What's the news?
Kia has facelifted its flagship Sorento SUV and is taking the revised model to the Frankfurt Motor Show, ahead of the car going on sale in the final quarter of this year.
Exterior
Mild touches here, but they do add up to freshen the Sorento's appearance. Kia's designers have altered the design of the front and rear bumpers, while also fitting new LED head- and taillights. The company's trademark 'tiger nose' grille has also gone dark (metallic), which is said to give the front end of the car a 'more sophisticated and purposeful appearance'. Additional colour choices on the facelifted SUV include New Rich Espresso and Gravity Blue, while the Sorento's 17-, 18- and 19-inch alloy wheels have been redesigned.
Interior
Kia has added a new design of steering wheel and instrument cluster to the Sorento's cabin, while also tarting up the LCD display for the climate control. The Korean manufacturer also claims to have increased the proportion of soft-touch materials and leather used to bump up the premium ambience inside. Choose from all black or a black and stone-beige two-tone colour scheme for the interior, while the driver will enjoy four-way lumbar support and the front-seat passenger two-way lumbar support, too.
New technologies include an Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) system with Kia's latest eight-inch touchscreen infotainment control, plus Kia Connected Services powered by TomTom. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support is thrown in and there's a wireless smartphone charger in the centre console. A sound upgrade optionally available is a 640-watt, ten-speaker surround system from Harman Kardon, which features QuantumLogic technology to get the best audio performance out of the Sorento's interior.
Mechanicals
The 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine continues, but if you want a self-shifting gearbox, Kia has improved the Sorento offering here. Gone is the antiquated old six-speed automatic transmission, replaced by a slicker-shifting eight-speed gearbox. You can still have the Sorento with a six-speed manual, of course, but if you do go for the eight-speed auto, you should enjoy better fuel economy and emissions than before - CO2 drops from 172- to 159g/km, for instance. The gearbox offers four different drive modes, which are Eco, Comfort, Sport and Smart.
Also added to the Sorento's roster is a GT Line model (not yet confirmed for the Irish market). This has various interior and exterior styling updates, including the trademark four-lamp 'ice cube' LED fog lights and red brake callipers. And the facelifted SUV will benefit from the latest DRiVE WISE Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System, High Beam Assist and full LED headlamps with Dynamic Bending Light.
Anything else?
Michael Cole, chief operating officer of Kia Motors Europe, said: "The Sorento accounted for 15,769 sales across Europe in 2016, and it remains an important contributor to the company's sustained sales growth. The current model has a broad appeal among buyers, with a combination of high practicality, handsome design, and good value. Upgrades to the car's exterior and interior design, safety, and in-car technology all add to the appeal of the car and will ensure sales remain strong."