The fourth-generation Sorento was unveiled at the beginning of 2020 but spy shots have revealed the midsize SUV is already preparing for a nip and tuck. Perhaps that's not all too surprising since, in recent years, the South Korean brands have developed a habit of shortening product life cycles. Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis always seem to be in a hurry to freshen up their vehicles, whether it is through a mid-cycle update or a next-generation model.
The spy images we published in September have now served as the foundation for a batch of unofficial renderings attempting to see into the future of the SUV's styling. Usually, facelifts don't dramatically change a car's design (well, the BMW X7 LCI is an exception), but the three Asian brands are known to take risks with the styling even within the model's same generation. Although the bigger Telluride facelift is more of the same, things could be different for the Sorento.
2024 Kia Sorento facelift rendering
Our friends at Gotha Cars have been kind enough to share speculative renderings of how the 2024 Sorento could look. The biggest changes are expected at the front where the headlights could get a radical makeover without copying the funky headlights of the smaller Sportage. The upper LED daytime running lights are depicted here stretching near the center of the "tiger nose" grille. As for the main headlights, these are represented by a vertical strip next to a glossy black trim piece.
As always, don't take these renderings for granted since the prototype spotted by car paparazzi was heavily camouflaged. The test vehicle did leave the impression Kia is planning some major changes, but if history has taught us anything, it's that the amount of camo isn't always directly proportional to the number of changes the automaker is trying to hide.
A purely electric version is not on the agenda with the mid-cycle facelift since Kia generally prefers to have dedicated EVs rather than gasoline/diesel models converted for EV duty. Consequently, the three-row EV9 riding on the E-GMP platform is coming next year as the brand's largest electric SUV.
The official reveal is likely slated to take place at some point in 2023 at home in South Korea, with Europe and North America to get the facelifted Sorento several months later, possibly in early 2024.
