2017 Kia Sorento range gets GT-Line flagship, AEB added to Platinum

The Kia Sorento large SUV range has a new flagship, the $58,490 (plus on-road costs) GT-Line.

Headlining the 2017 Kia Sorento updates, the GT-Line (we wonder what Renault thinks of the name) sits above the Platinum and gets extras such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and 19-inch chrome wheels.

Other extras include stainless steel side steps, red brake callipers, red leather trim, paddle shifters, ‘ice cube’ LED fog lights, chrome-accented interior and GT-Line badging.

As with the Kia Sorento Platinum, the GT-Line comes standard with a 147kW/441Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, a six-speed auto and AWD. Braked towing capacity is 2000kg.

Other changes to the MY17 Sorento range are more limited, with the main update being the inclusion of AEB on the Platinum in exchange for a $600 price increase to $56,590.

LED Daytime Running Lights have been added to the Si and SLi grades as standard. Neither of these models cost more than before, in front-drive 199kW/318Nm V6 petrol or AWD diesel guises.

The addition of a new GT-Line variant to the Kia Sorento range comes as small surprise, considering the Platinum remains the top-seller in the line-up, showing that buyers are prepared to shell out big bucks for a Korean SUV.

Kia Sorento sale sit at 3128 units, up 33 per cent. Its Hyundai Santa Fe sibling has almost doubled its sales, while the Toyota Kluger has almost tripled it.

As you can read in our recent comparison test here, the Kia is nevertheless our pick of the family SUVs, ahead of the new Mazda CX-9. We were impressed by its value, refinement, Australian-calibrated suspension and industry-topping seven-year warranty.

2017 Kia Sorento pricing (plus on-road costs):

Sorento Si FWD petrol $40,990
Sorento Si AWD diesel $44,490
Sorento SLi 2WD petrol $45,990
Sorento SLi AWD diesel $49,490
Sorento Platinum AWD diesel $56,590 (+$600)
Sorento GT-Line AWD diesel $58,490

MORE: Hyundai Santa Fe v Kia Sorento v Mazda CX-9 v Nissan Pathfinder comparison

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