Kia Australia has released preliminary details for its all-new seven-seat Sorento, which will get a small price rise to match its more upmarket new look and cabin.
Full pricing and specifications will be announced closer to launch, but Kia has confirmed the entry-level Sorento S V6 FWD will start at $45,850 before on-road costs, topping out at $63,070 before on-roads for the Sorento GT-Line AWD diesel.
UPDATE, 28/7/20 9:50am: Kia Australia has confirmed the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel will be equipped with a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission like other markets.
That means a $2200 dearer entry point than the previous generation, and a flagship price $3400 more than before.
Four grades will be offered locally, with diesel models set to touch down a couple months ahead of the petrols. The range will start with the aforementioned Sorento S, then move through Sorento Sport, Sport+ and finally GT-Line.
Powertrains are the familiar 3.5-litre V6 petrol and 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, with outputs rated at 200kW/332Nm and 148kW/440Nm respectively.
In petrol models, a conventional eight-speed automatic drives the front wheels, while a wet-type eight-speed dual-clutch auto drives through an on-demand all-wheel drive system in diesel variants.
Hybrid power will not be available from launch – regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid options will be available overseas from later this year or early next – though the company’s chief operating officer, Damien Meredith, recently told CarExpert the local division is looking to introduce electrified versions later in the lifecycle.
From the base S, all versions of the Sorento will get a segment-first front centre airbag as standard (a new requirement under 2020 ANCAP/Euro NCAP protocols), while Sport models get a standard 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and multi-connection Bluetooth.
Sport+ models add two USB charging ports in the second row, while the GT-Line is headlined by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Blind Spot View Monitor, shift-by-wire transmission selector dial, as well as Remote Smart Parking Assist.
Key rivals include the related Hyundai Santa Fe – due in heavily revised form before year’s end – as well as the Toyota Kluger, Mazda CX-9 and Skoda Kodiaq.
As noted earlier, a full rundown of pricing and specifications for the all-new Kia Sorento will be announced in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to CarExpert for our coverage.
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