New Kia Sorento (XM) snapped without disguise

Kia Sorento Spyshot

Autoweek’s spy photographers managed to clinch these undisguised photos of the new generation Kia Sorento. The Sorento was originally introduced in 2003 and was recently given a facelift in Malaysia. The old body-on-frame construction is expected to be replaced with a unibody construction, but which chassis is the question. Using the Hyundai Santa Fe chassis would give it a size thats more similiar to its current size, but Autoweek claims the new Sorento will be the Kia equivalent of the larger Hyundai Veracruz!

Look after the jump for a spyshot of the interior.

Source

Kia Sorento Interior

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • AlexKhoo (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Sweet!

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  • szw (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    looks pretty

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  • coolguru (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 1:19 pm

    I think it has lost it’s image as a conservative yet appealing SUV like Range/Land Rover. The front-only shot gives me a hint of it more like a pick-up truck (hate to see it on the road).

    The interior is so-ordinary like Proton (sorry to be blunt), sigh… the steering looks a bit like Civic.

    Having said that, I believe it might be a good sell if the price is right but many may think twice with the current petrol price, even diesel price.

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  • King Samurai (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    Carbon Copy from Honda.. Front headlamp Accord Euro..Steering combination of Civic and CRV. Meter cluster from Jazz/City. Center dash audio & climate control from CRV.. Good laa.. Japanese copy from europeans..Korean copy from Japanese..Malaysian..copy err..no need la..copy susah la..rebadging lagi baik..can sell at high price with low r&d cost of designing badge & front grille only.

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  • wooz (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    Unless you guys have never seen a 2009 Forrester http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/2008subaruforestermy094.jpg

    For the front other than a grille change it’s almost an exact copy – notice the lines on the hood.

    Of course the Kia’s probably not turbocharged.

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  • abtm (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 2:55 pm

    one word= SAAB

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  • almattitude_v1 (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    Wow, it looks really good!

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  • almattitude_v1 (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 3:21 pm

    Gotta give them some credit! Looks better than Honda CRV for example…

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  • mitlanevo (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 3:28 pm

    nice steering wheel, and the front looks good too!!!

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  • hvannees (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 4:35 pm

    copy there… paste here….
    copy another… paste here also…
    copy… paste…. everyone likes to do that…LOL!!

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  • osh_kosh (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 4:36 pm

    really nice front… if without the chrome grille lining maybe it would look even better..

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  • peter32 (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Good work Kia. I think this is a good follow up for Sorento. The old version looked good, but aged as time goes by.

    I did not detect any copycat work here. Now we just need to see the whole vehicle to know the whole impression.

    So far so good.

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  • JULIANLEE2 (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 4:42 pm

    those meters are from toyota harrier, steering wheel honda crv(honda stole it from the pre facelift bmw 5er)

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  • azrai (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    Nice looking SUV from the korean.

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  • wiraone (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    Oh come one guys .. this is one heck of improving over the current Sorento. I don’t think Korean copied others blindly just like China .. but somehow, some of the design ‘might overlap’ with others… most probably unintentionally .. anyway, the curvy looks much better.

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  • mmcwei (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Seems like nowadays Kia and Hyundai used to copy the exterior and also interior design from Honda. The headlight looks a bit like the civic Si and the steering wheel just looks so similar like the latest generation accord. Good copyright, but not that creative. Much much more better than chinese vehicles!

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  • kancildriver (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    huh, i’m tired of reading all this accusing. this guy copy this guy and another copy another. i actually agree that kia keep taking other people’s design cue. the meter cluster is definitely city anyway…. i’m just tired of reading the same comments.

    for me, everyone is copying everyone. SUV, with big bulky form, with four wheels, the similarities will be there. trends will be followed. just like the new latio which resembles honda city.

    for me SUV is a boring fuel eating stuff….

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 7:41 pm

    Looks like a Saab 9 with a Kia badge stuck on to it

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  • mytouch (Member) on Jul 15, 2008 at 10:57 pm

    Although we can see some shadow of Honda in this car,but still,it is an intresting car with cool interior & exterior design…proton,is time for u to wake up!!…

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  • csv (Member) on Jul 16, 2008 at 12:32 am

    i like the new coporate grill, looks way better than last time.

    rebranding in the way. maybe this might be a good seller.

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  • waimak (Member) on Jul 16, 2008 at 8:54 am

    Looks handsome! Nevermind the so-called “copy and paste” design cues.

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  • nmh (Member) on Jul 16, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    finally a good looking korean steering wheel & dashboard

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  • soumyadip chakraborty on Nov 13, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    sorento has the well builded body ,great suspention, also it is nice comfortable when you riding into a hill surface. also a corporate look like any other SUV series,

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