Get ready for a slightly revised look for the Kia Sorento starting 2024.
Malaysians may have only just gotten used to the look and feel of the fourth generation Kia Sorento, but already the facelift model is being shown online. This is because our market is a little behind the wave. Back in 2020 when this 4th generation Sorento was first globally revealed, the Kia brand in Malaysia was changing hands from Naza to Bermaz Auto (by way of Dinamikjaya Motors). Upon relaunch, Kia Malaysia focused on making a success of the Carnival before focusing on the more competitive and less lucrative large SUV market with the Sorento. You can read our review of this award winning SUV here.
For those interested in Kia’s next step, the Sorento facelift model is already coming to its final stages or preparation. The South Korean carmaker recently showed three images of the new model. The changes to the Sorento are noticeable in the front, but rather minor on the side profile, rear and cabin.
Starting in front, the large Tiger Nose grille has been reshaped and now is only connected to the daytime running lights up top. The headlamps are now vertically stacked with quad projector headlights on either side. Foglights are still ‘hidden’ in the front bumper grille, but here the shapes have also changed slightly. The glossy black trim piece is gone and instead we get a more angular and rugged off-roader look with a faux skid plate as the front bumper lip. The air inlets on the side of the bumper are also enlarged. Another change comes to the position of the ‘Kia’ logo. It now sits on the hood rather than in the centre of the front grille.
Around back, the changes are less dramatic. The twin vertical taillights have fused at the top, leading to a new, integrated graphic. The ‘Sorento’ badging has shrunk and been moved off to one side. The rear bumper is now reshaped to mirror the more rugged look of the new front bumper. Reverse lights are now tucked all the way at the bottom. Besides new dual tone alloy rims, there don’t appear to be changes to the side profile besides a minor change to the side skirts that now feature a little less black cladding.
Inside, the cabin changes too look minimal. The dashboard is definitely new. Kia has ditched the strange dual air vent design for two larger vents on the side and slim, integrated vents at the centre. The new look necessitates a redesign of the climate controls, which are now slimmer and tucked under the centre vents rather than between them. The digital displays look to be curved units this time around, and the entire housing is ‘floating’ for a more futuristic look. The steering wheel and door cards look to be about the same as before. There are reportedly new interior colours available as well, but our guess is that they’re not coming to Malaysia.
More technical details for the new Sorento facelift will be publicized in August.
Staggered Generations Compared To Hyundai Santa Fe
Just last week, we saw the Hyundai Santa Fe 5th generation model come out with a much boxier design. So, why didn’t the Kia Sorento get such a drastic makeover this time around?
While it’s true that Hyundai and Kia are somewhat related and do share platforms, technologies and parts, the two companies operate independently of each other when creating products. So, while the Sorento and Santa Fe are almost ‘sister’ products, they’ve both on a slightly skewed lifecycle at the moment. That’s largely because 4th generation Santa Fe was initially built on the Y7 platform before the 2021 facelift brought a major mechanical overhaul with the new N3 platform. Hyundai then decided to pivot to a new direction, bringing an all-new generation Santa Fe with a boxy design language for 2024.
The fourth generation Kia Sorento, on the other hand debuted in 2020 on the new N3 platform and now will only get a minor redesign instead of a new platform for the 2024 facelift.
