2021 Kia Sorento spied racing around the Nurburgring

Last time our spy shooters caught the next-gen Kia Sorento, it was doing something strenuous and taxing (towing a BMW X5). This time the mid-size crossover is on the Nurburgring. Perhaps Kia has visions of being a Ring Taxi. We kid, but it’s always fun to see family SUVs pounding around the German racetrack.

The previous Sorento we captured had a massive tent over the rear concealing the design. This tester has no such apparatus, so we can see exactly what Kia is working with. There’s a bit of bodywork at the rear window line that juts outward strongly. Perhaps this is just trying to throw us off the trail. The general shape of the rear window and slant is the same as the current Sorento. This just looks far more pronounced due to the ducktail-like piece sticking out. As for the third rear window, it’s shaped just like the slanting window in the current Sorento. These spy shots don’t suggest a floating roof design for the time being.

Of all the design changes coming to the Sorento, the front may be the most dramatic. There’s plenty of camouflage hiding what’s underneath, but the design appears to be a bit more butch and tough than the gentle slopes and curves on the current Sorento. We don’t think Kia is going full Telluride with the strong, squared-off appearance, but the Sorento’s front fascia is definitely edging that way.

This prototype itself is still looking rather unkempt — just look at those exposed “taillights” and the uneven/weird rear valance. It’s expected to be a 2021 model year vehicle, so we’re likely to see more put-together Sorentos racing around later this year or early 2020.