Kia launched a brand new Sorento earlier in March this year, and it came with a bolder look and angular chiseled edges. Yes, there are some similarities when compared to the outgoing Sorento, but Kia marketers confirmed that its exterior and interior have been redefined.
The Sorento name has been around for 18 years and Malaysians have come to know the Sorento as a bold large family SUV with American-like SUV styling since 2002.
But this new Kia Sorento SUV has been awarded the highest possible safety rating by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which means that the entire Sorento line-up, including the upcoming Plug-in Hybrid, achieved the maximum five-star rating from Europe’s leading independent safety testing organisation.
The Sorento achieved 82% for adult occupant protection, 85% for child occupant protection, 63% for pedestrian protection, and 87% in the ‘Safety Assist’ category.
Euro NCAP praised the Sorento for passenger compartments that remained stable in the event of a collision, as well as its ability to offer good protection for all critical body areas in the side barrier test.
The Sorento also scored highly for child occupant protection. Seat and head restraint tests demonstrated good passenger protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision, and the standard-fit Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist system also helped the car avoid impacts during testing for the ‘Safety Assist’ category.
The car’s safety rating was reinforced by the Advanced High Strength Steel bodyshells that underpin each Sorento SUV, with torsional rigidity that is 12.5% higher than the perceived ‘safety leader’ in the Sorento’s segment.
Every car is fitted with seven standard-fit airbags, including a new front centre airbag – a new innovation that provides additional head protection for front-seat occupants.
All Sorento models are equipped as standard with Kia’s Vehicle Stability Management and Electronic Stability Control systems to help drivers maintain control under braking and cornering.
Pablo Martinez Masip, the director of product planning at Kia Motors Europe Director, comments, “The new Kia Sorento is a spacious, efficient and high-quality SUV for up to seven passengers and owners can be reassured that it offers a high level of safety too.
The new model is already proving incredibly popular with families, who have been impressed with its head-turning design, performance and all-weather capabilities.
“It’s important that the car offers a wide range of features and technologies designed to reduce the chances of a collision, and protect occupants should a collision be unavoidable.”
Safety features
The new Sorento is available with Kia’s latest Advanced Driving Assistance Systems.
Depending on specification, the Sorento offers owners Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist technology with pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle detection and Junction Turning (detecting oncoming vehicles when turning across the road at a junction), High Beam Assist, Driver Attention Warning system with leading vehicle departure warning, Lane Keeping Assist and Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist.
Other technologies include Highway Driving Assist with Navigation-Assisted Smart Cruise Control (Curve), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Safe Exit Assist, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist when reversing and Surround View Monitor.
The new Sorento also offers Kia’s latest convenience feature, the Remote Smart Parking Assist, and a driver assistance technology called the Lane Following Assist (LFA) that operates between 0 and 180 kph.
LFA supports drivers by tracking vehicles in front of the Sorento in traffic and detecting road markings to keep the car in its lane on the motorway.
In combination with the Sorento’s Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go system, it can support the driver by accelerating, braking and steering depending on the convoy of vehicles in front, using radar sensors to maintain a safe distance.
The new Sorento also features Kia’s new Blind-Spot View Monitor, which acts as a ‘second pair of eyes’ for drivers. It enhances safety for occupants and other road users by eliminating a driver’s left- and right-side blind spots by displaying a high-resolution video feed within the instrument cluster.
Kia’s first Multi-Collision Brake system, which enables the Sorento to mitigate the severity of secondary collisions is also standard. It automatically applies the vehicle brakes when the airbags have been deployed after an initial collision, further protecting occupants from secondary frontal or side impacts.
Only for European Kia buyers, there is Kia’s 7-Year warranty – Plug-in Hybrid which starts in Q1 2021 and should be applied here in Malaysia when it arrives for sale under the new brand guardian.
The new Kia Sorento is available across Europe, with sales of the new Sorento Plug-in Hybrid commencing in the first quarter of 2021. Every Sorento model is covered by the company’s unique 7-Year, 150,000 km warranty as standard.
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