Hopefully but I think they are pricing it as an alternative to TOTL PPVs (2.5M mark). This will serve as their flagship model so I don't expect them to lower the price. They might remove some features instead to keep it at the 2.5M mark.

Per Mazda:

"While some would counter that such technology is frivolous in a country that doesn’t experience snow and ice, Mazda counters that i-ACTIV AWD is a safety system and is meant to add an extra layer of driver control on changeable road conditions. Measuring the co-efficient of friction (mu), dry asphalt would be between 0.7 to 0.9 (the highest being 1), wet asphalt between 0.5 to 0.7, and snow between 0.1 to 0.2. Interestingly, standing water on asphalt is 0.3-0.4—just a notch higher than driving on snow. And with 136 days out of 365 recorded as rainy in Manila, it does become an important safety feature."

https://www.carguide.ph/2018/03/how-mazda-designed-i-activ-awd-to-act.html

Hi Uly, thank you for injecting some sense into somebody who supposedly owns a subaru but doesn't appreciate AWD and saying the ground clearance is the same as a regular sedan. FYI - if you really own a Subaru you would know the ground clearance is 220mm, similar to a fortuner and slight higher than a Montero at 215mm. Sedans are only around 130-160mm or 5-6 inches.

Also - AWD system's ability to deliver torque four ways and feed it to four tires, rather than two, reduces any individual tire's tendency to spin when accelerating in a straight line or while powering through a corner. This means faster acceleration from rest with less burned rubber and, for expert drivers who push their cars hard, the confidence to hit the accelerator in a corner with less chance of slewing sideways or, worse, spinning out.

Yikes, somebody got burned here. He thinks the world revolves around his situation and perception of what's good and not.

FYI - different people have different needs and wants, hence the companies offering different products to suit each needs. Not everything will cater to your specific requirements.

It's technology that's not necessary, but it's good to have just in case. This is the same logic for people who say they don't need airbags, ABS, or stability control. The best scenario would be to drive carefully, but there are some instances such as emergency maneuvers where AWD could help. It's for this reason why Subaru doesn't want to remove it in their cars--it's for safety. They said that they're ready to abandon AWD if a safety system that can be just as good could be applied.

There are a fair amount of instances where AWD without the extra ground clearance of a 4x4 pickup/SUV is still beneficial. On gravel, sand, mud, grass where traction is limited but the terrain is still even. In this case, the extra ground clearance, suspension articulation, and low range transmission of a 4x4 pickup/SUV would be unnecessary, especially considering its poor ride, refinement, and fuel consumption. Obviously, FWD will be good enough for most but for some, it is the difference between arriving at a destination and not arriving at a destination, even if it would be once in their car's lifetime. For some, an AWD crossover is the happy medium between an uncomfortable rock-crawling 4x4 pickup/SUV and a comfortable mall-crawling family wagon. As an earlier reply said, different products for different people that have different needs and wants, and people have to compromise. Personally, FWD is decent enough for my needs but I still see how someone else would prefer AWD over FWD.

I own a previous gen Santa Fe and never needed the 4wd function across my trips from Leyte to Iloilo. Anyway, the ground clearance is only less than six inches so it would not be of much help. If you need 4wd get the raptor. To those who says it can help in the rain, a good set of tires is better in the rain that awd. It costs less and the weight saved will be better appreciated in driving than the awd.

The thing is.. AWD is like insurance. you buy it when you don't need it and when you need it you can't get it. With how advanced AWD systems are, the driver doesn't even notice the system providing more power to the rear in most cases. It's not something you manually turn on. It's just there.

I don't need a pick-up or PPV. i need an SUV with AWD. You cannot shove down your narrative to people buying cars with AWD - Subaru, BMW Xdrive, Mercedes 4matic, Audi Quattro, VW 4motion. Telling them hey, you don't really need AWD. just buy a pickup if you want 4x4. haha.

Are you going to settle for a product that offers 2WD when you can get a competing product with AWD for the same price and say, it's ok i'll buy the 2wd at the same price because i really don't need AWD. 9 out of 10, people will buy if it's bang for the buck and choose what offers more for the same amount even if they don't need it.

Well-said. It's like insurance.

Ayaw patalo :) This is simple, they are offering this product to those who wants this. end of story. Other manufacturers are also offering other products that may cater to what you want. end of story.

In the end, consumers win as we all get a variety if options to choose from.

Then why bash people clamoring AWD at that price point? Be satisfied with 2WD since you really don’t need AWD in our country. That’s the whole premise of your argument. Haha. Biglang kabig to say the more options the better, that the argument was about AWD being better instead of him starting the argument that you don’t need AWD in this country. So if a manufacturer offered only 2 airbags at that price point ok lng since you never needed 6 airbags in this country?

Also nobody argued that AWD is the best thing. People are clamoring that at that price point it should have been AWD instead of 2WD. You’re the one insisting that AWD is pointless in this country hence the replies on the benefits of AWD which nobody claimed to be the best… so go sell your forester XT that you’re bitching about being AWD and not having any use for it. Why’d you buy it in the first place?

The argument here is price point vs. features offered. Not AWD being the best thing since sliced bread. As you claim is the argument.

You keep shooting yourself in the foot by saying you own a forester XT which is AWD but how do use it? City driven only? Grocery getter? Why did you buy it in the first place? You could have bought a crv or Rav 4 that’s cheaper and 2WD. If you use it for some light off-roading why didn’t you buy a pickup?

Too much bla bla bla, most people are getting tired of arguing with geniuses. If you don't like it, well don't get it. If otherwise, then put your money where your mouth is. End of story.

This is the specs provided. Once we get a more detailed one, we'll post it.

No 4x4.

Close but the Seltos also got a slight price increase. This is what their line-up looks like:

Stonic - P 735K to P 925K
Seltos - P 1.153M to P 1.505M
Sportage - P 1.290M to P 1.820M (no increase)
Sorento - P 2.3M to P 2.6M

I agree with you though that the Sportage will likely get a bump in pricing to the P 1.6-2M bracket when it gets launched.

That's a pretty good lineup, I bet they will remove some features just to fit in that price range but as long as the key features are there its all good (don't even think about going for 2 airbags again KIA!).

Based on their website which now contains the basic specs, we'll get 235/55R19s.

https://www.kia.com/ph/showroom/sorento-21-my/specification.html

Oh that's nice.
Anyways, I wonder what else we are getting (we'll probably know more during the KIA PH rebranding mamayang 7 PM )

Other key points / observations:
= Seat ventilation / cooling is great especially for our Tropical country =)
= Heated Steering Wheel is a surprise (especially since hindi naman US-made ang Sorento natin) ; I guess this maybe useful if you are in Baguio or up there in Tagaytay ???
= A bit of a shame na wala na yung 4x4 variant........though I guess it can't be helped (since most Sorento buyers rarely take it off-road)
= I wonder kung gaano kalaki ang agwat between the 6 speaker audio system versus the 10-speaker BOSE sound system that is available sa ibang bansa
= I hope we get Paddle Shifters (kasi yan ang mahalaga para sa akin)
= Blind Spot Monitor is a great thing.....lalo na if there vehicles or objects on the passenger side / weak-side (*cough*Lexus RX PH-spec *cough*)
= I am glad we get the 12.3 inch instrument panel screen........and this will put pressure on Hyundai PH / HARI to step-up their game for the facelifted Santa Fe

https://www.kia.com/content/dam/kwcms/ph/en/images/showroom/sorento-new/FA-Sorento_2021b.pdf

Php2.5m - No AWD, No panoramic sunroof, no paddle shifters, no interior mood/ambient lighting, no sharksfin antenna, just leather and not nappa leather, just a 6 speaker system, Multi-reflector LED and not projectors. The list goes on to easily say that this "TOTL" in the philippines is just a stripped out mid-trim level in most countries.

At least the other car brand offerings have nappa leather for this price and 4x4.

Lack of Paddle Shifters would be a deal-breaker for me.

I guess I would have to wait for Hyundai PH / HARI to release the facelifted Santa Fe.

And guaranteed / matic na may Paddle Shifters yun....kasi Shift By Wire and gearbox control nun.

At that Php 2.5million+ it's better to get the Mazda CX-8 6-seater AWD Variant (with captain's chairs) and Mazda even has complete i-Activsense suite for that price.

What the hell Ayala Corporation is thinking? No Adaptive Cruise, no AWD or 4x4, not even in ladder-frame structure and yet priced a bit above the TOTL Fortuner (and even a bit above TOTL CX-8) seriously???

new sorento is a world class model and to avoid increasing price and less features.
ichate japan cars

Yup. We already updated our specs this morning.

For the price, they should have at least added AEB and Adaptive Cruise Control!!!! Extremely overpriced!!

I don't know what Ayala Corporation was thinking.

It uses the same radar and front monocular camera hardware and setup and yet they didn't even bother to put adaptive cruise and AEB. I don't think of getting a Sorento now.


Makes the Mazda CX-8 AWD bang-for-the buck and more affordable than this overpriced Sorento. Even greater driving dynamics (I personally tried CX-30 before) and features.

Look at the comment section of the launch of the Isuzu MU-X, around 2015 I believe. Literally a warzone over there lol.

Ah no...there are some with far more comments than this one, particularly when this guy, AutoActiv, engaged them in a heated discussion with his Chevrolet Colorado.

AutoActiv was a funny guy, he went from worshipping and defending his Colorado/Traiblazer like it was the ultimate best vehicle in the world to convincing people not to buy any Chevy product at all. Huge character development right there lmao

PS. The price of my Sorento (2.5L AWD) when converted to peso is almost close to this 2.2L in Philippines. That's why I'm surprised upon seeing the price tag in Ph.