All anyone can talk about in the last year is the new Kia Telluride, impressing critics and consumers alike. But Kia just recently released information about the new Sorento, and it may be time for the Telluride to lose its spotlight.

The 2021 Kia Sorento is completely redesigned and accomplishing feats it never has before. With two impressive new powertrain options for the 2021 model year, the Sorento is here to prove it is Kia’s best SUV.

The Kia Sorento: redesigned for the 2021 model year

Kia learned quickly from the impressive sales numbers and growing-popularity of the Telluride SUV for its latest redesigned 2021 Kia Sorento. While the newest Sorento will take some design cues from the successful Telluride, Kia is also using that same innovative work to present yet another ground-breaking vehicle. According to MotorTrend, the exterior design of the 2021 Kia Sorento is new and improved in order to match its completely reworked interior.

Set to officially debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2020, the new Sorento is guaranteed to impress with its spaciousness, design, and out-of-this-world interior. But what’s under the design is most impressive of all.

New powertrain options and an impressive first

Not only will the 2021 Kia Sorento sit on an entirely new platform, but it will have new powertrains to match. According to Car and Driver, two new powertrains will be available on the 2021 Kia Sorento: a gas engine and, for the first time ever, a hybrid option. Kia has done away its V6 gas engine of the past in favor of a new, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 277 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. Though this engine makes less power than the previous V6, there’s “lots more torque,” and it’s paired with a brand-new, eight-speed automatic transmission.

The new and improved gas engine is nice, but the real conversation is about Kia’s new hybrid powertrain – a first for the Sorento. Combining a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with a 59-hp electric motor, the Sorento Hybrid will make 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The new engine will be powered by a 1.49-kWh battery pack. According to CNET, smart engineering allows the battery to be stored underneath the Sorento and “thanks to the 2021 Sorento’s new architecture, the crossover fits numerous electrified powertrains.”

Though Kia is also offering a new diesel option for the 2021 Kia Sorento, it will not be offered in the U.S. But Americans will have yet another thing to love about the Sorento as it moves to a more electrified design. The 2021 Sorento will be available for purchase in late 2020. Kia has also stated that a plug-in-hybrid Sorento is in the works, though there has been no confirmation as to when.

Kia adds the Sorento into its ever-growing hybrid lineup

The new Sorento will be added to Kia’s growing list of eco-friendly vehicles. According to Kia, it currently sells two hybrid models and two electric models. The Optima is available as a hybrid and the Soul SUV is available in an electric version. But Kia’s flagship eco-vehicle is the Niro, which is available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and a full-electric vehicle. 

Kia has allowed innovation to take its reins in recent years, moving its lineup to the forefront of modernization. According to Kia, it’s dedicated to conquering the “unprecedented paradigm shift” to vehicles that are “more eco-friendly and resource-conserving successors.” With its future vision, “Boundless for All,” and “ACE” strategy, Kia plans to prove that technology is endless. Kia’s plans include enabling car-sharing services (already started), commercializing autonomous driving by 2021, and continually designing new eco/electric designs alongside sister company Hyundai.