2018 Kia Sorento up for grabs in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The third-generation 7-seater SUV from KIA, the Sorento has been officially launched and is now up for grabs in the Malaysian market. The official distributor, Naza Kia has started selling the updated 2018 Sorento nationwide. There are only two trims on offer by the South Korean manufacturer, the 2.4 EX and 2.2D SX. The former is a petrol mill whereas the latter is a diesel-fed motor. The pricing for the two variants is RM 169,888 and RM 179,888, respectively. These prices include the sales and service tax (SST), as well as 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. However, one will need to spend on the insurance separately.

The revamped front end of the 2018 Kia Sorento houses features like redesigned Kia’s trademark “tiger nose”. The headlamps in a triple projector setup are all LED. And the addition of the “ice-cube” LED fog lights at the front gives the Malaysian Sorento resemblance to its international spec sibling.

Under the rear fog lights, there are air-vents which are nothing more than showcase pieces on the revised bumper. The taillights at the back also get their fair share of updates. They now feature a brand new set of internal graphics. The EX trim rides on a set of two-tone 18-inch alloys, whereas the SX gets larger 19-inch wheels.

Housing the audio controls is a new 4-spoke steering wheel inside. There is an ample amount of leather and soft-touch plastic used. Climate control switchgear and other graphics are displayed on a redesigned 7-inch screen. The facelifted Sorento also comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Qi wireless smartphone charging as standard.

Push-button start, keyless entry, an acoustic and solar-attenuating windscreen, dual-zone climate control with rear air vents and third-row temperature control, auto lights and wipers, eight-way powered front seats, rear side window sunshades, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a hands-free powered tailgate, and a touchscreen infotainment system make up the list of other incorporated features.

The 2019 Sorento comes with ABS, EBD, 6 airbags, brake assist, hill descent control, hill start assist, ISOFIX, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and front and rear parking sensors with a reverse parking camera. With that said, the ride in the new Kia Sorento will surely be a safe and secure one.

The major difference in the two models is the engines. The 2.4 EX is powered by a 2.4-litre Theta II MPI 4-cylinder that pumps out 172 PS of max power at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 225 Nm at 4,000 rpm. On the other hand, the 2.2D SX has a 2.2-litre R turbodiesel which produces 200 PS of max power at 3,800 rpm and a peak torque of 442 Nm from 1,750 to 2,750 rpm. There is a new 8-speed automatic unit for the diesel motor in the 2018 Kia Sorento.

The facelift variants of Kia’s stallions went up on the automaker’s Malaysian website recently. And with Sorento already on-sale, we expect the 2019 Kia Optima, and the 2019 Kia Grand Carnival to start rolling out pretty soon too.