Here's When The New Kia Sorento Will Arrive In America

Sep. 19, 2020 2:56 PM ET by Martin Bigg Teaser / 1 Comment

The US-spec Kia Sorento has been teased for the first time in rugged X-Line trim.

The all-new Kia Sorento debuted back in March for the European market, but the version we'll be buying here in the US has so far been kept under wraps. That will finally change next week, because Kia has confirmed the North American 2021 Sorento will debut on September 22 in its off-road-focused X-Line trim. Kia already offers an X-Line version of the Soul, which has a more rugged exterior and improved dampers.

Kia has released two teaser images of the US-spec Sorento. The quality of one of the images showing the profile leaves a lot to be desired, but we can see the X-Line variant will sport black wheels, black roof rails, and a unique green finish for the exterior.

A second teaser image shows a close-up of the X-Line badge on the front fender and plastic cladding. Styling cues from the European Sorento will also carry over.

Compared to its predecessor, the new Sorento is a more stylish-looking crossover that borrows design elements from the Telluride such as an updated tiger nose grille, LED daytime running lights, and a more angular design. Inside, standard tech includes an eight-inch display, but this setup can be upgraded to a larger 10.25-inch infotainment display with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

Under the hood, the new Sorento will likely be offered with Kia's 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine as the base unit, producing 277 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, and mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The engine is also used in products like the Hyundai Sonata N-Line and Genesis GV80, and it should compare nicely to the outgoing 3.3L V6 with its 290 horsepower and 252 lb-ft.

We're also expecting a hybrid powertrain to be offered with a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a 44-kW electric motor producing a combined output of 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, with a six-speed automatic transmission handling shifts. With any luck, we'll find out the trim options, pricing, and availability details of the US-spec 2021 Kia Sorento next week. In Europe, sales of the new Sorento are expected to start later this year.

Here's When The New Kia Sorento Will Arrive In America

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Here's When The New Kia Sorento Will Arrive In America

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