New SUV Dumps Body-on-Frame Construction for Unibody
Canadian Auto Press

The Sorento has long been an extremely popular model for Kia, one of the first real game changers that showed consumers the kind of high quality the Korean brand is capable of producing.

2010 Kia Sorento

Now seven years running without a significant upgrade, the first official photos of the next generation Sorento should be welcome by fans of the midsize SUV, but will the changes actually be welcomed or dashed by its loyal following, or, as Kia no doubt hopes, open the truck up to a much larger audience overall?

Instead of delivering us more of the same, satisfied to not mess with the recipe for success, Kia has opted to completely change the Sorento’s core ingredients from the ground up. New is a unibody design, the body-on-frame configuration out the door and with it, potentially, some off-roading prowess.

Also new is a fuel-efficient four-cylinder model, the engine being a version of the Hyundai-Kia 2.4-litre, good for 172 horsepower, whereas the upgraded 3.5-litre V6 will put out a maximum of 273 horsepower.

Overall the new Sorento is larger than the outgoing model, having grown about 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length and 7 and a half centimeters (3 inches) in width, a combination that has allowed for a third row seat, expanding the SUV’s reach into the large family market.

Now built in the US, the first vehicle to be produced at Kia’s new West Point, GA assembly plant starting November, the new Sorento should make its North American debut in Los Angeles later this year or at the very latest Detroit in early January, as it’s due to go on sale sometime in January of next year.