Bangkok--26 Mar--KIA
- Stronger bodyshell, high-tech equipment and new look for popular CUV
- Re inveted not just cosmetic changed
- 5 star EURO NCAP
- 5 years or 150,000km warranty provided
When the new upgraded Kia Sorento CUV-Crossover Utility Vehicle- goes on sale late last year in Thai market, it will incorporate significant changes which include a completely new platform, enhanced powertrains for better fuel economy with lower emissions, improved ride, handling and refinement, additional convenience and safety features, plus a fresh, new look for the exterior.
“Since its introduction in 2009, the second-generation Kia Sorento has achieved more than 620,000 sales around the world. This success came after the global sales of almost 900,000 units achieved by the original 2002 Sorento which was a ‘landmark’ vehicle in the history of Kia brand, starting the process of changing public perception of Kia as a maker of small cars,” commented Thomas Oh, Kia’s Executive Vice President & COO of the International Business Division.
“During the last decade, Sorento has earned widespread media and public acclaim and attracted thousands of customers to Kia who had not previously considered our brand. While creating upgraded Sorento we have given very careful attention to owners’ feedback, and the result is a new Kia model which is not just a cosmetic exercise but represents a major step forwards for our popular CUV,” added Mr. Oh.
“Despite the current economic uncertainties in some markets, we are confident that upgraded Sorento with its fresh look and significant improvements will increase Kia’s share of the utility vehicle market, achieving annual global sales of 265,000 units from 2013,” concluded Mr. Oh.
Introducing a fresh new look with premium appeal
To give the upgraded Sorento a fresh look that reflected the new model’s stronger structure, premium quality and enhanced specification, Kia’s design team restyled the upgraded vehicle’s front and rear, creating larger areas of body-color surface. Careful attention to surface detailing cut aerodynamic drag to Cd 0.34.
Kia’s designers developed new front and rear bumpers with vertical-axis fog lights, a new front grille and headlamps with LED positioning lights, and a new tailgate with reshaped LED combination lamps.
New high-tech features and top quality cabin trim
Inside upgraded Sorento’s cabin, numerous enhancements create a refreshed ambience, with premium high-tech equipment available and an extended choice of options. Access is improved by the lower ride height (-10 mm), and the cabin floor has also been lowered, increasing legroom by 30 mm (2nd row) and 9 mm (3rd row). The interior can be trimmed in beige leather.
Inside the seven-seater cabin, there are more soft-touch surfaces — with a satin chrome finish for the door handles, air-vent surrounds and switches and a new center console featuring a straight-gate selector with a leather-gear knob on automatic transmission models — reinforcing the vehicle’s more luxurious character.
Kia’s engineers have implemented a host of NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) reduction measures to ensure that upgraded Sorento boasts even greater refinement than the previous model, making it one of the quietest vehicles in its class.
Enhanced powertrains with R2.2 TCI diesel engine
The ‘R’ family of Kia diesel engines has become a popular consumers’ choice in a variety of Kia models all around world. In upgraded Sorento, the 2.2-liter, 197 ps TCI (turbocharged inter-cooler) engine features a new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system which reduces CO2 emissions — down to as little as 153 g/km. Maximum torque is 436 Nm (automatic models).
Six-speed gearboxes, plus choice of 2WD
Sorento of Thailand market will feature a six-speed transmission of automatic and a choice of 2WD (front-wheel drive). This 2WD drivetrain offers a weight saving of approximately 60 kg — enhancing fuel economy.
Improved on-road performance, retained off-road capability
Kia chassis engineers worked hard to ensure that while the upgraded Sorento gives rewarding responses to driver inputs, it also delivers a sophisticated ride/handling balance to rival the best vehicles in its class.
While the basic specification of the suspension is unchanged — front MacPherson struts and a multi-link set up at the rear — the subframes which support the suspension are completely new, stronger designs. They give more precise location of the suspension components and have revised mounting bushes to dampen vibrations. Larger suspension bushes, longer trailing arms at the rear and HPD (High Performance Dampers) work together to improve ride comfort and stability.
High safety standards with advanced ‘active’ and ‘passive’ systems — 5 stars Euro NCAP
When it was introduced in 2009, the second generation Sorento was awarded a 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating. Today, official crash test standards in Europe are much tougher and Kia engineers re-visited the upgraded Sorento’s bodyshell structure and safety equipment to ensure high safety standards.
Extensive revisions to the bodyshell, which incorporates a higher percentage (25%) of ultra high-tensile strength steel (above 60 kgf/?) than most vehicles in its class, have improved front, side and rear impact protection. Hot stamping is used to heat steel to 900? C and press immensely strong components to produce ultra high-tensile strength steel with 150 kgf/? that is used for the front bumper, center floor member and rear floor side members — improving crashworthiness.
The upgraded Sorento models are equipped with larger diameter (320 mm) ventilated front disc brakes.