Kia Sorento

Kia has released pictures of the exterior of its new Sorento, ahead of the car's debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. It's the third generation of the Korean firm's mid-size SUV, and first impressions are that it conforms to the inexorable trend towards crossover aesthetics shown by both the Sorento itself - which has transitioned from utility-focused body-on-frame SUV to its latest car-like form - and its rivals.

The Sorento gains 95mm in length, taking it to 4,780mm, with 80mm of that increase being the wheelbase, which now measures 2,780mm. The car is also slightly lower and wider than before.

Viewed in profile, the new car appears closer in proportions to its sister model, the Hyundai Santa Fe, although the Kia's beltline is higher and its D-pillar treatment is the inverse of the Hyundai's.

Kia's communications about the car concern 'premium look and feel.' In terms of design, that appears to extend to a larger, more upright grille, reminiscent of BMW's latest X5, which connects with lamps that would look at home on the nose of a Volvo SUV.

The design increases the distance between the Sorento and Kia's smaller crossover, the Sportage, and appears to set a subtler tone for the look of the firm's future crossover lineup.

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