2021 Kia Sorento Hits The Track Wearing Tighter-Fitting Camo

Kia has only begun putting its next-generation Sorento SUV on the road last month, when a heavily camouflaged prototype was spotted testing alongside a BMW X5 – not a bad benchmark vehicle at all.

Today, we can show you a considerably less shy prototype, roaming the Nurburgring Nordschleife wearing Recaro racing seats and tighter-fitting foil, allowing us to better gauge its design language and overall dimensions.

Less fussy design

The 2019 Sorento isn’t exactly the cleanest-looking SUV in its segment. It has a lot of curvy design elements that seem to be squeezed together tightly in order to create a somewhat modern aesthetic.

So what does Kia have planned for an encore? Apparently something with a sharper yet simpler design, featuring a more boxy front end plus a very ProCeed-like window line that curves upwards toward the tailgate.

As for the rear end, the cutout on this prototype only tells half the story, as the taillights don’t appear to be horizontal anymore. Instead, it almost looks like they feature a boomerang design that extends onto the fenders. Of course, whether or not that’s the case, we still can’t say for certain.

Also read: 2020 Kia Seltos Unveiled As The Company’s New Small SUV For Global Markets

Meanwhile, we’re still not ready to give up on this render from last month, especially since there are a lot of common front fascia (thin headlights, grille design) and shoulder line features to speak of.

As for what the new Sorento will be like to drive, we expect more efficient powertrains and better dynamics, while improved driver assistance and convenience technologies remain a given.

Kia will probably launch its next-generation Sorento sometime next year as a 2021 model.