Kia’s mid-cycle facelift for the Sorento seven-seat SUV has been leaked online, and while the design is yet to be confirmed, it comes from a very trustworthy source.
The leak comes courtesy of Autospy, who gave us a look at the Ioniq 5 N ahead of its official Goodwood reveal, and also a very accurate timeline of Hyundai’s production plans back in 2020 that detailed a hybrid Santa Fe, Kona N and i30 Sedan.
That means we can confidently say that what you’re looking at will indeed materialise into the facelifted Sorento.
At the rear, minimal changes have been made, with a seemingly identical set of tail lights as the current Sorento, with most of the changes have been reserved for the front fascia.
The leaked designs show that while the shape of the front grille hasn’t changed dramatically, the accompanying headlights have been inspired by Kia’s flagship SUV, the EV9.
Atop the tweaked headlight design is a new set of machine-finished alloys with a two-tone finish, which will more than likely be reserved for GT-Line range-toppers.
The final image shows a familiar but refreshed cabin design that seamlessly pairs the digital instrument cluster and infotainment display together, in much the same way as the EV9’s cockpit.
Kia looks to be sticking with the angular air vent design with a large flat area atop the passenger dashboard, while the touch-sensitive climate and media inputs look to have been carried over from the Sportage, Niro and the EV6.
From what we can see in the leaked photos, there aren’t too many other changes on offer inside the Sorento, though it’s expected that Kia will add over-the-air software functionality, and potentially wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity.
In terms of engines, it’s yet to be confirmed whether Kia will carry over the current trio, which includes a petrol V6, turbo-diesel and a plug-in hybrid flagship, the latter of which has been so popular Kia placed a pause on orders.
All is set to be revealed when the updated Kia Sorento makes its official debut closer to its Australian arrival in the fourth quarter of 2023.
