2024 Kia Sorento facelift revealed, in Australia later this year

January 25: New-look Sorento driven in Australia

Kia is absolutely sauntering right now, buoyed by a series of well-received new cars. Now there's this, a worthy suite of updates for a class leader: the 2024 Kia Sorento.

July 2023: Updated Sorento revealed

The facelifted 2024 Kia Sorento large SUV debuted in South Korea before its arrival in local showrooms by Christmas.

As expected, the updated Sorento features a new front design inspired by the larger EV9 and Telluride, with redesigned vertical headlights, ‘signature star map’ daytime running lamps, and a broader front grille.

It also features a new lower front bumper, while the latest Kia badge – added to the current Sorento in 2021 – has shifted from the grille to the bonnet.

Other design revisions are limited to a new lower rear bumper and alloy wheels, and updated tail-lights now connected at each end – but with no full-width light strip, as seen on recent Kia SUVs.

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Three new exterior colours – interstellar grey, cityscape grey and volcanic sand brown – are available for the updated Sorento overseas.

Inside, the changes are more extensive, with a curved, single-piece ‘panoramic’ display for the infotainment system and digital instrument cluster – as seen on Sportage and EV6 – replacing the current hooded cluster.

The larger 12.3-inch infotainment system, up from 10.25 inches, runs the Hyundai-Kia Group’s latest ccNC infotainment system, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity for variants with sat-nav, and over-the-air software updates, likely.

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Kia Australia has confirmed the updated Sorento is the brand's next model to feature its connected-car technology – dubbed Kia Connect – joining the updated Picanto and all-electric EV9 also due later this year.

As detailed here, the system will continue to be progressively rolled out in Australia with all-new models and mid-life facelifts, rather than general model-year updates – despite the addition of Hyundai's Bluelink to minor MY23 spec bumps for the Tucson and Venue.

It is also limited to vehicles fitted with satellite navigation, suggesting the entry-level Sorento S will miss out on the technology, based on the current specification list.

Kia has redesigned the Sorento’s dashboard to accommodate the curved display unit, with slimmer, horizontal air-conditioning vents and a touch panel for the climate and audio controls borrowed from Sportage and EV6.

In South Korea, the Sorento will be fitted with a fingerprint sensor to authenticate the driver at start-up, authorise in-vehicle payments and disable valet mode, while a new black and olive brown interior finish will be offered. Neither feature is confirmed for Australia.

An updated blacked-out 'gravity' trim will also be available in its Korean home market.

There appear to be no updates to the Sorento's powertrains, with a 3.5-litre petrol V6 FWD and 2.2-litre turbo-diesel AWD currently in Australia, plus the supply-restricted 1.6-litre conventional hybrid in FWD or AWD or AWD-only plug-in hybrid.

The updated 2024 Kia Sorento will be detailed in full in mid-August, ahead of local arrivals due later this year.

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VFACTS new-car sales data reveals 5311 examples of the Kia Sorento have been registered in Australia year-to-date, placing it ahead of the Toyota Kluger (4658), soon-to-be-discontinued Mazda CX-9 (3382), and soon-to-be-replaced Hyundai Santa Fe (3036).

The new Sorento will face competition from the next-generation Hyundai Santa Fe, due in Australia in the first half of 2024.

It is understood to retain its current N3 platform shared with the Kia but with a radically new, boxier exterior and a redesigned cabin focused on space.

Below: The current, pre-facelift 2023 Kia Sorento