All will be revealed on March 3.
As we’re getting closer and closer to the Sorento’s big debut set for early March, Kia is willing to share additional details about the fourth generation of its midsize SUV. In a second teaser episode published today, the company’s South Korean website has some fresh official renderings of the MQ4, which represents the model’s codename.
While those images depicting the exterior are not particularity interesting – we’ve seen the 2021 Sorento without any disguise whatsoever – it’s the ones showing the cabin that catch the attention. The dashboard has been entirely redesigned to accommodate the dual digital screen layout with the instrument cluster and infotainment system sitting next to each other. The vertical air vents on the center console are no longer flanking the touchscreen as they’ve now been moved lower and are positioned to the left and right of the climate control settings.
Gone is the chunky gear lever of the automatic transmission as it has been replaced by a more modern rotary shifter that takes up less space between the front seats. It’s joined by a smaller rotary dial positioned below, which likely represents the drive mode selector. Additional buttons for the electric parking brake, start/stop system, heated steering wheel, and other functions are noticeable as well, as are the ones for the heated and ventilated seats.
Independently of Kia’s latest teaser, our pals at The Korean Car Blog have managed to get a hold of some juicy details regarding the engine lineup. Outputs are yet to be revealed, but the 2021 Sorento will be offered with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter gasoline engine linked to a manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels. A turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline mill is listed with a six-speed auto in both 2WD and 4WD forms, while a 2.2-liter diesel from the new “R†family has a 2.2-liter displacement and comes with an eight-speed, dual-clutch auto linked to either a 2WD or 4WD system.

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The electrified Sorento is listed as “MQ4_HEV†(likely from hybrid electric vehicle) and comes with the aforementioned 1.6-liter turbo in both two- and four-wheel-drive flavors with a six-speed automatic transmission. Bear in mind this data is likely applicable for the domestic version of the Sorento as engine availability will greatly depend on the market.
We will know what’s what in precisely three weeks from today as Kia has announced it will unveil the all-new Sorento on March 3 before bringing it to the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.