The Pakistani auto market, dominated by Toyota, Honda and Suzuki primarily, has in the past few months seen the arrival of multiple automakers like KIA and Hyundai. These two companies, with the launch of KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, have challenged the long-existing monopoly of the “3 greats”.
Now, inevitably, we hear that KIA Motors is all set to launch a three-row SUV labelled “KIA Sorento” in Pakistan very soon.
KIA Sorento is a 7-seater uni-body Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that is likely to take on the likes of Toyota’s Fortuner and the upcoming Toyota Corolla Cross SUV, which is highly anticipated in the Pakistani automobile market.
In the past several months, we have witnessed a shift from sedans to crossover SUV’s — with buyers desiring power, comfort and utility — which sedans fail to offer.
We recently saw the release of two iconic vehicles; Hyundai Tucson and KIA Sportage Alpha in the Pakistani market. Customers response was so overwhelming that Hyundai was compelled to increase the prices of its Tucson SUV in just a matter of few hours.
Tucson and Sportage have challenged the dominance of Civic and Corolla, although they fall in different categories. But the meagre price difference must’ve been the driving factor for customers choosing a more feature-packed, glossy vehicle instead of the traditional ones.
Read more: KIA Lucky Motors expected to launch new model “Kia Cerato” in the sedan segment
KIA Sorento, which is currently in its 4th generation, is being produced only in Korea and the US. Expecting KIA motors to release the 4th generation in Pakistan at a time when it’s only being produced at limited locations, would be too much to ask.
Let’s hope, for now at least, Pakistan witnesses the launch of the 3rd generation KIA Sorento.
Exterior
The 3rd generation KIA Sorento is a uni-body 7-seater SUV. It is 189″ long, 74.4″ wide, and height of around 66″. It has a better ground clearance than KIA Sportage; the Sorento sits at around 7.3″.
Sorento comes with projector headlamps with LED taillights to give it a modern and luxurious look. It also comes packed with halogen combination lamps and a classy tiger-nose grill at the front. The SUV has a silver lining on the doors — outlining the windows. This gives the SUV a sporty and classy look, like a high-end vehicle.
Read more: Hyundai launches Tucson 2020: Will it be able to compete with KIA Sportage?
Interior
KIA Sorento comes with powered driver and passenger front seat, while 40/20/40 second-row seats and 50/50 split third-row seats will be available. KIA might offer both leather and fabric seats for customers to choose from. Panoramic roof and a power tailgate are also expected.
- Steering wheel controls
- Cell phone connectivity
- Dual-zone climate control
- 7″ or 8″ infotainment
- Android auto/Apple CarPlay
- Cruise control
- Rain sensor
- Power-folding side-view mirrors
Safety features
- ABS
- Downhill assists
- Hill-start assist control
- Toyota Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
- Frontal airbags
Read more: Kia launches cheapest model of Sportage 2020 labeled ‘Alpha’
Engine and performance
The 3rd generation KIA Sorento SUV, once launched in Pakistan, is expected to be available in different engine options
- 3LV6
- 5LV6
- 4L MPI
- 2L Turbo GDI
- 2L Diesel
- 2L Diesel
KIA Sorento 3rd generation is a six-speed automatic SUV. It comes in both Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) categories. It is equipped with a Dynamax AWD system with a central locking differential.
If we look at the suspension system, Sorento comes packed with a MacPherson strut-front while independent multi-link rear. All models come with EPS and disc brakes as standard specifications. However, buyers can choose between 17 inches and 18 inches alloy wheels.
Read more: KIA Picanto: Mid range option for Pakistanis with best features
Pricing
We are expecting the KIA Sorento to be launched in the Pakistani market with a price tag of PKR 7 Million. At this price, we are expecting KIA Sorento to give a tough time to Toyota Fortuner which is readily available in the market. Fortuner’s facelift model has received immense attraction, with soaring sales. Let’s see how the launch of KIA Sorento will go up against the likes of Fortuner.