New Design And In-Car Technologies For The Upgraded 2018 Kia Sorento 7-Seater SUV

Alvyn Ang, Director of Kia Operations - Cycle & Carriage Singapore, commented that, “The current model has a broad appeal among buyers, with a combination of high practicality of a MPV and handsome design of a SUV. 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.”

Kia’s designers have made a series of modifications to the Sorento’s exterior design. These include revised front and rear bumpers, new LED head- and tail-lamps, and a new dark metallic finish to the ‘tiger-nose’ grille. The result is a more sophisticated and purposeful front-end appearance. New Rich Espresso and Gravity Blue exterior paint finishes are now available, as well as a new design for the Sorento’s 18-inch (SX) and 19-inch (GT Line) aluminium alloy wheels.

The new Sorento features an increased proportion of soft touch materials and leather for a more premium cabin ambience including a newly-designed steering wheel and driver instrument cluster display. The driver and front passenger seats are equipped with four-way and two-way adjustable lumbar support respectively, to enhance seating comfort.

The new Sorento is the first SUV from Kia available with the company’s new eight-speed automatic transmission. The transmission boasts 143 newly-patented technologies and delivers a slick-shifting, more decisive drive, while reducing emissions slightly.

Compared to other automatic transmissions, Kia’s new eight-speed unit requires fewer control valves, enabling a more direct mechanical link to the engine. This allows the transmission to shift more quickly than the outgoing six-speed automatic transmission. The greater choice of gears enables more decisive acceleration, while reducing CO2 emissions from 174 to 159 g/km.

The new transmission offers four different drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Smart. Drivers can select their preferred mode with the Sorento’s electronic Drive Mode Select system. Each mode enables the driver to customise the powertrain’s responses to driver’s inputs, enhancing fuel economy or acceleration characteristics depending on driver’s preferences. The Drive Mode Select also adapts the weight of the rack-mounted power steering system, for more relaxed or more immediate, engaging steering responses. The new Smart Mode is designed to understand and anticipate the driver’s steering preferences, automatically switching between Eco, Comfort and Sport modes. This enables the Sorento to adapt to the driver’s steering behaviour as road conditions change, pre-empting the driver’s preference for different speeds and driving environments.

Kia has equipped the new 2018 Sorento SX and GT Line with various advanced smart features like Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS)- with parallel and perpendicular parking support and a keyless entry system. Both models also come standard with Kia’s 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Kia has introduced a new GT Line variant to the Sorento, further enhancing its sporty appeal.

Inspired by the appearance of Kia’s higher-performance GT models, the Sorento GT Line features a range of upgrades for added style and on-road presence. The exterior features four-lamp LED fog lights, red brake calipers, a more prominent sill step, and subtle GT Line badging designed to distinguish it from other Sorento models. In addition, the new GT Line variant features unique gear shift paddles, Dynamax All-Wheel Drive (AWD) for added stability, a passenger seat Work-In system, and a series of satin chrome highlights throughout the interior.

The interior of the GT Line includes improvements in both functionality and design - featuring quilted seats, finished in black leather with contrasting grey stitching and GT Line embroidered emblems.

Backed by Cycle & Carriage’s industry leading standards, the upgraded 2018 Kia Sorento is sold as standard with 10-year engine warranty and 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. The 2018 Kia Sorento will be on sale from 25 November onwards, following a Pre-launch campaign (www.kiabeyond.sg/SorentoPreLaunch) that runs from 18 – 24 November.

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