Kia Touts Extensive Improvements to ’19 Sorento

LOS ANGELES – The ’19 Sorento debuted by Kia Motors America follows the model’s complete redesign in 2016, but includes enhancements inside and out that improve the popular CUV across the board, says Orth Hedrick, vice president-product planning.

“We’ve taken everything great about (the Sorento) and made it even better,” he says during last week’s Los Angeles auto show.

The Sorento’s new front and rear fascias, Hedrick says, offer a more sophisticated appearance, while the cabin integrates newly added technology that better caters to consumers seeking a premium CUV that’s “hugely refined, incredibly rugged, with class-leading roominess...and now with standard 7-passenger, 3-row seating on every trim level.”

Features in the re-worked CUV include driver-attention warning, lane-keep assist and QuantumLogic Surround Sound, along with an available 3.3L V-6 paired with a new 8-speed automatic transmission.

The new Sorento offers the same transmission as Kia’s premium-level Cadenza sedan “while still retaining 5,000-lb. (2,270-kg) towing capacity,” Hedrick says.

The revised Sorento front end includes greater detail to the radiator grille flanked by a new headlamp configuration available with full LED lighting on upper SX and SXL trims.

The CUV’s distinctive ice cube-style foglamps have been recast to feature projection bulbs for EX and SX trims, while the SXL maintains the more distinctive LEDs.

The front and rear fascia of the CUV also show off new bumper designs, along with revised taillamps, liftgate and a sportier muffler tip.

The ’19 Sorento offers new wheel designs as well, ranging from 17 to 19 ins., depending on trim level.

The Sorento’s cabin includes a newly configured tactile steering wheel, a new shifter knob, a revised instrument cluster with improved graphics and alterations to the air vents and center console design.

The utility’s interior includes an upgraded AVN 5.0 navigation system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay offered with higher level trims, while the base-level L trim gets a standard 7-in. (17.5-cm) user interface, also equipped with Android Auto2 and Apple CarPlay3. And there’s now an available wireless charging tray for compatible Android devices, as well as Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone X.

The technology built into the ’19 Sorento is loaded with “unexpected creature comforts” that Hedrick suggests will meet the needs of even “the most fidgety passengers.”

The Sorento offers 74 cu.-ft. (2,094 L) of cargo space.

Kia’s suite of advanced driver-assistance systems now is standard on Sorento EX trims and higher. In addition to driver-attention warning and lane-keeping assist, the Sorento now offer forward-collision warning, smart cruise control, blindspot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert and surround view monitor.

All Sorento models continue to offer standard active-safety features such as electronic stability control, traction control, brake assist, hill-start assist control, electronic brake force distribution and antilock braking.