SYDNEY: Now we have the third iteration of the Sorento and it remains a full-sized 4×4. The key change here is Kia has repositioned the car a little further upmarket, with the top spec model costing £41,000.
That puts the Sorento into one of the most hotly contested premium sectors of the market, up against names such as Audi, BMW, Land Rover and Volvo.
Objectively, there is no reason for Kia not to rival, or better, any of these competing brands.
However, the UK’s car market is heavily influenced by snobbery; likely to have a bearing on how many cars Kia sells at £40,000-plus.
The good news is Kia has very wisely centred its attentions on the more affordable models in the new Sorento range, which kicks off at £28,795.
This makes it more affordable than a Land Rover Discovery Sport or Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the pick of the Sorento range is the KX-2 model that comes with almost every essential, gadget and luxury from £31,995.
The single-choice, new, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel has 197bhp, marginally up on the previous generation’s, and more than enough low and mid-range grunt for anything demanded of it.
You will not beat any records away from the traffic lights in the Sorento though.
The manual manages the 0 to 60mph in 9.0 seconds and the automatic takes 9.6 seconds with a 124mph top speed, but you will enjoy a well controlled ride that mops up coarse road surfaces without the payoff of too much lean in corners.
That might not be so much of a concern for those involved with towing though, for which the Sorento is very popular.
With the six-speed manual gearbox it can lug up to 2,500kg which is no small figure.
The six-speed auto is restricted to 2,000kg, though all Sorentos come with four-wheel drive as standard so pulling a horsebox out of a muddy field is likely to be trouble-free.
Good as the manual is; and it is the cleanest, most economical choice too, we would still err towards the auto for its more relaxed nature as it gently slithers from one ratio to the next.
Choose the automatic gearbox, though, which is not available with the cheapest KX-1 model, and fuel economy and emissions dip to 42.2mpg and 177g/km respectively compared to the manual’s 49.6mpg and 149g/km.
Refinement is another strong point in favour of the new Sorento.
Kia has avoided the pitfall of trying to make the Sorento in any way sporting and instead concentrated on making it a quiet companion on any journey.
Wind and road noise are only distant hums, even on motorways, and you need to really push the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine to its limits before it begins to intrude into the cabin.
Equipment-wise, on the KX-2 version you get alloy wheels, cruise control, air conditioning, electric windows, front wiper de-icer, rear parking sensors, ESP and six airbags, and the Trailer Assist for safe towing that is also included with the entry-level KX-1 model.
The KX-2 further gains automatic lights and wipers, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, reversing camera and satellite navigation.
That is a long list of equipment and the only extra you may be tempted to add is the automatic gearbox for £1,750.
Even at these prices, Kia has not lost sight of its value-formoney commitment, so all Sorentos come with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty and those sold in the UK have seven seats as standard.
Thanks to it being longer than its predecessor, the latest Sorento has much more passenger space.
This is especially notable in the third row of seats where two adults can sit in comfort, turning the Kia into a genuine seven seater rather than the five plus two of most of its competitors.
It is also easy to step in and out of the rear seats or fold them away to leave a cavernous 605-litre boot.
Along with a fractionally lower roofline and slightly wider body, the Sorento offers masses of space for its occupants.
Just as importantly, it now looks and feels much sturdier and classier, helping to justify the push upmarket by Kia.
Gone are the rugged hard plastics, replaced with soft-touch materials that also absorb more sound.
All of this means that the new Sorento compares well against its premium badged rivals.
Some may offer more initial snob appeal, but the Sorento gently wins you over with its all-round ability, laid back drive and traditional value for money proposition that has seen the Sorento come so far in little more than a decade.
