Kia Sorento facelift officially teased, gets an 8-speed automatic transmission

KUALA LUMPUR: Kia Malaysia is working hard to revamp its lineup, thus getting all ready to take on any competition. After Kia Stinger launch, followed by 2018 Picanto facelift arrival, it’s time for the brand to pay attention to its SUV offering. Doing the needful, Kia Malaysia in a Facebook post gave us the first glimpse of the Sorento facelift. Though the car was not shown is a whole, the few parts highlighted were enough to create the buzz.

Earlier in July, Kia introduced the updated Sorento in South Korea, its home country. And since then we have been eyeing on the refreshed Kia SUV to arrive in Malaysia. Talking about the changes, there are plentiful on the exterior. As for the cabin and safety, these areas too are now blessed with new features.

Without wasting any more time, let’s dig in and see what the new Sorento has on offer.

Exterior

• New LED headlamps for the top-spec variant that are beautifully underlined by the repositioned daytime running lights
•  Following the new design philosophy, the 2018 Sorento facelift sports a new, more masculine grille. Gone are old diamond studs and comes scale-like inserts in place
• The revised model also features Kia’s ‘iceberg’ foglamps that are now tuned with LED fittings. Lower range trims get non-LED units
• At the rear, the LED taillights now feature a new vertical strip graphic, replacing the U-shaped inserts
•  The bumper and exhaust pipe too have been tweaked, with the later one displaying rectangular chrome units

 

Interior

•  The cabin gets a new steering wheel that now comes with a four-spoke design and leather wrapping
• Gear knob is revised and looks quite distinctive and fun to use
•  Kia has also tweaked the infotainment system to look plusher, with the controls now placed neatly and vertically
•  New Sorento specs kit includes wireless charging, variable-angle powered tailgate, and extended functionality for front seats

Safety

• Making way to the facelifted Kia Sorento are safety gears like - smart cruise control with forwarding collision, lane keeping assist, dynamic bending light, blind spot warning, tyre pressure monitoring system, and driver alert warning

Engine

• The revised engine spec of new Sorento for the Malaysian market is yet to be revealed

•  Taking clues from the South Korean market, we can get any or all these mill options - a 2.0-litre diesel making 186 PS and 402 Nm, 2.2-litre diesel with 202 PS and 441 Nm, and 240 PS/353 Nm developing 2.0-litre T-GDI petrol unit
•  What we, however, are sure about is the new transmission setup that now features an eight-speed automatic gearbox replacing the current six-speed unit

That’s all the information we have for now on the soon to arrive Kia Sorento facelift. Stay tuned to get all the latest updates.