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Kia takes the wraps off new Sorento

We've seen the spy shots (twice) and we've seen the teaser images, but now Kia has finally revealed the finished form of its upcoming new Sorento crossover.
Taking some styling cues from the Kia Cross GT concept from the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, but with better proportions, the new Sorento packs a more pronounced grille in an altogether more aggressive (though not necessarily better-looking) front end than the model it replaces. Sheet metal is more sculpted all around, and despite the wrap-around taillights, the rear end looks familiar.
The new Sorento stretches 3.7-inches longer overall, on a 3-inch longer wheelbase, but sits half an inch lower, promising more interior space and of course updated equipment and features. The Eco Dynamics badge on the tailgate suggests the availability of green tech like stop/start ignition and such. Kia will reveal the new Sorento in Korea later this month ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Update | Shake, rattle and roll

I look forward to the Detroit Auto Show almost every year. I moved out west, so traveling back for the show offers me a chance to visit the place I grew up, to see what some automakers are bringing to the roads in the upcoming year and to drive some of the long-termers that call our Birmingham office home. This year, that meant our sporty fastback, the Kia Stinger GT. As a senior video producer, I don't pack lightly. There's tons of photo and video equipment to haul around in addition to my luggage. Although the Stinger's hatchback cargo area has plenty of space, I still needed the back seat, which isn't as spacious as I expected for such a large car. Confirming that, when I offered to drive my family around, they took one look at the back seat and instead chose to sit in the third row of their Buick. Our Stinger is also shockingly red. The exterior is a gorgeous shade named HiChroma Red, but the interior's Nappa leather is red, too. This is a bit much for me and apparently I'm not alone since this combo is no longer available for 2019. After getting over the color, though, I found the interior to be quite comfortable. Both the front seats and steering wheel are heated, which is a blessing in frigid January Michigan weather. My only gripe is that, even on freshly paved Michigan roads, the rear window tends to rattle. Speaking of unwanted noises, after only 10,000 miles, the Stinger has a creak in the front passenger side door that can only be described as painful. I had been warned ahead of time by Associate Editor Reese Counts, but I was still taken aback by how bad it is. Expect an update on a potential remedy to that soon. The roads in western Michigan look nothing like those on the state's east side, with twisty, modestly hilly roads in favor of the flat, grid-like structures typical of Metro Detroit and other eastern cities. This made driving the Stinger a real treat. Its 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque is refreshing, and the eight-speed automatic disappears into the background, almost unnoticeable, which is the way I prefer automatic transmissions to perform. The Stinger's 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 sounds quite good, too. Starting it up every morning put a smile on my face. A price of $46,620 may seem like a lot to pay for a Kia, but the Stinger feels worth it. That said, the MSRP isn't the only high cost associated with this car.

2018 Kia Stinger vs. other luxury hatchbacks compared by the numbers

Ten years ago, if you had told us that one of the many new luxury segments to develop would be sedan-style hatchbacks, we'd have said you'd lost your mind. And yet, here we are today with not one, but four cars competing in just such a niche upscale segment: The Kia Stinger, Buick Regal Sportback, BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and Audi A5. That's just in one size and price bracket. Two of the manufacturers listed here make larger versions of each luxury hatchback. We aren't entirely sure how it happened, but we're not going to complain, because we love the idea of a car with almost no compromise: luxury features, sporty performance, and plenty of practicality. Try Autoblog' s Car Finder to search for your next new vehicle. One of the reasons we're taking a look at these cars right now is that Kia has recently released pricing for its entry in the segment, the Stinger and Stinger GT. Buick wasn't far behind with the Regal Sportback and Regal GS, nor was Audi with the A5 and S5. So it seemed like an appropriate moment to look at the numbers and see which come out ahead or behind, with victors in each category highlighted with bold and underlined text. What we found when comparing these cars' statistics is that each one has a clear area of expertise. For performance, it's hard to beat the four-cylinder Kia Stinger and the V6 Stinger GT. The four-banger has the most horsepower of the four cars, and is just behind on torque. The V6 has the most power and torque among the six-cylinder versions. The Stingers are also the second lightest of the group when equipped with rear-wheel drive, though they fall to third with all-wheel drive. Space is a split between the Buick Regals and BMW 3 Series Gran Turismos. The Buicks have the most cargo space with the rear seats up or folded by a significant margin. The BMW on the other hand generally offers more space for passengers. It's up to you what's most important. Compare these and other potential new vehicle purchases using our tool. When it comes to cost, nothing can beat the four-cylinder Regal's base price of under $26,000. But if a V6 is what you're after, the Stinger GT is the cheapest. Neither matches the Audi A5 and S5 for fuel economy, though. Both Audis have the highest numbers for city, highway, and combined EPA estimates. Related Video: