European debut scheduled for Paris

Following a preview earlier this month, Kia has introduced the 2015 Sorento in South Korea.

Oddly billed as the "man on the road," the Sorento has an upscale exterior with a "tiger-nose" grille that features a three-dimensional diamond pattern. The crossover also has sweptback headlights, a gently sloping roofline and a higher beltline. Other notable highlights include plastic body cladding, chrome trim and a tailgate-mounted spoiler.

The interior isn't as impressive but it features a three-spoke steering wheel, chrome trim and wood grain accents. Options apparently include heated / cooled seats, a JBL audio system and an infotainment system with GPS navigation. The model can also be equipped with a panorama sunroof that uses carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

In South Korea, the Sorento will be offered with two different diesel engines. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder produces 186 PS (136 kW) and 402 Nm (296 lb-ft) of torque, while the 2.2-liter unit churns out 202 PS (148 kW) and 441 Nm (325 lb-ft) of torque.

Kia’s designs have been getting better and better, and with the latest generation Sorento, they’re almost managing to fool us into thinking they’ve created a German SUV. It features clean, unflustered lines of an undeniably Teutonic origin that it promises to back up with improved, well, everything…

The manufacturer says the third generation Sorento, which debuted in the metal today in Korea, is 80 mm longer and 15 mm lower than its predecessor, while also featuring an increased cargo bay which can be further extended by the fold-flat second-row seats - a third row option is available.

Another promise Kia is making with this Sorento is a reduction in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) by 29 percent, coupled to a general boost in overall refinement. Inside, the cabin is very minimalistic in its design, again heavily influenced by German(-ish) designs – you can actually tell it was all designed by Kia’s Frankfurt-based studio; the theme chosen to underpin it is “modern and wide,” which it is.

They say the center console is “Swiss watch-inspired.”

Several petrol and diesel engines will be offered with outputs ranging from 170 – 266 hp. The two diesels that will available, displacing 2.0- and 2.2-liter respectively; only the larger unit will be made available in Europe, though, along with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine – Americans will definitely get the 3.3-liter V6, and probably the 2.4-liter as a base motor.

Chassis-wise, the Sorento features fully-independent suspension at all four corners, which in conjunction with the new electric power steering should provide a safe and secure experience behind the wheel – they even mention steering feel in the press blurb, but we've learned to be wary of such claims.

Safety-wise, the list of active tech goes like this: “ ASCC (Adaptive Smart Cruise Control); LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System), which emits an audible alert when the driver strays from the chosen lane without using indicators; FCW (Front Collision Warning); BSD (Blind-Spot Detection); LCA (Lane Change Assist); RCTA (Rear Cross-Traffic Alert), which warns against other cars driving behind the Sorento in car parks; and SLIF (Speed Limit Information Function), which displays the speed limit in the driver’s instrument cluster based on cameras detecting roadside signs.”

Not all will be available on all cars; this is market-dependent.

The new Sorento debuts on October 2, at the Paris motor show.

The third-gen Kia Sorento has been out for nearly two months now. However, it was only when our reader Ryzer pointed it out and YipYap complimented it with an actual photo, that we realized the striking similarity between its rear lights and those of new-ish VWs.

We had gone for the usual Audi-inspiration route, as is the case with most of Korean (now only by name) manufacturer's new models.

The Kia has three separate clusters, but don’t they just look identical in shape (and the way they light up) to those of the Passat (US model or otherwise) which has two clusters, for instance? The Taigun concept is another example – it features a single cluster, but it the resemblance is still obvious. Other VWs with similar lights are the Touareg and Tiguan, though, to be fair, most of their new models feature variations of the same design.

We’re not trying to burst Kia’s imposing German bubble here, since they have succeeded in creating a very sharp looking SUV, but it’s not really all that original. It’s clearly been inspired by Audis, and I’d go so far as to say it’s a kind-of shrunken Q7 (with the aforementioned VW rear lights finishing off the look).

Following its world debut in Paris in September, the all-new Kia Sorento has its US premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Compared to the Euro-spec model, the 2016 Kia Sorento looks exactly the same, except minor details such as the orange turning signals and questionable chrome rims and accents - at least on the display model.

Built in the United States for the local market, the third-generation Sorento crossover is offered with a standard 185hp 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated inline-4 gasoline engine. Also available are a new 240hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine as well a 290hp 3.3-liter V6 unit. All three engines are mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox featuring Sportmatic shifting.

The 2016 Kia Sorento will arrive in U.S. dealerships in first quarter 2015 and will be available in five trim levels: L, LX, EX, SX and SXL. Depending on trim level, the new CUV comes with standard 40/20/40 second-row folding five-passenger (4-cylinder models) or 50/50 folding third-row seven-passenger (V6 models) seating configurations.

For a more luxurious ambience, Kia offers optional heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, 14-way power driver and 8-way power passenger seats, driver’s seat thigh extension, a 4-way headrest with one-button adjustment, dual-zone HVAC and Kia’s second-generation panoramic sunroof, as well as available premium Nappa leather trim seating surfaces.

Pricing and specs will be announced closer to launch.