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Kia World has scored the first official photos of the 2010 Kia Sorento, and from the looks of things, it's in keeping with the other marked improvements the automaker has been making to its lineup. In fairness, the current Sorento is no ugly duckling, with a shape that's evocative of the Jeep WJ Grand Cherokee and last-gen Lexus RX. Kia retains a traditional SUV profile with the latest version, but you can see that a thick D-pillar now resides aft of the side glass. In its report, OmniAuto notes that new, larger Sorento will have seven-passenger capability.

The new Sorento doesn't appear to mess with success, retaining the same basic shape while incorporating Kia's new, handsome corporate face and a clamshell hood. Its public debut is slated for the Seoul Motor Show next month, and Kia World reports that the the new SUV will be available with a Euro 5-compliant 2.0-liter clean diesel making 200 horsepower and 295-lb-ft of torque. Stateside, expect a 170-horsepower 2.4-liter four and and a 3.8-liter, 260-horse Lambda V6. Koreans also get a 2.7-liter LPG-powered engine. After its Seoul debut, we'd expect to see the Sorento pop up in Manhattan for the New York Auto Show.