The Kia Sorento has been spotted on Indian roads without any camouflage for the first time. The video was shared by Instagram user ‘becarladka’ and shows the SUV near Kia’s Anantapur plant in Andhra Pradesh. Kia will officially launch the 7-seater SUV on September 4, with pre-bookings and production already underway.
Aggressive Exterior Design
The Sorento flaunts a muscular design finished in a matte grey shade. It features Kia’s signature Tiger Nose grille with brush-aluminum finish. New vertical Star Map LED DRLs and vertically stacked LED headlights enhance the front profile. The side profile gets 19-inch dual-tone machine-cut alloy wheels, roof rails, and muscular bumpers with vertical LED tail lamps.
Luxurious Cabin and Technology
The cabin sports a black and beige color theme with premium materials throughout. It gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch digital driver display. Other features include a 12-speaker Bose sound system, 64-color ambient lighting, head-up display, wireless charger, and ventilated seats with memory function. The center console features rotary knobs for easy control.
Engine Options: Hybrid and Diesel
The Sorento will offer two engine choices. The first is a 1.6-liter turbo-petrol strong-hybrid engine producing 238bhp and 380Nm of torque. This will make the Sorento the first hybrid SUV in India with AWD capability. The second option is a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel engine that generates 202bhp and 440Nm of torque. Both engines come with automatic transmission only.
Safety and Competition
Kia has equipped the Sorento with Level-2 ADAS along with a comprehensive set of safety features. In the Indian market, it will compete against the Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra XUV 7XO, Skoda Kodiaq, and Volkswagen Tayron. Industry experts expect Kia to price the Sorento competitively, which could spark intense competition in the premium SUV segment.
