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Kia releases pair of new Sorento renderings
click the image above for a high resolution gallery of the Kia Sorento teasers.
Last week's teaser image of the 2010 Kia Sorento was just to whet our appetite, and now new images have surfaced that show big changes are in store for Kia's CUV. The biggest deal is that the Sorento will move from a traditional body-on-frame construction to a unit-body design. The new look is more muscular, following some of the same themes as the sharp looking Forte. In the North American market, the new Sorento will reportedly carry a four cylinder or the snarly 3.8-liter Lambda V6. Attendees of the Seoul Motor Show in April will get to feast their eyes on this version of the Sorento, code-named XM. Sales also begin in April, so Kia's West Point, Georgia manufacturing site is doubtless winding up as we speak.
Gallery: Kia Sorento XM Teasers
[Source: The Car Blogger]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
hyundaifans.com 10:02AM (2/25/2009)
Wow. They made it look meaner.
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seanleeforever 1:42PM (2/25/2009)
i am a Hona/Acura fan, yet i will say that Kia's design (at least this one) is above Honda/Acura. this is exactually how RDX should look like.
Steve 10:18AM (2/25/2009)
What happened to Kia??!! They originally made junk, now they're close to being on par with Honda, and well above most of (ex. Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Acura) the Japanese in terms of style. Hats off to this great company, who along with Hyundai, are breaking new ground, and changing the way we look at Korean cars. This is a Very nice looking SUV.
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dartingd 10:23AM (2/25/2009)
Isn't Kia and Hyundai the same company? They may not be, but I'm not sure. Regardless, you're correct. I believe that maybe they went the right route by first and foremost making sure they could deliver a reliable product. Now they're focusing on looks, which are definitely up to par compared to some of today's dull designs. To each his own, though.
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hypermiler 11:10AM (2/25/2009)
Hyundai and Kia are one company at management and R&D level, but separate at production level due to militant labor union. Legally, they are separate corporations, run by same management.
The last thing you would want is to merge to militant unions to create single super-militant labor union that makes UAW look like a bunch of reasonable people...
ASEVENSEE4 10:26AM (2/25/2009)
I love the styling on their New Forte (Spectra). I just think they would be able to gain more market share with younger buyers with sportier driving dynamics. The KIA Soul however is very sporty for a little box. The Optima, Amanti (atrociously boat-like) current Sorrento/Spectra and Tuscon could all use better suspension tuning. I hope they fix this on their upcoming releases.
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anthony 10:39AM (2/25/2009)
Not bad, a stronger more unified shape overall.
I like the "motion blur" they added to the tail lights in the renderings, me thinks they are trying a little to hard to make an CUV look edgy.
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casey 4:23PM (2/25/2009)
it's beautifully designed. i suppose the production version will have a less smooth appearing greenhouse, but check out the bevels under the glass-just like the CTS has near it's fender vent.
Schreyer is doing great stuff at Kia. i like their new corporate grille shape too, sort of an angular barbell shape.
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Ligor 11:08AM (2/25/2009)
if they keep it like this for production,
then they definitely have a very nice design (audish like or maybe ford edge)
and Honda or toyota have nothing in their current arsenal that looks this nice
what the new Venza or the Pilot? they both ugly by comparison
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Tang 11:22AM (2/25/2009)
As great as their new cars might be, I still see design cues from different companies...
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Shipey 11:24AM (2/25/2009)
Note to Hyundai/Kia:
Give your designers a raise. They've earned it.
The cars from both of these companies have improved aesthetically by leaps and bounds in just a few years time. They've gone from bulbous, awkward designs (i'm looking at you, Tiburon and Santa Fe) in the early part of the decade to some really impressive new models on par with anyone.
Good job.
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andrinoe 11:41AM (2/25/2009)
Built as is and they will buy it. One more thing. I think Kia/Hyundai are making leaps and bounds and gaining serious credibility with their designs and engineering. Hats off to them. The one thing that I hear that keeps folks from buying one or going over to a Kia, if they were to, is the name Kia, it's a bit, I don't know how to say it, just Kia. Maybe they can change their auto symbol to an artistic rendering type symbol that doesn't just say Kia, that may help. I think the association of the name association of Kia on the way up the credibilty ladder over the years may of taken some punches and left an image of something other than desirable. Just what I have oberserved from the public.
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Kool, Could be due for NA 11:43AM (2/25/2009)
I can see some people make comments like this car looks Audish and it is a rippof... I think that ripoff is not a word you can use IF the person who designed the new Kia Sorrento (XM) is the PERSON who designed Audi for about 22 years.
The current chief of design at Kia is Peter Schreyer, who joined Audi AG in 1978. He was responsible for the design of the 1st Audi TT, and stayed with Audi until 2002 (24 years) when he moved to VW. The 2004 VW Concept R was of his responsibility as well. He since left and came to Kia with the promise from the chairman of Kia that he will have a white sheet of paper to work with regarding Kia cars. Since then, he designed a successive string of cars including the Kia Ceed, an EU only hatchback. I remember that there was a rumor that he will be staying at Kia for three years or so, but with XM and etc, it seems he is doing pretty well at Kia. If the chairman likes him more so for what Peter has done so far, I guess that he may become the overseeing chief of design for all Hyundai-Kia motors since the Kia's chairman, the son of Hyundai's chairman, is highly likely to succeed his father's position...
Anyways, no ripoff here, gents. It is just the same guy who did a lot of Audi design.
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wolverinejoe80 6:34PM (2/25/2009)
exactly. can't blame the guy who designed Audi, the leader in design. and even if it's a copy, nothing is wrong with borrowing cues from the best. kia is doing a great job.
patrick 12:46PM (2/25/2009)
I am continually surprised by Kia's and parent company Hyundai's offerings. They are not kidding around.
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sfast 2:54PM (2/25/2009)
I liked it better the first time I saw it...when it was called the MDX
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jsjs 3:09PM (2/25/2009)
Oh, please.
The MDX always had some rather awkward lines - a beauty it was not.
jsjs 1:10PM (2/25/2009)
Wow - this is one good-looking crossover (well, as good-looking as crossovers can be).
I have to take back my prior statement that the design was "meh" based on the teaser.
While Hyundai has been ahead of Kia w/ regard to reliablity/quality, Kia, w/ this, the Forte, Soul, Koup, etc. is definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to design and having a cohesive brand-look.
At this juncture, style-wise, I'd say that Kia is ahead of all the mainstream Asian imports (kudos to Schreyer).
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jsjs 1:24PM (2/25/2009)
Btw, the Soul Sport won a comparison test against the Nissan Cube S and the Scion xB conducted by Popular Mechanics.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4306145.html
It's just too bad that the Soul doesn't get the new 6 spd AT that the Sorento is getting until a future date.
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Torrent 1:36PM (2/25/2009)
Kia and Hyundai have to be the 2 most improved Foreign brands within the shortest time. Much respect to them.
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