Kia has announced that it will be expanding its lineup in India to 10 cars by 2030. At its CEO Investor Day event, the Korean car maker said that India is a key emerging market for the brand and its strategy for the country includes expanding the line-up to 10 models, offering eight electrified vehicles. Kia further announced the arrival of three specific products – the Kia Syros EV, the Kia Carnival HEV variant, and the Kia Sorento Hybrid.
Now, the Kia Sorento sold globally is a premium SUV offering from Kia. However, it is being reported that the brand is developing a three-row SUV codenamed MQ4i, which will be powered by a 1.5 litre hybrid engine. This SUV is said to share the same underpinnings from the Kia Sorento, but if it will have the name Sorento is still up for interpretation. In India, reports suggest that the Kia Sorento will be placed above the Kia Seltos to offer a three-row option to compete with the Mahindra XUV 7XO.
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Kia Sorento: Expected Price and Dimensions
The Kia Sorento is expected to be priced above the ₹20-lakh price bracket. According to reports, Kia could be looking at a starting price under the ₹30 lakh range, but it looks unlikely since the Kia Sorento globally competes with the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq, Hyundai Santa Fe, and the likes in other markets.
Since it is not absolutely sure if the 1.5L hybrid-powered MQ4i car will be a toned-down variant of the Sorento, let us take a look at what the global variant of the Kia SUV offers, since the cars will mostly remain similar, apart from their powertrains and potentially the size. The Kia Sorento is a large SUV, measuring 4,810 mm in length with a 2,815 mm wheelbase. The Sorento is also quite wide with a 1,900 mm width and comes with 19-inch alloy wheels.
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Kia Sorento: Expected Engine and Transmission
Coming to the engine and transmission options, the Kia Sorento comes with two options – a 2.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that creates 191 bhp of power and 245 Nm of torque. This variant is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends the power to the front wheels only (FWD). There is also a 2.5 litre turbocharged petrol option which produces 281 bhp of power and 422 Nm of torque, also paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and this engine option also comes with AWD with torque-vectoring.
There is also a third, global variant, which comes with a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine along with an electric motor that produces about 230 bhp of power paired with 6-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. For the India-spec Sorento, Kia is widely expected to offer a 1.5-litre or 1.6-litre petrol hybrid powertrain, potentially producing around 150–230 hp.
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Kia Sorento: Expected Features and Comfort
The Kia Sorento’s interior, based on global spec, features dual 12.3-inch curved screens for infotainment and instrument cluster, premium materials like fabric and leather throughout, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and power-folding second and third-row seats. It also comes with a rotary gear selector, which adds a clean, modern look to the centre console.
The Kia Sorento is also equipped with Level 2 ADAS which includes a Highway Driving Assist, blind spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic warning, safe exit warning, and a surround view monitor, which is called a 360-degree camera in layman terms.
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