Kia Sorento Review

In 2002, Kia changed the perception of how consumers looked at the brand when it launched the original Sorento. Now in 2015, Kia is again using its flagship car as a barometer for how the brand is changing. In 2002, it was about design, today it is about positioning the brand as a more premium player. This Sorento is the first nod in that direction but up against rivals including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan’s X-Trail and even Land Rover’s Discovery Sport, the battlefield will certainly be a tough one.

With only one engine to choose from there is certainly no chance of getting in a muddle about choosing a petrol unit over a diesel or vice versa. The sole engine is a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 197bhp. This is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox or there is the option of opting for a six-speed automatic ‘box.

Although the Sorento is a sizeable offering, it can still complete the benchmark sprint in 9.0 seconds (9.6 seconds when using the auto ‘box) and has a top speed of 124mph.

Comfort is a major plus. The Sorento is easy to drive and this car eats up long motorway journeys. It is never going to set the heather on fire with a dynamic set-up but the Sorento is more than fit for purpose. Compared to rivals including the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Sorento more than holds its own. For a car of this size there is minimal bodyroll and the suspension soaks up the majority of lumps and bumps in the road. 

This is one of the most impressive characteristics. The engineers have made improvements to cancel out engine and road noise and you really can tell. There has been an improvement of 9% in noise cancellation. The new Sorento, in that sense, is a relaxing place to spend time in, even when at motorway speeds there is no need to raise your voice. It really is quiet, a massive step-up from the previous iteration. 

Four trim levels are available on the Sorento. These include KX-1, KX-2, KX-3 and KX-4. Highlights on the entry-level model include LED daytime running lights, LED indicators, steering wheel mounted controls, cruise control and reversing sensors.

Move up to KX-2 and this trim adds chrome detailing on the exterior, heated front and outer rear seats, aircon, a seven-inch touchscreen sat-nav and a reversing camera.

The most popular trim in the UK is likely to be the KX-3 grade and includes Xenon headlights with automatic leveling, adaptive front lighting, eight-inch touchscreen and a lane departure warning system. These are just a few of the highlights.

The flagship trim, KX-4 comes with all the bells and whistles that you could imagine. Not only has it all of the above but adds a 10-way adjustable driver’s seat with four-way powered lumbar adjustment and an eight-way adjustable front passenger seat, ventilated front seats and adaptive Smart cruise control. We could go on but the equipment list is huge, this Sorento is a lot of bang for your buck.

The driving position is first class with good visibility. The parking sensors on the rear of the car or the reversing camera (if you opt for KX-2 upwards) are a boon when parking in cramped urban town centres.

Longer and wider than the outgoing model means that there is even more space on the inside of the Kia Sorento. It has increased by 95mm in length and is 5mm in width. This means significant improvements in front and rear space for passengers as the boot space has grown by 90 litres on the previous model.

Even with the seven seats in use you will have 142 litres of luggage space, this expands to 605 litres with five seats in use and when the rear-most seats are folded flat then the Sorento’s boot offers a carrying capacity of 1,662 litres.

Use the car with five seats in play and you will have a larger luggage space than the Hyundai Santa Fe (516 litres) and Nissan’s X-Trail (550 litres).

With seven seats to play with, the Sorento is incredibly versatile. The middle row splits 40/20/40, making carrying awkward items child’s play.

Kia has made great strides with its flagship model – not only does it offer more kit as standard, its new 2.2-litre engine is cleaner, more frugal and is EU6 compliant than the outgoing model. Whether you opt for the manual or the automatic ‘box, both come with intelligent Stop and Go (ISG) helping to keep emissions low and conserve fuel when the car comes to a halt. Manual models will return an official 49.5mpg on the combined cycle with emissions of 149g/km of Co2 whereas the auto versions return 43.4mpg on the combined cycle and 172g/km of Co2. Road tax will cost between £145 and £225. Private buyers are likely to choose the manual transmission whereas company car drivers are more likely to opt for the auto gearbox.

The Sorento is a sign of the times. Kia is on the up and looking towards the premium makers. The interior is a plush place to spend time in with the plastics and materials all of a high quality. The seven-year warranty gives buyers added peace of mind and it is still the leading warranty of any manufacturer in the UK. The faith in its products allows Kia to offer this – a true testament to its product line-up.

Loaded with safety kit as standard, it is a no –brainer then that the Sorento achieved a five star rating from Euro NCAP. An impressive list of safety systems include lane departure warning system with blind spot detection and a roll-over sensor that deploys the airbags which activates if the car is involved in a roll-over accident.