse and accentuated wheelarch volumes, Kia’s new CUV looks thoroughly modern and sporty.
The 4.7-metre long new Sorento moves vehicle design in this segment up to a new level of sophistication. As part of Kia’s drive to expand market coverage with its latest CUV, the new Sorento will be manufactured with a total of four engines – with different engines being available in various regions around the world in order to best suit local requirements and with CO2 emissions from just 173 g/km.
The original Kia Sorento was a ‘landmark’ vehicle which took the Korean brand into a whole new section of the automotive market all around the world. Introduced in 2002, it marked a huge step for Kia, challenging many established 4×4 and SUV brands and starting the process of changing public perception of Kia as a ‘maker of small cars.’
Now, under the direction of Kia’s Chief Design Officer (CDO), Peter Schreyer, the Kia design team aimed to deliver futuristic styling with a bold sense of power and dynamism, to once again differentiate Kia’s larger CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) from potential rivals by incorporating Kia’s new design DNA.
“The dynamic design of new Sorento adopts simple, linear lines to create a powerful, yet polished appearance. Sporty and striking, the new Sorento represents a new breed of vehicle,” commented Peter Schreyer, CDO of Kia Motors Corporation.
Bold frontal styling incorporates Kia’s new ’signature grille’ that blends seamlessly into the new Sorento’s four-light, black bezel wrap-around headlamps. The profile’s rising upper belt-line and the dynamic bevel treatment beneath the greenhouse plus the unique trapezoid C-Pillar adds tension and endows new Sorento with a unique appearance. Extending the rear window to the outer edges of the simply styled tailgate hints at the spacious cabin and the large tail lamps enhance the sporty appearance.
During the development of the new Sorento, Kia engineers ditched the body-on-frame structure and designed an all-new unitary (monocoque) bodyshell with room for up to seven occupants. Building on those new foundations, they concentrated on eight key areas – class-leading performance, increased fuel economy, reduced emissions, improved on-road handling, more fun-to-drive responsiveness, greater cabin space and comfort, enhanced overall safety and the introduction of new technologies.
The original Sorento earned widespread media and public acclaim for its innovative styling, durability, off-road abilities and value-for-money. Since 2002 it has attracted thousands of customers who had not previously considered buying a Kia and achieved global sales of almost 900,000 units.
“With the new Sorento, we have created an all-new, seven-seater CUV that will soon be recognized as an ‘exciting all-rounder’ with a much broader customer appeal,” commented Hyoung-Keun Lee, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of the International Business Division. “Despite the current economic uncertainties, we are confident that the new Sorento will significantly increase Kia’s share of the CUV market, achieving annual global sales of 140,000 units from 2010.”
Sorento interior
The new, longer bodyshell created for the new Sorento, with its repositioned A-pillars and dashboard (moved forwards) and extended tailgate (moved rearwards), ensures that the cabin is much more spacious than the current model. The real and perceived quality of the cabin is greatly enhanced and available high-tech features will include: keyless entry, engine start button, reversing safety camera, built-in sat-nav and panoramic glass sunroof.
The new Sorento’s interior styling echoes the sense of power and dynamism created by the exterior appearance. Kia is confident that existing Sorento owners and new customers will be equally impressed by the cabin’s generous proportions, sweeping dashboard design, high-quality fit, discreet trim accents and the availability of numerous high-tech features.
The thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel is becoming a Kia trademark feature and through it the driver can view another element of Kia’s developing design DNA – the ‘three-cylinder’ instrument cluster. Similar to the cluster fitted to the latest version of Magentis and the recently-launched Kia Soul, the new Sorento’s cluster has clear and precise graphics.
Depending on the model, new Sorento will be equipped with a six, eight or 10-speaker audio system, with MP3 and iPod connectivity, plus built-in or external amplifier and a new sat-nav system with a 6.5-inch screen. Remote controls for the audio system are mounted on the steering wheel.
The longer bodyshell created for new Sorento ensures that the stretched cabin is much more spacious than the current model, with seating for up to seven people. Interior headroom is increased by 64 mm (to 906 mm) and legroom by 102 mm (to 795 mm). Luggage space in the new Sorento is amongst the best-in-class as cargo capacity is increased by 15per cent, thanks to moving the tailgate back by almost 70 mm.
During the design and engineering process to create the new Sorento, Kia’s research and development team prioritized achieving a major improvement in the vehicle’s refinement and minimizing its noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). An excellent foundation for creating a vehicle with good NVH qualities is a stiff bodyshell structure and the new Sorento features a much higher percentage (70.4per cent) of high-tensile strength steel compared to the previous model (40.0per cent).
Kia’s all-new Sorento will be manufactured with up to four different engines to meet the needs of motorists in every region of the globe.
For the Korean market, Kia is offering the new Sorento with three engines, including a version of its 2.7-litre V6 engine running on low-cost LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) called the ‘Mu LPI’. This unit delivers 165 ps and 244 Nm – the reduced outputs are a consequence of using LPG which contains 25% less ’stored energy’. New Sorento will also be available in the Korean market with the four-cylinder 2.4-litre Theta II petrol engine that delivers 175 ps and 225 Nm, as well as the new four-cylinder R2.2 diesel engine.
The all-new ‘R’ family of turbo-diesel engines proves that Kia’s engineering capabilities are indeed world-class. The 2.2-litre engine comfortably out-performs most four-cylinder and many V6 units from rival brands, while complying with Euro 5 emissions standards thanks to their third-generation common-rail fuel system. The R2.2 generates a maximum of 197 ps and 435 Nm.
New Sorento buyers will be offered a wide choice of transmissions and drivetrains – depending on model. Five-speed and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will be offered. Both six-speed transmissions are new or upgraded.
Kia’s all-new six-speed automatic transmission is a regular ‘torque converter’ automatic, but it incorporates a unique ‘flat’ torque converter, which allows the unit to be 54 mm shorter, has 62 fewer parts (than a five-speed unit), weighs 12 kgs less and boosts fuel economy by up to 12per cent over a traditional automatic transmission.
New Sorento buyers can select from two advanced drivetrains to ‘best-match’ the on-road and off-road abilities of their new Kia vehicle to their lifestyle. The 2WD drivetrain offers lower weight and enhanced fuel economy, while the 4WD drivetrain will be ideal for buyers who regularly face difficult driving conditions, tow trailers (weighing up to 2,500 kilos, depending on model) or go off-road.
Traction is also boosted by the available HAC (Hill-start Assist Control) which prevents the vehicle slipping backwards, and DBC (Down-hill Brake Control) that limits vehicle speed to just 5 mph on steep declines.
For the new Sorento, the suspension engineers’ brief was to shift the handling bias a little to improve the on-road driving experience, in terms of ride quality and steering ‘feel’ – whilst retaining the vast majority of the previous model’s off-road abilities. The suspension has been lowered by 10 mm and thanks to the new unitary (monocoque) bodyshell construction the centre of gravity has been lowered by 54 mm.
The MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension is ‘carried over’ from the previous model, but with significant improvements. The steering is now more direct, requiring fewer turns of the wheel lock-to-lock.
For maximum stopping power, all new Sorento models are equipped with an all-disc braking system. Either as standard or an option, ABS anti-lock and EBD brake force distribution systems are available.
New Sorento presents buyers with a range of state-of-the-art safety systems and equipment as standard or as options – depending on market. Active safety technologies that buyers can specify include ESC, HAC, DBC, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) and RPAS (Rear Parking Assist System), plus several systems to boost braking performance during extreme conditions.
Reversing is made even safer by a new Kia Reversing Safety Camera mounted on the tailgate. This camera is fitted with a 130 degree wide-angle lens and transmits images to a 3.5-inch LCD display panel set within the cabin’s rear view mirror whenever reverse gear is selected.
New Sorento’s robust all-new bodyshell structure delivers increased impact resistance. Using a much higher percentage (70.4per cent) of high-tensile strength steel the new vehicle achieves excellent rigidity and strength. Particular attention was paid to the B-pillar areas, with a roll-over hoop incorporated into the B-pillars and much stronger (60 kg grade) steel is used in the side sills.
The new Sorento bodyshell is designed to achieve the top-score 5-Star rating in Europe’s EuroNCAP and the USA’s current official NHTSA crash tests, plus a ‘Good’ rating (again the top-score) in IIHS tests for both frontal and side impacts.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
2010 Kia Sorento
Body & Chassis
Five-door, five or seven seater, with new all-steel unitary construction bodyshell. Depending on market, choice of four transversely-mounted petrol and diesel engines, driving the front or front and rear wheels via a five- or six-speed manual or five- or six-speed automatic transmission with Sport Mode (depending on model).
Engines (availability will vary by region and individual markets)
3.5-litre / 277 ps Petrol (USA, Canada, Australia, Middle East & Africa, General Markets)
| Name | Lambda 2 |
| Type | Quad-overhead camshaft, six-cylinder in V, with dual CVVT |
| Capacity | 3.5-litres, (3470 cc) |
| Max power | 277 ps (206 kW) @ 6300 rpm |
| Max torque | 335 Nm (247lbs/ft) @ 5000 rpm |
2.7-litre / 165 ps LPG (Korea)
| Name | Mu LPI (using LPG liquefied petroleum gas) |
| Type | Quad-overhead camshaft, six-cylinder in V, with dual CVVT |
| Capacity | 2.7-litres, (2656 cc) |
| Max power | 165 ps (121 kW) @ 6300 rpm |
| Max torque | 244 Nm (180lbs/ft) @ 4000 rpm |
2.4-litre / 174 ps Petrol (Korea, USA, Europe, Canada, Middle East & Africa, General Markets)
| Name | Theta II |
| Type | DOHC, four-cylinder in line, with dual CVVT |
| Capacity | 2.4-litres, (2349 cc) |
| Max power | 174 ps (129 kW) @ 6000 rpm |
| Max torque | 225 Nm (166lbs/ft) @ 3750 rpm |
2.2-litre / 197 ps Diesel (Korea, Europe, Middle East & Africa, General Markets)
| Name | R2.2 |
| Type | DOHC, four-cylinder in line, with VGT |
| Capacity | 2.2-litres, (2199 cc) |
| Max power | 197 ps (147 kW) @ 3800 rpm |
| Max torque | 435 Nm (320lbs/ft) @ 1800-to-2500 rpm |
Transmissions
Choice of five-speed and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions (depending on model and market).
Drivetrains
Choice of 2WD (front-wheel drive) or 4WD with electronically controlled single ratio (High) system that delivers 100% of torque to front wheels during normal road driving. Manually selected ‘Lock Mode’ splits torque 50/50 between the front and rear axles for enhanced stability during slippery conditions (up to 40 km/h).
Suspension & Damping
| Front | Fully independent by MacPherson struts, with coil springs and gas-filled shock absorbers. Anti-roll stabilizer bar. |
| Rear | Independent by multi-links, coil springs and gas-filled shock absorbers, with self-leveling system. |
Steering
| Type | Hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion |
| Overall ratio | 16.5:1 |
| Gearing | 3.02 turns lock-to-lock |
| Turning circle | 10.88 meters |
Brakes
| Power | Single 11-inch booster |
| Front | 298 x 28 mm ventilated discs (Korea) |
| 300 x 28 mm ventilated discs (North America) | |
| 321 x 28 mm ventilated discs (Europe) | |
| Rear | 302 x 11 mm solid discs |
| ABS | 4-Channel anti-lock system with EBD |
| DBC | Downhill brake control maintains 8 km/h speed during descents |
| HAC | Hill-start assist control prevents slip-back on hill starts |
| ESC | Electronic Stability Control |
Wheels & Tires (depending on model and market)
| Standard | Steel 16 in x 5.5J with 235/70 R16 tires |
| Options | Alloy 16 in x 5.5J with 235/70 R16 tires |
| Alloy 17 in x 6.0J with 235/65 R17 tires | |
| Alloy 18 in x 7.0J with 235/60 R18 tires |
DIMENSIONS (mm)
Exterior
| Overall length | 4685 | Overall width | 1885* |
| Overall height | 1710 | Wheelbase | 2700 |
| Front track | 1618 | Rear track | 1620 |
| Front overhang | 945 | Rear overhang | 1040 |
| Ground clearance | 184 | *excluding door mirrors | |
| Approach angle | 25.1 degrees | ||
| Departure angle | 23.1 degrees |
Capacities (all models)
| Fuel tank | 70 litres | |
| Luggage (SAE) | 258 litres | (behind 3rd row seats) |
| 1047 litres | (behind 2nd row seats) | |
| 2052 litres | (behind 1st row seats) |
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Although it looks large, this thing is about the size of the Santa Fe, not the larger Veracruz.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Uh Ooohhh!!! It appears there’s no diesel for the Australian market.
I would like to put forward a funeral notice for the death of the greatest little “real” 4WD and tow vehicle of all time. It’s gone forever!!!
I was looking forward so much for the release of this vehicle and have been let down so much. It feels like your favorite grunge or heavy metal band all of a sudden putting out a pop album. It will be popular alright but there’s a lot more competition in the bracket it’s now slipped into.
All I hope and I’ve said it before, I hope we get the Borrego down here in Australia to compensate for the loss.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
it doesn’t look veracruz size [length] at all. its just high. thats it.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:05 pm
when did Hyundai-Kia develop a 3.5L V6? I thought they would use the 3.8L V6
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Hmm, no Diesel for Australia… Sadly, that would stop me buying one, if I were in the market for a new car.
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The interior appears to be of rather good quality. Just hope they offer a silver trim, along side the woodgrain.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
BJD(Boris),
You say that like the Veracruz is large. The Veracruz is still 9″ shorter than my Ford Freestyle. I would have preferred the Sorento to be more Veracruz sized. It would have been nice to have a little storage behind the 3rd row.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Overall a very nice effort, but the amount of the view out obstructed by the D-pillar is simply obscene. I hope this doesn’t represent the beginning of a trend of sacrificing function for style with Kia.
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
What I don’t understand is why Kia built the 2.2 clean diesel to meet Tier2Bin5 requirements in the USA, and then not bring it to the USA? Also, 3.5 is the only engine in Australia? That list is lacking. How official is that?
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
lambda ii engine is 3.8 liter not 3.5….
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Australia will get the 2.2 diesel, but will likely come available later, about six month after Sorento debuts.
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What I wonder is that, why Kia brought the 3.5L engine back to living?? I thought 3.3 and 3.8 had replaced that engine while 3.5L has been discontinued from the Hyundai-Kia range.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I’m loving the new Sorento but pissed we won’t see the Diesel R engine on US shores anytime soon :*(
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:43 pm
This could be attractive option for a lot of Americans who want a sporty, SUV like, reliable car with a low price tag to tie them over to the next generation of hybrid cars and high fuel cost.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:10 pm
It is similar in length to the santa fe and appears to have utilized its space well. From the pictures, it looks like a much better vehicle then before. In the specs there was no curb weight and fuel economy. I am interested to know these and I assume this will come out in the next few days. From the pictures, well done Kia look forward to a closer look.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
himi, this is the new all-aluminum Lambda 3.5L with QOHC! Not the beast 3.5 that used to dwell in the Sorento!
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
@Greg: is this just a Lambda like the 3.3L and 3.8L units or is there something different about it?
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
As far as I know the difference is that the 3.5 has QOHC instead of DOHC, and 48V instead of 24V. Power is ranked up near that of the 3.8, and will replace the 3.8 in many applications.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I see…thanks Greg! But what will hapen with the3.8? Will the still use it? Or they will use the 3.5 for SUVs and large minivans, while 3.8 will be used for sedans (Hyundai)
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
After 2011, the 3.8 will most likely only be used in the Borrego and Amanti in the Kia lineup, as the 3.5 will replace Sorento and Sedona’s 3.8. Because Amanti is so aged, Kia is not going to do anything more to it, and most likely it will just sit in the line-up and age for the next 3 years until the CH gets the green light. This is why I hate stubborn management.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:55 pm
QOHC, 8 valves/cylinder. Technology so new it’s not even on Wikipedia yet. Wow. This is getting really serious.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Yeah this is a new engine. They probably is bringing back that size engine to make it lighter. But 3.5 is still good and plus it won’t conflict with the Borrego. But my question is, when the h**l is the Amanti going die!? I’m sick of looking at it. Why sell that with the VG?
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Because! Seniors need a car too!!!
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Ok. So that means the Amanti is going to be a rival to the Ford Crown Victoria. Cool. They are both ugly and for old folks.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:13 am
Four cams on each bank??? Eight valves per cylinder??? where are they going to fit all these little suckers. The valves must be so small??? come on?? it would be physically impossible to fit and drive and open and shut all these things. Let alone variable valve timing? Where do they fit them all?? the top of the headand the combustion chamber must be all valves. It must be an absolute nightmare to manufacture and you’d hope in a few years time you’d never have to work on one. Imagine doing a valve grind!!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:21 am
AlsoHimi, your comment earlier about Australia getting the diesel 6 months after the new Sorento’s model release here, I don’t think Kia Australia would be that stupid, as with the current model, the diesel is the only real seller here, they don’t sell many 3.3 litre petrols at all. Well, I hope they’re not that stupid, but marketing has got a lot to do with sales, as you know, they’re always thinking ahead, “what can we put out their for the next model update”…
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:24 am
The smaller the valve, the higher the pressure in the cylinder. That means more power and efficiency. I have been wanting to see either TOHC or QOHC for a long time now, so finally my vision is actually made into something of substance!
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:58 am
I’m just wondering will there be room left for direct injection with all the space that’ll be devoted to valves. But I trust they’re working on that right now. I wonder who else is working on QOHC designs.
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:08 am
Try……no one!
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 am
Aston Martin has a QOHC engine
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:14 am
Actually, it’s called quad but isn’t. Are you talking the V12? It is only a 48V engine. The same number(48V) for the 3.5 V6.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:28 am
yah.. the design looks good. how about the parts? is it available? because in the philippines were having problems finding and ordering parts. well good luck kia.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:36 am
This QOHC engine will run cooler, smoother, quieter, and more fuel efficient. Although repair costs will double over a DOHC engine.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 am
r u sure Quad over-head cams isnt like 2 cams on one side of the V and two on the other side? some guys on another blog say it could be a fancy way of saying just that…
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
8 camshafts total.
April 4th, 2009 at 2:13 am
GOOD. they mentioned kia’s new steering wheel theme & i mentioned that ages ago that kia is now going to that steering wheel look & everyone thought i was nuts. i knew i wasn’t retarded! lol.
April 4th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I see this video is on YouTube already, not bad.
http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?q=2010%20kia%20sorento&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wv#
April 4th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
yea i had seen it on the korean site
April 6th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
i saw it on carscoop. they have two on their site, tho.
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:34 am
No diesel for Australia just killed a sale PISSED OFF, Australia misses out AGAIN.
I wonder what other equipment will be excluded.
April 30th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I had a 2003 Sorento that I traded for a 2007 Hyundai Entourage back in 2006 and was a huge mistake. I miss that truck. I’m waiting for the 2010 Sorento because it has all the things my 2007 POS does not. Such as Red instumentation, mirror turn signals, Bluetooth, Navi, Push-button start, better fuel economy, is a CUV on a car platform, 7 pass seating, double sunroofs, Aux, USB and Ipod jacks, backup camera, and I love the steering wheel and controls. I can’t wait to see one in real life.
April 30th, 2009 at 9:35 am
I hear you loud and clear Malcolm, It’s pathetic how much stuff we miss out on here in Australia, regarding EVERYTHING.
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I cannot wait until I can afford to move to Europe.
May 5th, 2009 at 9:47 am
On my second Sorento & was really looking forward to my 3rd
No deisel (Australia) -front wheel drive & no low range
I’ll start looking elseware
May 20th, 2009 at 10:52 am
cant wait to see the new sorento….i hope philippine distributor will not remove features such as controls mounted on the steering wheel, airbags, ABS w/ EBD, leather seats…the audio system stated above. I am disappointed with the mohave that just arrived here in Philippines, because of the features that wer removed.
July 1st, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I own Hyundai Terrican turbo diesel. Bad discission for Hyundai to drop model in australia as they were becoming accepted in the market place and popular. Great vehicle. Replacement- Kia BorregoV6 turbo diesel high/low range wow just the replacement vehicle I need for the Terrican. Not to be it appears, bad discission for Kia Australia as it would be just the vehicle to replace the Terrican(7 seater)as there is a void in the maket in this sector if at an afordable price. Local Kia dealer advises to hold off on new 4×4 purchase, new Sorento on its way and it might suit my needs. But alas it appears to be as we refer to them in Australia SOFT off roaders. My experience with SOFT 4×4’s as their owners are lulled into thinking that their vehicles can go anywhere that a full on 4×4 can go is towing these vehicles out of situations when I am off road in the Hyundai. I will not be buying a soft off roader (new Sorrento sad to say) as I do require a vehicle that I would have faith in to get me through the toughest situations plus more. Please consider the diesel Borrego in high /low range for Australian Offroad Enthusiasts.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:25 pm
when this 2010 new kia sorento will be on sale in vancouver canada? can’t wait to see and drive this 7 seater work of arts..
July 21st, 2009 at 6:09 am
This new Sorento looks great…In my country we’ll only get the 2WD 2.2 CRDI VGT Seven seater variant of it which is great!
August 24th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I have a 2005 sorento V6 3500 , converted to LPG with the original petrol tank still in place .I wonder what MPG the new sorento’s will do? I get 20 to a gallon on LPG.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:19 am
Wow what a car just took one for a test drive and i’m stoked. Great mileage 7.4l/100km thats over 1000km a tank and with heaps of power to boot 145Kw WOW this thing moves, just as quick as my outback subaru. I’m ordering one this weekend just sucks i’ve got to wait till
jan2010 to get it.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
If they offered a diesel in the USA I would buy it right now.
Diesel is the answer – saves money and better for the environment.
No tune ups , more dependanble
December 13th, 2009 at 10:38 am
KIA shame on you – great looking motor but you have compromised the off road ability wth the new chassis – and it needs a bigger deisel option – This KIA owner will shop elswhere
February 5th, 2010 at 4:56 am
Unclemart – How much more power do you need?
This diesel seems the bees knees to me.
Max power 147 kW @ 3800 rpm and Max torque 435 Nm @ 1800-to-2500 rpm.
That’s seriously good power & torque and can deliver amazing fuel economy too. In my book that’s a sweet motor car.
Kia I’ll be phoning soon for a test drive.
February 9th, 2010 at 11:22 am
In relation to the manual gearbox, you imply that the normal transmission setting is electronically selected High giving FWD. But you don’t explain if the manually selected Lock mode, which splits the torque 50/50 FWD/RWD provides a lower set of gear ratios, or the option to use all six ratios in a dual ratio set up.
You don’t mention the towing capacity. To judege from Kia’s website, this is reasonable for a vehicle clearly aimed much more at the “soft” jeep market than the old Sorento was. But the TOWBALL DOWNLOAD capacity given by Kia is disappointing at only 80 kg with the auto box and 100 kg with the manual. While this is comparable with other “soft” jeeps, it rules out the new Sorento as a serious towing vehicle in the way that the old one was (which compared well with “serious” jeeps like the Shogun and Land Cruiser). No doubt it has more volumetric load capacity than the old model, and that is a big help when towing a caravan, as these have such poor payload capabilities, but that may not make up for the weight tolerances for a towed caravan.
Another point is that this is, like the Honda CRV and Nissan X-Trail, the normal drive mode is FWD. These tall, chunky vehicles have a strong tendency to understeer and to feel dead and “rubbery” when cornering. Making the front wheels do all the driving (in addition to, as normal, all the steering and around 80% of the braking) seems likely to create an even less reesponsive and involved driving experience than even the old Sorento gave you.