The all-new redesigned and reimagined 2021 Kia Sorento sends a clear message to the highly competitive SUV market: The bar just got raised. Considerably.
Kia designers and engineers made sure this fourth generation Sorento checks off a lot of boxes that consumers hold dear: Rugged capability, bold and confident styling and more standard state-of-the-art safety features and technology. A wide range of powertrain offerings. Great fuel economy. Not to mention fun to drive.
“The 2021 Sorento will appeal to so many different audiences – city-dwelling professionals, families, first-time SUV buyers, boomers – the list goes on,” says Russell Wager, Kia’s head of marketing operations. “Sorento just fits into everyday life. It is big enough to be capable, but not cumbersome, yet it still retains its fun-to-drive proposition while offering all the safety, tech and comfort features consumers look for in an SUV.”
One of Kia’s best-selling models, the Sorento now stands poised to attract a whole new audience of SUV shoppers. Since the arrival of Telluride, Kia has completely reimagined its SUV lineup. Telluride is the only SUV to ever win World Car of the Year, North American Utility of the Year, Motor Trend SUV of the Year, Car and Driver 10 Best and Automobile All-Stars in the same awards cycle. Next came the 2021 Seltos, packing similar capability to Telluride but at a far lower price point, it set sales records for three consecutive months. And now comes Sorento. “With its chiseled good looks, more capability, more powertrains and more torque than Telluride, it’s poised to complete Kia’s outstanding SUV lineup in fine fashion,” says Bill Peffer, vice president of sales operations.
The primary goal in redesigning the Sorento, most recently updated in 2016, was to provide consumers with an attractive, comfortable and much more capable SUV that was fun and easy to drive; big enough for all their friends and gear; and offered a wide variety of powertrains that would appeal to drivers in all stages of life, Peffer says. “Following on the heels of Telluride, Sorento is now the second in our lineup to be completely designed, developed and assembled in the U.S. and we are very proud of this accomplishment.”
Penned at Kia’s California design studio, Sorento delivers in the looks department with sharp, modern lines and bold fascia that give it a muscular and athletic profile – think of it as ruggedly elegant, suitable for both T-shirts and tuxedos. But it’s not a triumph of style over substance; the new Sorento can hold more cargo than its predecessor and offers best-in-class overall passenger volume. Moreover, optional second-row captain’s chairs give consumers the option of 4+2 or 5+2 seating configurations that best suit their lifestyles.