2012 Kia Sorento FULL ROAD TEST

Crossover. It’s a word we hear all the time in the car world but what does it really mean? Broadly speaking a crossover is essentially a vehicle based on a conventional car platform that mixes elements of a 4x4 or sport utility vehicle (SUV). The reason that crossovers exist is purely because the majority of buyers love the idea of a 4x4 but don’t actually need their go-anywhere ability, truck-like driving manners and high running costs. Today most buyers are drawn in by the image that has been placed upon the crossover’s shoulders, they show others that you are doing well in life and you enjoy an active lifestyle when really this may not be the case. As we found recently during our time with the Skoda Yeti the crossover formula works incredibly well, suiting the majority of buyers which is reflected in the steady increase in sales and popularity. Kia are no stranger to crossovers, they have in their line-up the attractive Sportage and the small but perfectly formed utilitarian-looking Soul which in their own right are very appealing cars. From 2002 onwards the Sorrento has sat at the top of Kia’s range with its heavy-duty ladder frame underpinnings providing superb off-road talent and the ability to tow anything you can think of. Through market research Kia found that today’s SUV buyers are younger, increasingly likely to be female and often wealthy urbanites who want the car for family use rather than the traditional country lifestyle. For these reasons the second generation model is an entirely different beast, launched in 2010 the new Sorento is now a crossover based upon an entirely new monocoque platform in a bid to generate a more car-like drive whilst improving fuel consumption and passenger comfort. We hit the road to find out how good the Sorento really is.

What is it?

The original Kia Sorento

The Sorrento was launched in 2010 and is Kia’s entry into the mid-size SUV market. It’s now in its second generation, the first of which took the class by storm in 2002 with is true mud plugging ability and aggressive pricing. It’s based on the same basic platform architecture as its cousin the Hyundai Sante Fe. The new car is available in either two or four wheel drive and with five or seven seats. There are a range of trim levels available from the base “1” to the top spec “KX-3” tested here, all are well-equipped and boast a maximum 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating. There are just two engine options, both diesel which consist of a 148bhp 2.0CRDi and 194bhp 2.2CRDi the latter of which is available in both 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions.  The Sorento sits at the very top of Kia’s range with prices starting from £23,105 rising to £33,505

Rivals: Nissan Qashqai+2, Land Rover Freeland, Hyundai Sante Fe

  Key Features

• 18" inch alloy wheels
• Automatic lights and wipers
• Dual zone climate control
• Touchscreen sat nav
• Cruise control
• Twin sunroofs
• Reversing camera
• Leather seats
• ABS, EBD, ESS,ESC
• 7 seats

A quick walk around the Sorento confirms that Peter Schreyer’s design touches work well on such a large vehicle. Up front there’s confident looking angular xenon headlights sitting at the edge of the bonnet with Kia’s signature grill in between that’s much larger than we have seen before. The edge of the bonnet wraps nicely down onto the wings and has slightly raised sides which not only looks good but also makes judging the corners of the car much easier. The side profile is dominated by large, squared off wheel arches which make the 18” rims on our car look tiny and neatly chiselled surfacing around the large window area and lower doors. The small rear quarter window and thick D-pillar do a great job of hiding the Sorento’s bulk further helped by large led rear light units. Unpainted body cladding all-round the lower sections of the car remind you of its off-road pretentions.  For such a big car at 4685mm in length and 1745mm high the Sorento’s athletic look is more than welcome and is one of the more attractive designs in its class.

Modern, chunky styling up front with Kia's signature "tiger nose" grill and xenon headlights.

Open the doors and you realise how high up the Sorento is, smaller passengers will find getting in quite a climb but for most it’s manageable enough. Once inside you will find a commanding driving position with plenty of adjustment via the electric seat and multi-adjustable steering column. A particular novelty of the high driving position is the ability to see over the top of smaller cars in traffic queues. The cabin design itself is attractive and is laid out in a logical fashion making operating any of the controls child’s play. The dashboard is lifted by flashes of silver trim intended to look like brushed aluminium and clear cowled dials similar to those we have seen on other models, our test cars large touchscreen navigation system also looked great and was easy to use. Although the cabins decently screwed together sadly quality is lacking, you won’t find any soft-touch plastics anywhere instead the surfaces are hard and scratchy completely at odds with the car costing in excess of £31,000, our car was also let down by quite a few annoying noises coming from the hollow plastic door panels.

Interor is smartly designed and clearly layed out but is let down by poor quality plastics.

Kia's signature red backlit dials look classy but are easy to read.

Rear parking sensors and reversing camera integrated into the sat-nav unit make parking easy.

Practicality is the Sorento’s trump card. There are plenty of cup holders and useful storage areas scattered around the cabin including a large glovebox and massive storage box located under the front armrest. Head and legroom all round are more than adequate, the unobtrusive transmission tunnel and wide cabin make the middle passenger seat perfectly functional with no need for cramped shoulders. The comfortable rear seats can also be reclined for in-journey naps. Our Sorento came with two additional seats that emerge from the boot floor which although eating into boot space are perfectly usable for children and teenagers alike, the only niggle is getting to the seats which are accessed by tumbling one of the rear seats forward. With the rear most seats in place like most 7-seaters boot space isn’t great at 111 litres but fold them away and this swells to a respectable 531 litres and the absence of load lip makes cramming the Sorento with luggage easy, you will also find a nifty under floor storage space for oddments.

Equipment on our top of the range KX-3 is extremely generous with Sat nav, leather seats, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, parking sensors with reversing camera, dual zone climate control and IPod connectivity as standard. An especially nice touch is the ambient night-time cabin lighting in a soothing red colour and illuminated “Sorento” kick plates which added an air of sophistication to the cabin.

Rear accommodation is generous and leather seats are very comfortable.

Space in the rear-most seats is impressive, most adults will be comfortable.

Powering the Sorento is a superbly refined 2.2 litre, 194bhp common rail turbo diesel engine that chucks out an impressive 311lb/ft of torque from just 1800 rpm. Acceleration is pretty brisk considering a kerb weight of 1975kg at 9.2 seconds with a top speed of 118 mph.  Power delivery is smooth and strong throughout the rev range with minimal down changes needed when climbing hills. Kia promises that the Sorento will return 42.2mpg on a combined cycle, we managed 30mpg around town and 40mpg on a long run both of which are respectable for a car of this type. Emissions are noticeably better than the previous model by some margin but are still quite high at 177g/km which places the Sorento into VED band I resulting in an annual cost of £325.

On the move there is no getting away from the fact that you are piloting a heavy car, it feels it but the controls suggest otherwise. The steering is perfectly weighted, if lacking in feel and the pedals have an easy, smooth action. With 302mm ventilated brake discs at each corner stopping power is impressive with good pedal feel but the 6-speed gearbox is a bit of a let-down, its action is effortless but feels overly vague and stodgy especially compared to Kia’s recent offerings. Expecting the Sorento to handle like a conventional car would be a mistake; instead it feels safe, assured and comfortable. The ride quality as expected of a car with jacked-up suspension is good, it avoids the soft wallowy nature of some 4x4s instead opting for slightly firmer springs that only struggle on the worst rutted country lanes where the relatively heavy wheels refuse to react quickly enough sharp bumps. During cornering turn in is blunted by the tall tyres, body roll is evident but never a problem and grip levels are good making for a decent drive so long as your aren’t looking for thrills.  Refinement is first class with minimal wind and road noise which is an achievement for a car with large tyres and squared off styling. The engine is also remarkably quiet at all times even when revved hard making the Sorento the perfect companion for long motorway jaunts.

Space in the boot decent with no load lip, luggage cover can be moved into various positions.

Although we were unable to put the Sorento’s off-road ability to the test due to the lack of suitable terrain we found that its four wheel drive system handled muddy farm tracks well.  Under normal conditions 100 percent of the engine’s torque is sent to the front wheels but whenever a front wheels lose grip a variable percentage of power is automatically transferred to the rear wheels to maintain forward motion. There is also a “lock mode” to improve traction by splitting torque 50:50 between the front and rear axles. Four wheel drive Sorento’s also come with standard fit Hill-start Assist Control which prevents wheel spin and slipping backwards when setting off and Downhill Brake Control (DBC) which limits the vehicle speed to 5mph during steep descents.

For those looking at a Sorento to use as a tow car may be disappointed. The previous model was able to tow 3500kg, the maximum load allowed by law but the new models monocoque chassis sees a reduction to a maximum braked load of just 2500kg. For most this will be perfectly acceptable and given the gains in other areas such as road manner it’s a worth-while compromise.

Photos by Rob McSorley / Mathew Brooks

Words by Rob McSorley

Technical Data

Price as tested: £31,990
Engine: 2.2 16v 194bhp - 0-62mph: 9.2 secs - Maximum Speed: 118mph -
Economy: 32.1mpg (urban) –51.4mpg (extra-urban), 42.2mpg (combined) - Emissions: 1177g/km (Band I) - VED (12 months): £325
Dimensions: Length: 4685mm - Width: 1885mm - Height: 1745mm - Wheelbase: 2700mm

*data from Kia UK

The Verdict 3.5/5

Our time with the Sorento has shown us that Kia still has what it takes to design a truly versatile mid-sized 4x4. The shift from a heavy-duty truck based platform to a more modern monocoque design is a smart move making it easier to live with day-to-day. We found it ideally suited to growing families with its practical, well-designed 7-seat cabin that’s loaded with standard kit. On the road we found the Sorento refined and easy to drive although as expected it isn’t the last word in driver involvement. Add into the mix a strong powertrain, acceptable running costs and Kia’s 7-year 100,000 mile warranty and you have a car that has a lot to offer. The only fly in the ointment is the cabin that uses some pretty cheap feeling plastics and also the Sorento’s asking price that closes the gap on more established, premium offerings such as the Land Rover Freelander.

You will like

Styling

Equipment

Cabin Space

Refinement

You wont like

Cabin build quality

Expensive in some trims

Stodgy gear change

Special Thanks to; Kia Motors (UK) Limited, 2 The Heights , Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0NY