KIA’s all-new Sorento has been revealed after the disappointment of its planned public launch at this year’s Geneva Motor Show being halted by the spread of the coronavirus.

The fourth generation of Kia’s flagship SUV raises standards in the midsize SUV class for space, efficiency and quality, and sits at the heart of Kia’s reinvigorated global SUV line-up, which also includes the Stonic, Seltos, Sportage and Telluride.

The Sorento is the first vehicle to be based on Kia’s new-generation midsize SUV platform.

Furthermore, the Sorento’s innovative interior packaging means it can offer all this while accommodating Kia’s new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrains – the first time that hybrid power has featured in the Sorento line-up. As a result, the new model offers greater fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and higher performance than its predecessors.

One of the highest quality interior spaces found in any Kia to-date, the intuitive, tech-oriented cabin of the Sorento is fitted with premium-quality materials and cutting-edge infotainment. At the same time, it retains the spaciousness and versatility that has characterised the Sorento over its 18-year existence.

Kia’s newest SUV will be available with hybrid power – a first for a Sorento – and buyers will eventually be able to choose from hybrid or plug-in hybrid variants. The Sorento Hybrid is powered by a new ‘Smartstream’ electrified powertrain, pairing a 1.6-litre T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) with a 1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack and 44.2kW electric motor. The intelligent packaging of the Sorento’s new platform means the battery pack can be located under the floor, with minimal impact on cabin or luggage space.

Producing 230ps and 350Nm torque, this electrified powertrain combines low CO2 emissions with high levels of performance. The new 1.6-litre T-GDi engine features Kia’s new Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology, regulating valve opening time according to driving conditions, instead of operating on a fixed opening time. This boosts performance at low-to-mid engine and enhances fuel efficiency.

The Sorento’s new four-cylinder 2.2-litre ‘Smartstream’ diesel engine is also available for European customers, producing 202ps and paired with Kia’s new eight-speed wet dual-clutch transmission (8DCT) and a new ‘Terrain Mode’ enhances the 2020 Sorento’s all-wheel drive capability.

A mainstay of Kia’s global line-up, more than three million Sorento models have been sold worldwide since it was launched in 2002. In that time, Europe has accounted for around 300,000 of these.