Kia Sorento, it’s time for a makeover. Road test of the diesel version

It was 2020 and Kia presented a new generation of Kia SorentoA seven-seater SUV, built as a global car and a car dedicated by the Koreans as a brand that no longer has anything to fear from its high-end competitors in the Western world.

A few years later, in full accordance with the mid-career selection, here comes the fix.

Kia Sorento 2024 numbers

Images of the new model had already started circulating, in an official capacity, in July 2023, showing the car with an updated front end starting from the headlights. In fact, headlights are now becoming thinner and thinner thanks to the great design opportunities offered by LED technology. The difference is small on the back side, where the light unit remains vertically logical although it can change its structure due to the play of light. But it is clear that the main lines, with the exception of those parts that can be easily replaced, are dictated by sheet metal that cannot be changed without the most expensive work that repairs usually do not, and that is why the number does not vary. fully superimposable.

The cockpit has been updated with the latest innovations, but it does not completely overturn the idea: 2 screens are available, these are 12.3″ displays side by side, and in the middle remain quick action commands and a row of special buttons and a central tunnel with additional buttons and Selectors that end with a large armrest, must for comfort in a car of this category. Vehicle activation through fingerprints registered and associated each with a different profile.

Among other numbers there are those of the engine, first of all The 2.2-litre diesel that remains in the range and offers front- and all-wheel drive, all managed by an 8-speed dual clutch gearbox.

There’s no shortage of hybrids, either The Complete Hybridit is Plug in: the first has a 1.6 T-GDI petrol that works with a small 1.49 kWh battery and a six-speed gearbox (also available 2WD or 4WD). The Sorento 2024 Plug-In Hybrid, however, combines the aforementioned gasoline with a 13.8 kWh battery and a more powerful electric motor, and is offered as standard with four-wheel drive.

At the end the number of ADAS is increasingstarting with the update of the system that combines external cameras for 360° viewing and continuing with the autonomous driving system on the road (now it has helped to change lanes) and other functions such as driver assistance junctions and possible turns. emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind spot and rear traffic monitoring and parking assist.

How is it going? Road test

The world of SUVs has now made significant progress compared to even ten years ago, and it is difficult to find products that are clearly “wrong” in terms of driving dynamics. Kia Sorento, however, is not a featherweight and has important dimensions (Height 4.81 meters), and this makes it possible to rotate, even to be emphasized if we force it in an unusual way.

On the trot, or on road trips, the Sorento nevertheless feels comfortable, with good sound insulation and excellent visibility thanks to the large glass surfaces. Then it’s surprising when I find myself facing the narrow streets of a certain Tuscan neighborhood, where the navigation is direct to allow me to move around effortlessly, as well as being manageable and agile enough. Where the glass surfaces do not reach, sensors intervene that practically embrace the entire car at 360 degrees, helping with blind spots. Finally, there is a camera system that seemed to be useful for some parts of the road: the quality of the front and rear cameras is excellent, as is the resolution, and on certain slopes or slopes (where the orientation and the nose did not allow us to see ahead) it allowed us to see what was are waiting for us when climbing the hill.

Finally the engine: the protagonist unit of this first road test was 2.2 liter diesel, which does not have a large transfer, but it has a good size for the type of car thanks to the generous torque, 450 Nm Apart from a little uncertainty in the gearbox when switching from second to first, let’s say a small lag that appears. only in slow traffic conditions, the combination of the transmission (which is an 8-speed clutch) and the engine provides excellent performance. Performance should be evaluated during a long road test unaffected by the off-road route which, for all vehicles, increases the average number at speed.

Price and fittings

Available in 3 trim levels, Business, Style and Evolution, the Kia Sorento 2024 starts at €47,350. The business is not a typical “open” version of the company, it already has a variety of equipment included as standard from ADAS, even the most advanced ones such as cruise control and lane assistance on the road, climate control of the lane two sides, sensors. front and rear parking, keyless, alloy wheels (size varies by engine), Full LED headlights, underbody protection, heated and adjustable power windows, seven seats certified, 4.2″ instrument LDC, 12.3-inch navigator (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), multiple USB sockets, 7 years of traffic updates, rear camera, electronic rearview mirror and light and rain sensors.

Premium versions add larger digital instruments (12.3”), digital key for smartphone, head-up display, 360° cameras and more.

The Sorento is also available in a Full Hybrid version from €49,350 and in a Plug-In Hybrid version from €56,350, a figure that makes it within the range (only Business PHEV) html” data-ga4-click-event- target=”internal”> within government incentives (Ecobonus).