Updated Kia Sorento Hybrid goes on sale in Singapore

Kia has given its Sorento Hybrid a mid-life facelift, and the updated version of Kia's large family SUV has now gone on sale here in Singapore.

What's changed on the Sorento Hybrid?

Most of the changes on the facelifted Sorento are relatively minor in nature. The most visible difference is up front, where the car gets a new headlight and bumper design, as well as a larger grille, mimicking the looks of the Carnival MPV which was recently updated as well.

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At the back, the Sorento now gets redesigned taillights that are slightly slimmer, but that's about it as far as cosmetic changes go.

Inside, the car gets a more substantial change, with the dashboard now dominated by the large double screen setup that's connected to look like one large display, a trend that's in vogue with many new cars these days. It puts the Sorento's design language in line with the rest of the Kia models that have emerged in the past couple of years, such as the EV6 and Niro crossovers.

How about the drivetrain?

With the arrival of the facelifted model, the Sorento will now be offered solely as a hybrid here, with the previous diesel variant having been dropped due to impending new regulations that will outlaw diesel-powered passenger cars in Singapore.

In this latest iteration, the Sorento Hybrid uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor, and they combine to produce a total of 212hp and 366Nm of torque. Kia is keen to emphasise on the Sorento Hybrid's outstanding efficiency, with a quoted fuel consumption figure of 5.1 litres per 100km, and a theoretical full tank range of 1,300km.

How much does it cost?

Kia is offering the Sorento Hybrid in two trims, the SX and the SX Tech Pack. The former is retailing at $244,999 with COE (as of September 2024), while the SX Tech Pack costs 10 grand more, at $254,999 with COE.

The base SX model gets a fairly impressive list of standard features, including eight-way powered front seats with ventilation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and air con vents for the second and third row passengers.

The SX Tech Pack meanwhile adds to that with a few more extras, including a panoramic sunroof, a digital head-up display, LED cabin lights with ambient mood lighting, and a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system.

Both models come with an extensive list of driver assistance safety features, including Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, which helps prevent collisions with vehicles coming from the side during lane changes, using automatic braking if necessary, as well as Safe Exit Assist, which prevents rear passengers from opening the door into oncoming traffic if it detects vehicles approaching from behind.

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benjamin.chia@asiaone.com

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