It will arrive in Ireland in the first week of March, at a guide price of around €45,000. A key competitor will be the new, and more expensive, Volvo XC90.
According to James Brooks, MD of Kia Ireland, upwards of 300 could be sold in a full year, depending on the performance of the Irish car market.
The presentation for a number of invited journalists provided a preview of the third iteration of the Sorento, now a more sophisticated and mainstream contender in the large SUV segment.
The new car is longer, wider and lower than the outgoing version, and offers a more comfortable drive as well as a significantly more luxurious interior.
The upward shift brings the Sorento more into contention with the luxury end of the market, for which it was a more budget conscious alternative to the Land Cruisers of the market when Kia came back into the Irish business nine years ago.
When the Sportage came along some time later, the Sorento and the new smaller SUV shared equally 50 percent of all Kia sales in Ireland.
The latest version, while no longer achieving that original penetration within the brand itself, is likely to help grow the overall segment provided economic conditions continue to improve.
In Ireland the new Sorento will be brought in as a 7-seater with the 2.2 200hp Diesel engine that's among a range of powertrain options across Europe.
A 5-seater with an eye to commercial conversion may also be imported.
