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Kia is planning something impressive for its big-selling SUV family favourite.
The South Korean brand is expected to debut its new Sorento in 2027 with sales expected later that year, and it's newest addition could be a game-changer.
The new Sorento is likely to be more of an evolution than a revolution, in a similar vein to the recently revealed new Kia Seltos.
This means there will be some elements carried over but it will likely get refreshed styling as shown in new renders by digital artist Digimods Design on YouTube.
The renderings show the overall shape of the Sorento stays the same but it picks up new front and rear bumpers, lighting signatures and reworked grille design.
Part of the Sorento's appeal has been its styling, and Kia is unlikely to change too much rather than modernising it a little bit.
Some of the biggest changes are expected under the bonnet.
The current Sorento already comes with a variety of power options, including petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Those are expected to remain the same, according to reports.
It is also expected a new range-extender (REEV) hybrid version will join the line-up.
A REEV is similar to a plug-in hybrid in that is comes with a petrol engine, electric motor(s) and a chunky battery that can be topped-up by plugging it into a charger.
The biggest difference however is the petrol engine is used purely as a generator to charge the battery and never directly drives the wheels. Instead more powerful electric motors are installed to provide all the oomph.
This brings the benefits of EV driving, such as better acceleration and sharper responses, but without the range anxiety.
Kia’s sister brand Hyundai has already been caught testing an extender range hybrid version of the mechanically related Santa Fe large SUV.
This means Kia is likely to offer five different power options to buyers, giving it an advantage over nearly every other maker - except likely Hyundai.
This new tech will also help it fend of newer Chinese rivals such as the Chery Tiggo 9 and Omoda 9 plug-in hybrids.
The new Sorento is also expected to grow in most directions, giving it more space inside and bringing it close to the Toyota Kluger in dimensions.
The Sorento is a massive seller in its home market and in the US. It does well in Australia, where it outsells all large SUVs such as the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-80.
Only rough and tumble ladder-frame SUVs such as the Toyota Prado or Ford Everest currently have more appeal with Aussie families.
