2011 Kia Sorento

Lesley Wimbush
Published: 20 04 2010

Kia’s Cute-Ute, re-invented

The latest iteration of the Kia Sorento shares nothing but a name with its predecessor - right down to its point of origin. A product of the brand-new, billion-dollar state-of-the-art facility in West Point, Georgia, Sorento has re-invented itself from the ground up.

Doing away with the truck-based, body on frame construction of the outgoing model in favour of a new unibody chassis shared with Hyundai’s Santa Fe, Sorento emerges as stiffer, more compliant crossover with increased cargo space and vastly improved levels of sound and comfort.

The move from a bulky rear-wheel drive format to the lighter front-wheel drive car-based architecture not only improves the level of driving refinement - it enables the Sorento to be more competitive in today’s tougher arena, which demands better fuel economy and stricter emissions standards.

It holds its own in a segment that includes the Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-7 and Ford Edge, with a lower base price, and with the exception of the RAV4, is the only one of the bunch to offer optional third row seating.

This week’s tester, an LX front wheel drive model equipped with the larger V6 engine, doesn’t exactly make a distinctive styling statement, but it’s handsome to look at and infinitely preferable to the plastic-clad ambiguity of its predecessor. Longer, lower and wider, the new Sorento ups its interior space to 4,035 litres. The cabin is a pleasant place to be; it’s readily apparent that the same level of effort has gone into transforming the interior. There’s a nice mix of contrasting textured plastic, and a well-designed dash features a hooded cowl over chrome-trimmed three-ring gauges with red backlighting. Shiny, fake-wood trim would be nicer if it were not so ... well ... shiny. Layout is ergonomically sound, although it took me a while to find the rear wiper control - a dash-mounted button left of the steering wheel.

Cloth seating in the entry level LX is firm and comfortable, and there are enough cup-holders (five) for a traveling coffee klatch. There are also plenty of cubbies and underfloor storage space.

Sirius Satellite radio let me tune into my favourite classic rock station and there was also an iPod connector, lest my choice of music become too much for my teenage nephew to bear.

Bizarrely, the dash-mounted starter button is perhaps meant for the family guy who longed for a Porsche Carrera but had to settle for an automatic, five-seat crossover. But the consolation is the bountiful room (rear seats easily flop forward with automatically dropping head restraints) - 2,052 litres of cargo space place the Sorento among the best in its segment.

Ride quality is vastly improved thanks to firm suspension, a lower centre of gravity and a rigid frame. There’s little shake, and wind noise, road vibration and bumps stop far short of reaching occupants. Steering is sharp, centred and nicely connected but fast lane changes can evoke some torque steer.

The 3.5 litre V6 is dead quiet at idle and cruise, but does become noisy when pushed. With an output of 273 hp and 247 lb.-ft. of torque, it moves the Sorento along smartly. There’s also a four-cylinder model available but fuel economy differences are negligible. The available all wheel drive system can only be had with the V6. All transmissions, whether auto or manual, offer six speeds. Our tester’s “Steptronic” automatic could be shifted manually, but I found it was much smoother when left to do the job itself.

Overall, Sorento offers a slightly larger, value-laden alternative to this segment’s traditional front-runners and is well worth a look.

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