Three years after the debut of the 4th generation Sorento, Kia has released the first official photos of the new 4th gen Sorento facelift featuring revised exterior & visual enhancements, and some interior tweaks.
The front of the vehicle has seen the most noticeable changes, with new headlamps with a T-shaped DRL configuration over the quad-LED main beam assembly on either side. In addition to the front grille and lower bumper being modified, the character lines on the bonnet seem to be spaced more apart now than they did before the facelift.
The side profile remains essentially unchanged, but with new alloy wheels, while its rear end receives updated tail lamps with new graphics. The rear bumper is also modified below these; the rear fog lamps are now positioned above an area that resembles a skid plate and below it are the reverse lights.
Inside, the overall dashboard layout appears to have been maintained, albeit with minor changes. For example, the air conditioning vents in the middle are no longer vertically oriented; instead, they are now slimmer, horizontal units that free up space for the touchscreen infotainment system, which is still part of a dual-widescreen layout that also includes the driver’s digital instrument panel.
Along with being moved, the air conditioning controls now look to be capacitive touch and have a configuration similar to that of the Kia EV6. The Sorento facelift now features a rotary transmission selector beside two cupholders, just like the EV6.
Regarding the powertrain improvements, Kia has not provided any technical information or indicated whether they would be carried over from the pre-facelift version. The 4th gen Sorento facelift appeared hardly a week after the debut of the all-new 5th gen Hyundai Santa Fe (which shares similar underpinnings, technology, and features) and specified with a 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive. Both vehicles are expected to go on sale as 2024 models near the end of this year.
Related: The Only Kia in Pakistan That’s NOT a Globally Obsolete Model
In Pakistan, the 3rd generation Kia Sorento (which originally debuted at the 2014 Paris Motor Show) was launched in February 2021, exactly a year after the 4th generation Sorento made its debut in February 2020, thus becoming another addition to a never-ending list of obsolete models that were introduced here once done from the rest of the world. Now that the 4th generation Sorento facelift has pushed the locally assembled 3rd generation Sorento, even more older, it remains to be seen whether Kia upgrades the obsolete Sorento, along with the globally retired Picanto and the outdated Sportage in Pakistan.
3rd-gen Kia Sorento debuted at the 2014 Paris Motor Show
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com