Kia Sorento Evolution Story | Keffer Kia Mooresville NC

Now available in most markets, the 3rd generation Sorento has been well received by customers and auto communities worldwide and has already won several major awards including the Red Dot design award, iF design award and the highest five-star crash safety rating by Euro NCAP. Originally developed as Kia’s firstcrossover SUV model, the first generation Sorento exploded onto the automotive scene in 2002. Before we walk down memory lane and see how it has evolved into an ideal SUV for today’s motorists, let’s take a look at the Sorento of yesterday and today.

 

1st generation Sorento: The birth of a new urban SUV  

In 2002, the first generation Sorento was developed as the bigger brother to the Sportage, a successful pioneer of the compact SUV market. Kia carefully researched the crossover SUV market and decided to make its body larger while ensuring a high level of comfort and offering a rear-wheel drive drivetrain. Suitable for city life, it was also equipped with advanced convenience features. Sorento received many favorable reviews, as it delivered a smooth sedan-like driving experience while offering the powerful performance of an SUV.

Two powertrain options, a 2.5 WGT diesel engine and 3.5 V6 gasoline engine were offered with a four-wheel drive option. Thanks to its low noise and vibration, many drivers opted for the diesel engine model.

2nd generation Sorento: Tougher yet more handsome

The second generation Sorento was introduced at the Seoul Motor Show in 2009. The new model had a monocoque body and front-wheel drive system, making the body lighter and the interior more spacious compared to the previous generation. The R2.2 diesel engine with a rated maximum power output of 200 horsepower and maximum torque of 44.5 kgf∙m gave the Sorento compelling performance.

 

Noticeably, it was the first Sorento model to be designed under the guidance of world-renowned Peter Schreyer, Kia’s president and chief design officer. With its improved performance and sleek design, the second generation Sorento was a massive hit, especially in the U.S. market where it achieved annual sales of over 100,000 units, dominating the mid-sized crossover CUV market. A facelift model was also launched in 2012.

The all-new Sorento: The return of the king, the future of CUVs 

The much anticipated debut of the third generation Sorento came in 2014. It manifests the design identity of Kia Motors, especially with a tiger-nose shaped front grille and bold character lines. The latest Sorento is also equipped with advanced technological features including an active hood for improved protection, a smart tailgate that opens automatically when the driver approaches the car, and an Around-View Monitoring (AVM) system which gives a 360 degree view.

 

The use of ultra high-strength steel was increased to 53 percent and the use of specialty adhesion technology made for a significantly stronger and safer vehicle body. Depending on market, Kia offers numerous engine choices for the all-new model, including a 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection (GDI) unit and 2.0 and 2.2-liter diesel common rail direct injection (CRDI) units.

So that is how Kia Sorento evolved and surprised each time it transformed.

Best Safety Rating For 2016 Kia Sorento At EuroNCAP Crash Tests | Keffer Kia Mooresville NC

Great news for the all-new 2016 Kia Sorento, as it has been awarded a 5-star crash safety rating by EuroNCAP. 

Kia’s brand-new crossover vehicle performed well in all areas, scoring 90% in Adult Occupant Protection, 83% in Child Occupant Protection, 67% in Pedestrian Protection, and 71% in Safety Assist. A big reason for the high scores can be attributed to a stronger body shell and great safety features that the vehicle adopted after a complete makeover. One element that was highly praised was the stability of the passenger compartment in the event of a collision. It was found that all passengers, regardless of size, were well protected wherever they were positioned in the vehicle. All passengers, from front row to third, were also protected from whiplash, while pedestrians were aided during impact by the active deployable bonnet.

Crash Test Video 

  

 2016 Sorento Safety Features

The Sorento comes with a significantly stronger structure, with much of the credit going to the extensive use of ultra-high strength steel (UHTS).

The outgoing model consisted of 24.4% UHTS, while this new 2016 model is comprised of 52.7%, which helps improve the integrity of the core structure during a collision. It also helps improve torsional rigidity by 14%.

The new Kia Sorento also has more ultra-strong hot-stamped steel than before, going from 4.1% to 10.1%, which is a move that adds more strength to the A- and B-pillars.

The Safety Assist category was another area where the new Sorento scored well.

The new model comes standard with a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system, allowing the vehicle to remain stable when the driver is braking and cornering, especially in poor surfaces.

This is done by controlling both the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and electric motor-driven power steering.

The moment a loss of traction is recognized, both systems kick in, allowing the driver to maintain control.

See more at: http://www.kia-world.net/safety-rating-2016-sorento-crash-test/#sthash.bzaHNmbE.dpuf

All-new Kia Sorento receives Life Cycle Assessment certificate | Keffer Kia Mooresville NC

It’s been described as sleek, bold and luxurious, and now you can add ‘green’ to the list. The all-new Kia Sorento has recently been recognized as the 12th Kia vehicle to receive the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) certificate from TÜV Nord, the renowned international technical inspection organization. The LCA certificate is awarded exclusively to vehicles that have satisfied the demanding ISO 14040 standards, which consider the environmental impact of the vehicle throughout its whole lifespan, from the production process all the way to its decomposition. Kia cee’d and Optima are just two of our previous recipients.

The all-new Sorento’s Photochemical Oxidants Creation Potential (POCP) has been improved by 13% over its predecessor, which means that it produces less smog during the vehicle’s manufacturing process and over the vehicle’s lifetime. This improvement reflects Kia’s efforts aimed at minimizing its carbon footprint at every stage along the way. Despite its larger size, the all-new Sorento also has improved fuel economy andreduced amounts of harmful emissions.

Along with its 5-star safety rating and user-friendly features, the all-new Sorento will appeal to global motorists and their families who enjoy an active lifestyle while caring for the environment. Kia will continue to make strides in our green efforts, using international standards on corporate energy conservation as the guiding standards for our global production facilities.

The all-new third-generation Kia Sorento has clearly been making waves in the automotive world after it was unveiled at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. The third-generation Kia Sorento is much more than just an upgraded SUV; it’s more of a luxury SUV. The latest Sorento was designed as a collaborative effort among Kia’s design teams in Korea, the United States and Europe. The end product? An SUV you just can’t take your eyes off of.

Taking design cues from architectural structures, the all-new Sorento is both luxurious and sophisticated, the two design concepts that were the focus for both the exterior and interior.

The initial exterior sketches below give us a peek into the process of conceptualizing the new Sorento model.

We asked the design team experts, Kia designers Kurt Kahl and Ralph Kluge, to get a better idea of the design story behind the 2015 Kia Sorento. These two designers were responsible for the all-new Kia Sorento from start to finish—from the initial design sketches to the final product.

What was the main foundation and background for the design of the all-new Sorento? What did the design team particularly focus on when coming up with the new design concept?

 

Designer Kurt Kahl: When designing the exterior of the all-new Sorento, our main focus was to retain the strengths of the predecessor while giving it a greater sense of premium quality and sophistication. The shoulder is very powerful and blends into a sculptural side body. We created a strong ‘down the road’ presence for the Sorento’s front end, with sharply angled headlamps intersecting a dimensional chrome-framed grille. The rear retains hints of the previous Sorento with rectangular tail lamps and a forward swept backlighting that still reflects a spacious interior. The interior design was based more upon ‘sophistication.’

Designer Ralph Kluge: For the all-new Sorento’s interior, our concept keywords were “muscle and brains.” We reached out to create a strong and confident surface language with increased levels of sophistication and richer details, while simultaneously avoiding the “rugged SUV” clichés. We wanted a refined and sophisticated design language: muscular shapes fused together with refined details. The word “premium” should immediately come to mind when you get inside the all-new Sorento.

Can you explain the architectural inspiration behind the design?

Kluge: We paid careful attention to the ergonomics and layout of all individual elements to form a logical basis for the physical volumes, just as you would with architectural structures. A good example of this is the clearly structured instrument panel: screens and vents are positioned high up for the best ergonomics and visibility, while interface buttons are kept simple and placed lower down in the perfect reach zone for all passengers.

What is particularly different about the third-generation Sorento compared to the design of the previous generations?

Kahl: The third-generation Sorento is longer and sleeker, with a sculptural quality that lends a humanistic feeling to the shape compared to the previous Sorento models. Meticulous attention was paid to the lines finessing the surfaces. As a reaction to some current day products appearing too synthetic or digital, Sorento highlights the renewed appreciation for hand-crafted products where the ‘imprint’ of the artist or craftsman is apparent.

How would you describe the typical ‘third-generation Sorento driver?’

Kahl: I think the Sorento driver can be anyone looking for an upscale and refined SUV.  The Sorento is a sweet deal in terms of size and pricing. It offers spacious utility but is still easily maneuverable, and is luxurious but not overly expensive. I would like to see customers look at the all-new Sorento as a very competitive alternative to other luxury mid-size SUVs offered by the European and Japanese manufacturers.

What are the current trends for the SUV market worldwide?

Kluge: We see the “classic” SUV becoming more and more of an on-road vehicle. People really enjoy the higher seating, combined with the “go-anywhere” attitude. Moving forward, the biggest challenge is to improve fuel efficiency and ride quality, and I think Kia delivered in these departments with the all-new Sorento.

How do you see the design trends for vehicles in general evolving?

Kahl: There seems to be a general trend for all vehicle models to blur the lines of their segments. Just as an SUV in most cases has become a more car-based CUV, other segments are beginning to blend together to make new vehicle spaces that offer unexpected features and unique profiles.

This behind-the-scenes design story is not just about the Kia Sorento, but rather shows how Kia’s design direction has been shaped over the years.

Check out the video below of the Sorento on a drive through Paris and see for yourself the cool design evolution of the popular Kia Sorento, complete with a review of its newest features!