Kia has had some success with the outgoing model and now the new Kia Sorento  goes on sale in Ireland this week .

The new SUV’s smoother, swept-back profile and deeply sculpted surfaces introduce a more refined design to the third-generation model, delivering a premium look and feel, with more space and numerous innovative features.Although the styling changes are evolutionary, they subtly alter the character of the new Sorento, making the new model bolder and with a substantial on-the-road presence.

The new Sorento has a bigger footprint, increased in length by 95 mm to 4,780 mm, reduced height, down 15 mm to 1,685 mm and marginally wider by 5 mm to 1,890 mm. All this means that the interior offers the occupants more space  and although the roofline is 15 mm lower, repositioned seat cushions ensure increased headroom for occupants in all three rows, who will also enjoy greater legroom. Cargo space also increases, with a longer cargo bay floor (up by 87 mm), and capacity with the third row seats folded flat up 17.5 percent, from 515 to 605 litres.

Kia Motors Ireland is offering 2 AWD variants of the new car - the EX at €38,995 and the expected volume model the Platinum at €43,995. The entry level model is a 5 seater with a generous level of spec that includes 17” alloys, rear privacy glass ,super vision instrument cluster and 7” Sat Nav with reversing camera .

The Platinum, as the names suggests is a seven seater with a luxury spec that included the above plus panoramic sunroof, Xenon lights, leather and heated (front and 2nd row rear) seats, heated steering wheel and eight- way power adjustable driver’s seat .

The Platinum automatic (€49,500) adds 18” wheels and an electronic parking brake

Power continues to come from the Kia 2.2 197 hp Euro V1 diesel unit which sees a drop in C02 from 155 to 149 for the MT still remaining in Band C ( €390 ) for road tax purposes .

“Sorento is one of the most recognizable model names associates with the brand since Kia Motors Ireland entered this market just over 10 years ago “commented James Brooks Managing Director.

” In this time Sorento has evolved from a traditional 4 x 4 to a more refined urban SUV. The new Sorento reflects everything the Kia brand now stands for in terms of styling ,engineering ,technology and quality and it clearly shows that we able to compete in one of the most demanding car segments where consumers demand this level exterior styling and a  premium refined and quality interior. We are confident that Irish customers in the market for a D segment SUV will take to the Sorento in the same way that C segment CUV customers have taken to Sportage and that this model will add both sales and brand enhancement for the Kia brand in Ireland “

Inside the all-new Sorento is where some of the most significant improvements are to be found. The styling of the cabin follows a ‘modern and wide’ theme, providing the interior with a stable, horizontal layout and appearance. This width is echoed in the wider instrument cluster, interior garnish and the wrap-around shape of the dashboard which extends into the door trims. A higher proportion of soft-touch materials and leather creates a modern luxury feel to the cabin and gives the new Sorento a genuine premium vehicle ambience.