Kia Sorento 2005 Review

Price check: Around $40,000 for the top-spec version.

Are you sure? Yes. Kia's Sorento SUV gets a lot of ticks in the positive column but the biggest is reserved for its value for money.

You could spend a lot more and still not get a four-wheel-drive that can seat five adults and all their luggage in any more comfort than the Sorento.

On test was the top-of-the range "leather-pack" auto, which also includes a sunroof and adds $2800 to the base price of $37,950. The manual is $35,950.

The $2800 is money well spent as it takes the stylish Sorento into the lower realms of luxury motoring.

Kia has been very clever with the Sorento. It has loaded it with features that are options on many of its rivals.

You get keyless entry and engine immobiliser; power windows and mirrors (the mirrors are also heated for demisting); overhead display for altitude, direction and barometric pressure; cruise control; sockets for phones, DVD players and laptops; airconditioning with plenty of vents strategically placed around the cabin; and a lot of storage space.

Around 900 litres is available with a pull-over cover as standard. If you take up the 60/40 split-folding rear-seat option, you get up to 1960 litres of luggage space.

This cargo area can be easily accessed through the remote-operated rear window without opening the tailgate. It's features like this that make the Sorento an easy vehicle to live with. There is a lot of versatility built into it. For example, the ladder chassis helps give it a maximum towing weight (brakes) of 2300kg.

It you think this makes the Sorento a workhorse, think again. Slightly understated European styling gives a classy, blended look that holds its own against a lot of rivals in the inner city fashion stakes.

The Sorento is undemanding to drive in everyday conditions.

Pushed hard through corners, the power steering feels a bit vague and the suspension slightly mushy.

There is also some wind noise at freeway cruising speed but these areas are among the few compromises of this budget-beater. The optional sunroof works well and adds another dimension to the driving experience. A 3.5-litre V6 engine, mated to a five-speed automatic, pulls the 2027kg Sorento along quite briskly. The 24-valve, DOHC, fuel-injected motor produces 145kW of power at 5500rpm and maximum torque of 295Nm at a useful 3000rpm.

High-range four-wheel drive can be selected at up to 80km/h, which is good if road conditions change. Low-range has to be selected at standstill but it's no big deal as you'd want to assess the situation anyway before charging on. It's just another turn of the dashboard knob.

A little more engine braking would be good on steep descents but, generally, the Sorento performs well in tougher conditions.

Fast dirt roads, however, require care as the suspension gets a bit flustered by corrugations and sudden dips. Nothing feels like it's about to let go as the limited-slip differential system feeds drive to the wheel getting better traction.

The anti-lock brake system features ventilated discs on all wheels. It's a good, strong system that makes the Sorento ideal for towing duties.

Passenger safety is based around the ladder chassis. This works with the body's front and rear crumple zones to absorb any impact, while the occupants are protected inside a safety cell comprising the door and window pillars. There are also dual front airbags.

As the Sorento is a relative newcomer to the SUV market, there are questions about resale value. They can best be answered by a few statistics. Kia sales have increased five-fold since the 1990s. The company is expanding aggressively with design centres in the U.S., Europe and Asia. It has assembly plants in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Kia is here to stay and the Sorento is a linchpin in its sales and marketing prestige in Australia.

The recent success of Ford's Territory has given the middleweight SUV market a new focus that Kia is poised to take advantage of.