Kia seem to have taken a leaf out of Ford’s book. While Henry’s sales slogan was “you can have any colour as long as it’s black”, Kia are saying “you can have any model of the new Sorento as long as it’s a diesel, with permanent four wheel drive and seven seats”.
It sounds like a strange ultimatum, but in fact it makes a lot of sense. The sort of people who will buy this upmarket flagship workhorse of the Korean range will want the strength and power of the great 2.2 litre diesel power unit and with it appealing to families, the extra set of seats will come in handy too.
Not just that, but when they’re not being used, those seats fold into the flat floor so the luggage space is unaffected and to leave them out would knock only a couple of hundred quid off what is a sizeable price tag.
So it comes with only one engine option and only as a seven-seater but I’m pleased to say the new Sorento has got some of the assets which made the original version such a hit. When it first appeared in 2002 it made a big impact as a sophisticated performer on the road and a surprisingly capable off-roader. It also picked up a host of awards as a competent towcar with an impressive towing capacity of 2500 kgs. When the second generation came along, that was reduced and the car lost some of its appeal to outdoor types and caravanners.
The third generation has put that right – but only if you go for the manual gearbox version which can tow up to 2500 kgs. The auto stays at 2000 kgs although almost everything else – including ground clearance, approach and ramp angles are the same, regardless of the gearbox choice.
The new vehicle marks the start of the second phase of Kia’s brand transformation which has been nothing short of meteoric over the past few years. It has gone from a cheap and cheerful make competing in the bargain basement department to a badge with increasing status and a high level of specification while maintaining a price range which represents great value for money. The company is quite clearly aiming to move upmarket and be seen as a world-class manufacturer of premium quality cars.
The Sorento – especially in the KX-3 spec of the test car – does exactly that. It comes crammed with equipment including 8 inch touchscreen satnav and a splendid virtual thin film transistor speedo display, a powered tailgate, premium sound system and panoramic sunroof with one-touch blinds. Spend another three and a half grand for the KX-4 and you’ll get extra luxurious touches like ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control, smart park assist and rear cross traffic alert.
All models from KX-2 up come with trailer stability assist which applies gentle front braking if it senses a potential loss of control of what’s being towed.
The Sorento is longer than the previous model with an increased wheelbase and it’s lower and wider. That means there’s more head and legroom inside in all three rows of seats and more luggage space too.
It looks a lot better too with a sleeker, more swept-back profile and the side doors are slimmer to fit more snugly into the frame. That allows a wider opening, but it also helps keep the seals free of dirt and moisture thrown up from the road.
The build quality is superb, helped by a new laser welding technique in the manufacturing process which allows for closer body panel connections.
The 2.2 litre diesel engine has a new common-rail fuel injection system with increased pressure which has boosted power to 197bhp and a balancer shaft reduces vibrations to return a refined feel while on the move.
The intelligent four wheel drive system was first seen in the compact SUV, the Sportage, and continuously monitors driving conditions and anticipates when all-wheel power might be needed, rather than more conventional systems which only react to changing conditions. On the open road it normally delivers all the power to the front wheels but can send up to 40% to the rear for cornering ability or if the road conditions deteriorate. On a variety of surfaces and weather, including driving rain, it felt as solid as a rock. I didn’t get the chance to take it off the black stuff, but I’ve every reason to believe it’s just as capable as its predecessor, if not more so.
The engineers have been working hard. There are new suspension systems at front and rear and the Sorento is the first to have rack-mounted motor driven power steering.
In previous models, the electric motor module which controlled the steering was halfway up the steering column. In the new Sorento it is mounted directly to the steering rack for sharper responses and greater precision.
Kia say it’s like trying to steer a blindfolded person from behind. If you direct them from the waist, they’re able to follow a more precise path than if directed at shoulder level.
All I know is it feels good – and the car sounds good too. To be precise, it is beautifully quiet thanks to the improved aerodynamics which reduce wind noise and significant sound deadening pads in the dashboard – almost 30% thicker than before – and around the wheel arches, wings and transmission tunnel.
Kia have certainly raised the bar with the new Sorento, which is built at their largest factory in Korea, and of course prices have gone up accordingly. The range now starts at £28,795 but you get a lot for your money…..and like every other Kia you get the unique seven-year transferable warranty.
CAR: Kia Sorento KX-3 2.2 CRDI 6-speed auto
PRICE: £37,595
POWER: 2.2 litre diesel 197bhp TORQUE: 441 Nm
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 124 mph 0-62 mph 9.6 secs
MPG: 42 mpg combined
CO2 EMISSIONS: 177 g/km
TT Rating:
