Kia has continued to impress us with its exciting new design direction lately. The three-row Telluride SUV stands out from the crowd with its striking looks, while the recently unveiled Seltos is one of the most stylish compact SUVs we've seen in a while. Kia is also wasting no time redesigning the mid-size Sorento SUV to keep it looking fresh in the highly competitive crossover market. And based on these new spy shots, the Korean automaker is onto another winner.

Compared to our last sighting of the next-generation Sorento, this prototype seen cruising the roads outside the Nurburgring has shed most of its heavy camouflage, although there's still plenty of camouflage applied to prevent us from getting a good look at the details.

That said, it's clear that the new Sorento will look more stylish than its predecessor. The proportions look like the current model, but the front end has been revamped with thinner headlights that marge into a wider grille. We also get a better look at the new Sorento's rear end, but development is clearly still at an early stage because the taillights are missing.

Our spies were unable to obtain any photos of the interior, but we're expecting the next-generation Sorento to have a more premium cabin with a larger touchscreen and plenty of driver assists. Whether or not Kia will continue to offer the Sorento with a three-row option remains to be seen, however.

As for engine options, Kia is expected to scrap the current Sorento's 184-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 290-hp 2.3-liter V6. Instead, the new Sorento is expected to use a more powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder unit with an optional turbocharged variant. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants are also expected to join the lineup for the first time. Chances are the new Sorento will break cover next year before going on sale as a 2021 model.