Review - Kia Sorento

What is it?

The last time I was in a Sorento it was being used as a taxi. It swallowed up 4 passengers and our luggage, and there was a lot of luggage, and hushed us through busy London traffic to our destination in air condition comfort and civility. This reminded me of what a cracking SUV the Sorento is, and as soon as I returned from my travels I booked one for a week.

The Sorento, in case you weren’t aware, is Kia’s flagship model, and now in its 3rd incarnation Kia have not only given it a new look, but they’ve also brought it up to the premium segment.

On the road

Often there’s a moment when you’re driving a car when everything comes together, you begin to fully understand its purpose in the world. For me, I was driving the previous Sorento back from Wales, it was three in the morning, the roads were clear and Muddy Madam was fast asleep beside me.

The Sorento cruised along at typical motorway speeds, with each mile passing like it wasn’t there and I remember feeling totally at peace with everything. OK, I’ll admit that that last bit came across as a bit corny, but it’s true.

This latest version is the same, it’ll take you anywhere in comfort and you’ll disembark at the end of your journey feeling as fresh as a daisy. The new 8-speed automatic gearbox is effortless in its changes blending one gear into the next performing really well.

I found the suspension, steering and overall handling to be comfortable on for a large 4x4. Though it isn’t a sports car, the AWD system and Advanced Traction Cornering Control gives you plenty of confidence on wet roads, but beware, the Sorento isn’t set up for that kind of spirited driving.

Having said that, I’ve also driven the 6-speed manual Sorento, and what a difference it made! I’m not going to say that the 8-speed automatic is a lethargic barge, it isn’t by no means, but the manual transformed the 197bhp Sorento into an SUV that you can have real fun with.

Off road

Every time I’m on a Kia media event I tell them that they should organise an off-roading section because both the Sorento and Sportage are actually very good off the beaten track.

The Sorento has Kia’s intelligent Dynamax AWD system that has never let me down whilst either on green-lanes or messing about on my friends farm. It comes equipped with a 4x4 Lock button which gives you 50/50 split in drive up to 25mph, but I’ve never actually needed it as the Sorento has always figured things out for itself and kept me going, even on road biased tyres.

Like any SUV of this type, you need to be aware of its lack of approach (16.9º), departure (21º) and ground clearance (185mm), but careful spotting will get you places that will amaze other 4x4 owners whilst you’re out enjoying our network of green-lanes.

Interior

As I’ve hinted to above, the Sorento is a very nice place to be, the 8-speed auto ‘box enhances the feeling of calm serenity, as does the lack of wind and road noise.

Our Sorento for the week was the KX-3 version and boasted improvements like a full length panoramic roof, 8-way power adjustment on the drivers seat and, well the list just goes on and on.

There’s a blend of leather upholstery and soft-touch materials which also feel quite hardy and long lasting. There’s plenty of space for your gubbins, even for rear passengers who also get plenty of legroom and reclining rear seats.

At the rear there’s a powered Smart Tailgate, and when you’re within one metre of the rear of the car, and have the car key on you, the tailgate opens automatically after 3 seconds. The Smart Tailgate has the added benefit of being able to be set to raise to different heights depending on how short or tall you are, which is handy.

The boot itself is 87mm longer than in the previous model (third row seats folded) which, along with the increase in wheelbase, significantly increases its carrying capacity. You now get 142 litres of luggage space when all seats are in use, 605 litres with the third-row seats folded (an increase of17.5%) and 1,662 litres with everything flat, which is 90 litres more than the previous model.

Engine ’n’ gearbox

In the UK you have 1 engine and 2 gearboxes to choose from and combined mpg for all models is almost identical at 46.3 - 47.1mpg, with C02 outputs being similarly matched at 157 for the manual and 161 for the auto.

During the week I couldn’t quite match the official fuel figures as the on board computer told me I was averaging around 41mpg, which wasn’t bad, considering.

Conclusion

I reckon that the Sorento remains one of the most under appreciated premium SUV’s on the market, which is surprising as it really is a cracking car. Overall it’s a fabulously practical family bus that offers a comfortable and untroubled ride.

And let’s not forget Kia’s Seven-year, 100,000-mile manufacturer warranty, which is unlimited for the first three years, and transferable if the car is sold within the time and mileage limit. You also get a 5 year, 100,000-mile paintwork and 12 year anticorrosion warranty.

Website: https://www.kia.com/uk/ Prices from £30,225 for the KX-1 to £42,925 for the GT-Line S