Kia adds sporty GT-Line models to its Sorento SUV seven-seater

Prices start from £28,995

Kia Sorento 2018The main focus of Kia’s UK SUV range is the top-selling Sportage mid-size and, increasingly, the Stonic small crossover. But the firm does sell a third SUV, the range-topping Sorento large SUV seven-seater. And, to give it a boost for 2018, it’s bringing in a sporty-look new GT-Line Series.

Offered in GT-Line and GT-Line S guise, the fancy new Sorentos have 19-inch alloys and red brake calipers, Kia’s distinctive ‘ice cube’ foglights, twin exhausts and either GT-Line projection headlights or, on the S, full LED lamps.

Both cars also have black leather seats with contrast grey stitching, perforated leather steering wheel and a GT-Line leather gearshifter for the eight-speed auto. Yes – an eight-speed auto, which keen Sorento watchers will know is two more gears than before.

This new eight-speed gearbox improves average fuel economy of the 2.2-litre CRDi turbodiesel to 43.5mpg combined, with a subsequent (small) cut in CO2 from 174g/km to 170g/km. Unlike many who offer eight-speed automatics, this isn’t ZF-sourced technology, but is an in-house Kia-Hyundai design.

You even get standard paddleshifters on the new GT-Line models.

If you don’t mind a bit of physical input, the six-speed manual alternative averages up to 49.6mpg and emits as low as 149g/km CO2; all Sorentos use the same 197bhp CRDi motor.

Changes elsewhere are more limited, with KX-1, KX-2 and KX-3 models continuing with the same equipment lines, including standard all-wheel drive. Kia has, however, added standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to all models, to the undoubted delight of smartphone users.   

2018 Kia Sorento prices

2.2 CRDi KX-1: £28,995

2.2 CRDi KX-2: £32,695

2.2 CRDi KX-2 auto: £34,695

2.2 CRDi KX-3: £36,695

2.2 CRDi KX-3 auto: £38,695

2.2 CRDi GT-Line auto: £36,495

2.2 CRDi GT-Line S auto: £41,995

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror and Steering Committee director for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

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