Serenity now! New Kia Sorento has built-in calming sounds to ease the daily grind

The 2021 Kia Sorento aims to transport owners to a place of peace and quiet even while they are battling the daily grind.

Kia has installed a choice of six built-in calming sounds in the top-of-the-range Sorento seven-seat SUV.

At the press of a button on the touchscreen in the dash, drivers can treat themselves to the sounds of rainfall, the ocean hitting the shore, a burning fireplace, birds chirping in a forest, walking in crisp snow, and, oddly, cafe background noise.

The sounds can only be activated when the radio is off and the phone is not in use.

For now the technology is only available on the most expensive model in the new Kia Sorento range, which costs from $61,990 drive-away for the petrol version and $64,990 drive-away for the diesel.

The technology is among a number of new features Kia says are designed to prevent arguments in the car.

It has also introduced dual Bluetooth connections to the infotainment screen, so drivers can keep their phones connected while kids listen to music. 

The twin Bluetooth feature is available on all variants in the new Kia Sorento range and is being rolled out across the rest of the Kia line-up, including hatchbacks and small SUVs.

In another attempt to use tech to end arguments, certain models in the new Kia Sorento range have USB ports conveniently mounted high up on the edge of the front seats, to make it easier for back-seat passengers to charge devices.

Drivers of top end models now have access to a blindspot camera that activates automatically when the left or right indicator is in use – and projects an image of traffic in adjacent lanes.

The interior of top-end models have a choice of 64 interior colours for the ambient “mood lighting” around the door trims and dash.

Each time the ignition is switched off, a warning in the dash (pictured above) reminds drivers to check if any kids have been left asleep in the back seat. This is designed to prevent sleeping kids accidentally being left in the car by forgetful parents.

Last summer, police responded to a number of incidents where parents had accidentally left a sleeping child in the back seat after parking the car and rushing to work.

The Kia Sorento is not the first car with a back-seat child reminder, but it is one of a growing number of vehicles with the tech.

The opening height of the electric tailgate can be set via the central touchscreen (rather than via a switch on the tailgate itself). This is handy for owners who have low garage roofs.

The Kia Sorento’s other party trick is its ability to park itself into tight spots while the driver is outside the car.

Even if the front wheels are turned, the car will automatically straighten the steering wheel and move forward or backwards in a straight line until the driver stops the remote command.

If sensors detect a possible collision front or rear, the car will automatically slam on the brakes.