Kia revealed new specs on the redesigned 2021 Sorento Wednesday, detailing both a new gasoline engine option and a new electrified model. The new SUV will have the option of a 1.6-liter hybrid drivetrain or a 2.5-liter turbo with a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.Â
The 2.5 liter “Smartstream” turbo engine will make an approximate 277 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. This is slightly less than the high powered Hyundai Sonata N-Line’s 290 horsepower, as well as the old V-6. However, the new Sorento gets a substantial torque bump from the 252 lb-ft the current V-6 manages.
The smaller, 1.6-liter turbo engine will mate up to a 44 kW electric motor. That puts the combined output at approximately 230 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 1.5-kWh battery in is housed underneath the floor in the new Sorento, leaving its cargo room unaffected from the gas model.
We won’t see it here in the U.S, but European and Korean models will also see a 2.2-liter diesel engine. That powertrain is also mated to the dual-clutch transmission, but as diesels have fallen out of fashion in North America, buyers here will have to choose between the hybrid and the turbo options.
Kia will also offer the new Sorento with more advanced safety features including a Multi-collision Brake system, which applies the brakes automatically once the airbags have deployed to help prevent further injury from secondary collisions.Â
The Sorento will also be available with Surround View Monitor in some markets. This will allow drivers check their surroundings by connecting a smartphone to the cameras in the SUV.
Stay tuned for more details on the new Sorento coming March 3, when the new Sorento will make its auto show debut. After the Geneva Motor Show, this latest generation should go on sale in North America by the end of this year.
