Kia Sorento wins yet another award, this time for its design

Kia has only recently revealed the new fourth-generation Kia Sorento, and the car been winning several awards. The new model, which was launched in March and will go on sale in Europe later this year, has won yet another award.

The contest, held by Auto Bild Allrad, one of Europe's four-wheel drive magazine, saw Kia’s flagship receive the award in the ‘Design’ category.

“With the fourth generation of the Sorento we are entering a new chapter in the history of our successful SUV flagship, which is why this award fills us with particular pride", says Steffen Cost, Managing Director (COO) of Kia Motors Deutschland. “Its dynamic and elegant design offers the attractive 'packaging' of a thoroughly modern SUV with a pioneering engine range, a powerful all-wheel drive system, the latest driver assistance and information technologies, luxurious comfort and ample space. The Sorento has won many fans in Germany since its launch in 2002, and we are convinced its fan base will grow significantly with the new generation."

The fourth-generation Kia Sorento is built on a new platform with a compact engine compartment, short overhangs and a 35 mm longer wheelbase. The suspension is now revised and a number of components have been replaced for sharper controllability, and at the same time improved ride smoothness.

(Also see pics: 2020 Kia Sorento gets more space, technology, safety and electrified powertrains)

The hybrid Kia Sorento is powered by a 'turbo-four' 1.6 T-GDi, 1.49 kilowatt-hour batteries, an 44.2 kilowatt electric motor and a six-band automatic machine that produces 230 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. It will be available from the moment the model is launched on the market, and its plug-in sibling will appear before the end of the year.

The range also includes a diesel all-terrain vehicle, with a 2.2 Smartstream engine producing 202 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque, and a new eight-speed 'robot' with a couple of 'wet' clutches. This unit, according to the company, is 38.2 kilograms lighter than the one on the third-generation Sorento.

It offers comfortable seating for up to seven people and one of the largest luggage compartments in its segment (up to 910 litres, depending on the model and engine). Comfort features include Nappa leather upholstery and a BOSE® surround sound system. The cockpit features a fully digital instrument cluster, a head-up display and a 10.25-inch navigation system including UVO Connect online services.

The Sorento’s wide range of innovative driver assistance systems includes Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control and Highway Driving Assist. A new Remote Smart Parking Assist feature allows the SUV to be remotely controlled with a key fob and driven out of a parking space automatically. An important feature for off-road trips is the SUV’s new ‘Terrain Mode’ system, which helps it achieve better traction on mud, sand and snow.