The Well-Concealed Newness of the Kia Sorento In the hypercompetitive automotive industry, a car is often produced for four to six years, getting an update halfway through its life. Visually, this is the "new grille and taillights" phase. While full sheet metal overhauls are expensive, a new schnoz and back end can be done efficiently. These cosmetic revisions are a good way to ignite new sales. Apparently, Kia does not understand the concept of doing things the easy way. After three years of production, the popular Sorento crossover gets an all-new chassis structure, a new, more powerful V6 engine, a revised suspension and an updated interior. Despite that it looks identical to the distinctive 2013 model in profile, Kia claims that the Sorento is 80 percent new. What automaker does that? All of this effort is good for buyers. The improved structure, borrowed from Hyundai's five-passenger Santa Fe Sport, increases the Sorento's rigidity by 18 percent. The result is a calmer ride and a quieter cabin. The Sorento can be ordered with third-row seating, something competitors such as the Toyota RAV-4, the Honda CR-V, the Ford Escape and the Mazda CX-5 don't offer. Also, the Kia is more powerful than the others. The downside? The Sorento's E.P.A.-rated fuel economy is 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway for models equipped with all-wheel drive. That's 5 m.p.g. less than many in its class. The 191-horsepower 4-cylinder engine found in the base model is hardly more efficient than the 290-horsepower V6 option. Bearing that in mind, the 6 may be the better bet. Stuffed with premium features like a panoramic sunroof and front seats that are heated and cooled, the stylish SX Limited model turns heads. So does the price. Fully loaded, it goes for $42,150. Kia has done an impressive job of refining the Sorento. Too bad most people won't recognize the effort as it passes by.