By Otsile Kadiege

At the helm of Kia’s ever-growing SUV line-up is the 7-seater Sorento and Mzansi the just got the new one. The all-new Kia Sorento enters its fourth generation with a stylish modern exterior design, a high-quality and high-tech cabin with greater levels of space, comfort and safety as well as a list of connectivity, and driver assistance systems.

Exterior

For the fourth generation Sorento, designers at Kia set-out to recapture the robust, tough-looking aesthetic of earlier generations of Sorentos by applying the ‘refined boldness’ design concept. Up front the new Sorento evolves with a new interpretation of Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger nose’ grille that is flanked by integrated headlamps on each side. The headlamps themselves feature a new ‘tiger eyeline’ LED daytime running light.

The side profile of the new Sorento retains the characteristic wide D-pillar, substantial bodywork and clad wheel arches that have defined all three generations to date. It is available in 18- or 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels depending on the trim grade. The rear of the new Sorento adopts the Telluride’s new vertical tail lamps which wrap around the side of the body.

The new Sorento is 10mm longer (1,900mm) and 10mm wider (4,810mm) than the third gen. Sorento. Its wheelbase has grown by 35mm to 2,815mm. It will be available in Mzansi with a choice of 10 paint finishes like Runaway Red and Gravity Blue.

Interior

Inside, the new Sorento boasts a premium, high-tech and practical cabin thanks to its metallic trim, leather upholstery, embossed satin-effect surfaces, a 12.3-inch digital driver instrument cluster is twinned with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system (trim level dependant) and a spacious cabin thanks to Kia’s new N3 platform. Speaking of space, Kia claims the new Sorento, with its 821 litres, has the best in class luggage capacity which has increased by 187 litres compared to its predecessor.

Sorento grades

The all-new Sorento is offered in three distinct trim levels, namely EX+ (2WD and AWD), SX AWD and SXL AWD. The Kia Sorento EX+ includes 8,0-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic dual-zone climate control, auto lights and wipers, auto-folding, heated side mirrors, Drive Mode Select and Terrain Mode Select (AWD derivative), rear sunshade blinds, electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support, electric tailgate operation, leather trim, LED headlamps, Smart Entry with push-button start, PDC front and rear with rear-view camera, 6 airbags, ESC plus Hill-start Assist Control, Downhill Brake Control and Trailer Stability Assist.

The SX AWD grades adds 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12.3-inch TFT Supervision instrument cluster, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, Mood Lamp, wireless smartphone charging, 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels, Rear Seat Check Alert, Driver Attention Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist, Blindspot Monitor, and Around View Monitor.

The SXL AWD adds Driver Memory Power Seat with cushion extension, BOSE surround sound with 12 speakers, dual LED headlamps (high and low beam), LED rear combination lamps, head-up display, panoramic sunroof and Smart Cruise Control.

Powertrain and performance

Powering the fourth generation Sorento is a four-cylinder 2.2 litre diesel engine making 148kW and 440Nm paired to a new eight-speed wet double-clutch transmission (8DCT).

The new Sorento AWD models offer enhanced all-terrain capability over their forebears thanks to a new Terrain Mode. According to Kia, when paired with the all-wheel-drive system, Terrain Mode makes the Sorento more capable in mud, snow and sand. Kia adds with each mode selectable from a dial on the centre console, Terrain Mode carefully controls the car’s standard electronic stability control (ESC), as well as the distribution of torque to all four wheels.

Safety

Some Kia Sorentos comes standard with the automaker’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Blindspot View Monitor (BVM), Around View Monitor (AVM) and Blindspot Collision Avoidance Assist (BCA), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Lane Following Assist (LFA) and Driver Attention Warning (DAW).

The Sorento is fitted with six airbags (dual front airbags, dual front seat-mounted side airbags, and side curtain airbags with rollover sensor). All Sorento models are equipped as standard with Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) and Electronic Stability Control systems to help drivers maintain control under braking and cornering.

Pricing and warranty

Pricing for the new Sorento is as follows:

Sorento 2.2 CRDi 7-Seater EX+ 2WD 8DCT – R809,995;

Sorento 2.2 CRDi 7-Seater EX+ AWD 8DCT – R849,995;

Sorento 2.2 CRDi 7-Seater SX AWD 8DCT – R914,995; and

Sorento 2.2 CRDi 7-Seater SXL AWD 8DCT – R988,995.

All Sorento models ship as standard with Kia’s unlimited km, 5-year warranty (inclusive of roadside assistance), as well as a 6-year / 90,000 km maintenance plan.