As a car that Kia hopes will not only hold its own against domestic rivals but will also take the brand up a step in terms of perceived quality in North America, the Sorento R SUV took center stage at the company's Seoul show stand. The public reaction, however, was less than overwhelming.

With SUVs a tough sell in the current economic and environmental climate and sister brand Hyundai going all out to promote its Elantra LPI hybrid and the Blue-Will fuel cell concept right next door, Kia was left looking flat-footed at the Korean event.

Like the Kia Mohave, the first impression of the Sorento R is one of design ambiguity, with the front, side and rear sharing similar yet clashing features. The overall styling stands somewhere between Land Rover's Discovery 3 and Chevrolet's Equinox, with attempts to toughen up the design with hard edges and robust surfaces around the side and rear being compromised by a benign, soft-looking face.

The exterior of the Sorento R features an interesting shoulder surface; with a 3-dimensional extension of the DLO-to-body volume creating a unique yet naturally formed trapezoid character when viewed from side-on. Sharp scoring around the rocker panel generates visually speed, and the rear - defined by deliberately crude-looking taillamps - supports the overall theme well. The same cannot be said of the front end, however, whose slimmer and sleeker-looking forms and single-volume headlamp/grille arrangement looks quite out of place.

The interior is better resolved, featuring a layered theme and a top surface that forms a distinctive cross shape, developing good depth and full volumes.