We spied the refreshed Kia Sorento for the first time in September last year and judging by this new spy video, it appears that the South Korean company has made no serious progress. This new prototype was recently spied with Michigan registration plates featuring a full-body camouflage and even a number of fake body panels. However, there are at least a few design features worth talking about.
For starters, the front fascia shows its vertical headlights more clearly than before. The clusters are still covered under disguise but we can see the orange side markers and what look to be four squared projector lenses. If this setup looks familiar to you, it’s probably because the larger Telluride has a similar headlight design. Apart from the lights, there also seems to be a new grille design and possibly some tweaks to the shape of the bumper.
Strangely, the rear end has even more camouflage including additional concealment attached to the boot lid. The taillights don’t look modified but we can’t take a clear look at the internal graphics which might get some changes. The lower section of the rear fascia is fully camouflaged and we can’t confirm whether there are any visual changes to the bumper.
The current Sorento is available in the United States with a range of four powertrains. These include a base naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine good for 191 horsepower (142 kilowatts) and a turbocharged version of that engine producing 281 hp (210 kW). We expect the two electrified mills to carry over with minimal or no modifications. Currently, the 1.6-liter turbo has 227 hp (169 kW) and 261 hp (195 kW) respectively in hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.
Considering how camouflaged this prototype still is, we don’t expect a full and official debut of the revised Sorento in the next few weeks. However, a summer reveal and a market launch before the year’s end seem highly likely to us.
