New Kia Sorento to debut at Frankfurt

Kia 's new Sorento SUV is expected to get a European launch at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, alongside the facelifted Cee'd family car. The new Sorento was first revealed at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show in April, but Kia has confirmed that Frankfurt would see the European debut of its flagship SUV model. The Sorento is a brand new design, and features an all-new unitary monocoque set up instead of the current model's ladder-frame chassis, which Kia says will offer sharper driving dynamics and greater body control. The new car is also longer, at 4685mm, while drag coefficient has been reduced from 0.43 to 0.38. Panu Vainamo, General Manager Marketing, Kia Motors Europe, said, "Kia engineers have ditched the original Sorento's body-on-frame structure and designed an all-new monocoque bodyshell - achieving a weight loss of up to 215 kg, greatly improving fuel economy and contributing to a more controlled ride than expected from a 4x4." He adds, "With the new Kia Sorento, we have created an all-new, 'Highline Cruiser' that we believe offers buyers the benefits of an exciting all-rounder with a much broader appeal." The Sorento will also have a new 2.2 litre diesel engine which produces 197bhp and 421Nm of torque, which Kia predicts will be the most popular engine for the Sorento. The diesel will be available with either a five-speed manual or Kia's all-new world-class six-speed automatic transmission. Inside, Kia promises a higher-class cabin with some sleeker design elements and a more spacious interior, and includes features like an engine start button, keyless entry and an in-mirror reverse camera. Ride quality has also been refined to improve the car's on-road comfort while keeping its original off-road ability intact.