Kia’s designs have been getting better and better, and with the latest generation Sorento, they’re almost managing to fool us into thinking they’ve created a German SUV. It features clean, unflustered lines of an undeniably Teutonic origin that it promises to back up with improved, well, everything…

The manufacturer says the third generation Sorento, which debuted in the metal today in Korea, is 80 mm longer and 15 mm lower than its predecessor, while also featuring an increased cargo bay which can be further extended by the fold-flat second-row seats – a third row option is available.

Another promise Kia is making with this Sorento is a reduction in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) by 29 percent, coupled to a general boost in overall refinement. Inside, the cabin is very minimalistic in its design, again heavily influenced by German(-ish) designs – you can actually tell it was all designed by Kia’s Frankfurt-based studio; the theme chosen to underpin it is “modern and wide,” which it is.

They say the center console is “Swiss watch-inspired.”

Several petrol and diesel engines will be offered with outputs ranging from 170 – 266 hp. The two diesels that will available, displacing 2.0- and 2.2-liter respectively; only the larger unit will be made available in Europe, though, along with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine – Americans will definitely get the 3.3-liter V6, and probably the 2.4-liter as a base motor.

Chassis-wise, the Sorento features fully-independent suspension at all four corners, which in conjunction with the new electric power steering should provide a safe and secure experience behind the wheel – they even mention steering feel in the press blurb, but we’ve learned to be wary of such claims.

Safety-wise, the list of active tech goes like this: “ ASCC (Adaptive Smart Cruise Control); LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System), which emits an audible alert when the driver strays from the chosen lane without using indicators; FCW (Front Collision Warning); BSD (Blind-Spot Detection); LCA (Lane Change Assist); RCTA (Rear Cross-Traffic Alert), which warns against other cars driving behind the Sorento in car parks; and SLIF (Speed Limit Information Function), which displays the speed limit in the driver’s instrument cluster based on cameras detecting roadside signs.”

Not all will be available on all cars; this is market-dependent.

The new Sorento debuts on October 2, at the Paris motor show.

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