2010 Kia Sorento Reviews

Kia refettled the Sorento for those who understood their city limits. New Kia diverted from the bush and went closer to the 'burbs with its all-new Sorento wagon in 2009. Gone were the low-range transmissions in its four-wheel drive models — in came economy-oriented four-cylinder and front-wheel drive models. These

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 as a used buy.

THIS is a classic example of not being able to judge a book by its cover - or in this case, a brand by just one model, the Rio.  But the small car's maker, South Korea's Kia, is far from being just a cheap and cheerful car company. Kia also produces a fine soft-roader wagon.We have been driving the most popular version of Sorento - the mid-spec SLi with an on-demand all-wheel drive system - and came away more than impressed.  It ticks the boxes as a quality family wagon with seven seats, it has a two-tonne tow capacity and, in diesel form at least, has terrific fuel economy.The Sorento was reborn last year - the former body-on-frame chassis was replaced with a monocoque design, engine size was downsized to 2.2-litres in the diesel (offering 145kW and 436Nm), low range was ditched, the styling was sharpened and it lost weight. The result is a wagon which is remarkably quiet, comfortable and cheap to run.The SLi diesel with a six-speed automatic/sequential manual gearbox sells for $45,990, plus on-road costs. Two weeks behind the wheel, a mix of highway and urban driving, some easy off-road work and towing a trailer laden with half a tonne of firewood saw average fuel consumption swing from 8.4l/100km to 12.6l/100km. That gave the Sorento a range of about 800km between fills from the 70-litre tank.There were two things which impressed - how easy it is to drive and how comfortable it is, with generous in-cabin storage space. With the third-row seats folded, the boot space is also generous but it all but disappears when the seats are in use. Once you climb in, the rear seats are not too bad in the comfort stakes, even for adults, unlike some seven-seaters I've driven.The SLi comes with dual airconditioning, central locking, power windows and mirrors, 18in alloy wheels, fog lamps, cruise control, stability control, six airbags, rear park sensors, reversing camera, hill start and downhill assist.  Missing? The obvious ones are Bluetooth and satellite navigation but I'd like to see more 12-volt power outlets.The Sorento's downsides are its ride, which can be annoyingly rigid at times, especially on poor urban roads, some of the cabin design (such as the awkward positioning of the trip computer button behind the steering wheel) is a work in progress and there's an odd, soft feeling to the brakes.There's a little bit of traditional turbo lag off the line, but the diesel is punchy enough and remarkably quiet.  Push the wagon along the twisty stuff and it doesn't show any real vices, either. The wagon feels balanced and secure. The ride is good on gravel but poorly-surfaced urban streets can catch it out. It's almost if the dampening can't quite keep pace with the drive.This is a soft-roader, so offroad work is limited by tyres. It comes big on value for money, economy - and quality.

More and more manufacturers are realising they can attract extra sales by creating two-wheel-drive versions of their 'soft roaders'.2WD buyers are looking for the practicality of the wagon - a commanding driving position, perhaps a little higher ride height for a short drive down a dry dirt track, the 'look' of an SUV, strong suspension, and in some cases seven seats - without getting a people-mover.If they don’t need to go offroad, in the snow, through muddy tracks, they don’t need the four-wheel-drive ability. But they can get everything else they want with 2WD versions of the SUV.What’s the benefit of 2WD?By opting for the 2WD version, the vehicle costs thousands of dollars less because that second set of drive-shafts, differentials, wheel joints and bits are not in the vehicle. And that means the 2WD versions weigh considerably less. Less weight means less fuel, a cost saving to the owner and lower exhaust emissions for the planet. And less weight means better performance in acceleration and handling.The month of May this year was the best-ever May for new-vehicle sales in Australia. Part of the reason was a staggering 29 per cent growth in SUV sales over May of last year. Clearly Aussies still love their SUVs and many of those extra sales were because of 2WD versions.Toyota offering its large Kluger in 2WD and 4WD, in all trim levels. The choice (between 2WD and 4WD) will give buyers an alternative purchase decision based on their real needs. Toyota also offers the RAV4, which gets revised gear ratios for with 2WD.Ford launched its Territory SUV in 2004 in 4WD and 2WD right from the start. But some brands don’t offer the full choice of models of the 4WD. For example, the Kia Sorento 2WD cannot have Kia's excellent turbo-diesel engine of the 4WD, but it's recognised that 2WD buyers are looking for lower buying and running costs and so only a base model engine is provided.KIA SORENTO - $36,490 Drives well with good ride; six-speed automatic, fuel economy Engine sometimes works hard to move 1814kg weightA much better onroad wagon than previous (4WD-only) model. The 2WD Kia Sorento is available only with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine to keep down cost.Engine: 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, petrolPower: 128kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 226Nm @ 3750rpmTransmission: Six-speed automatic; front-wheel-drive.HOLDEN CAPTIVA - $27,990 Low price, plenty of Holden dealers for back-up Modest power, tows only 1500kg, no auto optionThe Holden Captiva 2WD gives wagon motoring to Holden followers not wanting a V6 or V8 Commodore Sportwagon. Captiva has been selling well lately.Engine: 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, petrolPower: 103kW @ 5200rpmTorque: 220Nm @ 2400rpmTransmission: Five-speed manual; front-wheel-drive.TOYOTA KLUGER - $40,990 Engine power, full model range, including seven-seater Large, blunt design, fuel useThe larger option from Toyota can be had in all the trim levels of the Kluger 4WDs, which means seven-seaters as well. The well-known 3.5 V6 engine is a good 'un.Engine: 3.5-litre, V6, petrolPower: 201kW @ 6200rpmTorque: 337Nm @ 4700rpmTransmission: Five-speed automatic; front-wheel-drive.FORD TERRITORY - $39,890 Torque at low revs, parts costs, seven-seat option Size to park, fuel use, dating body shape, auto only a four-speedThe only Australian-designed and built SUV, Territory uses Ford Falcon running gear and is a popular vehicle, especially now that Falcon wagon is ceasing production.Engine: Four-litre, six-cylinder, petrolPower: 190kW @ 5250rpmTorque: 383Nm @ 2500rpmTransmission: Four-speed automatic; rear-wheel-drive.BMW X1 sDrive18i - $43,500 BMW owner pride, diesel option, equipment, fuel economy, 1430kg weight Expensive parts and servicingBMW's new compact SUV in two-wheel-drive form is known as the sDrive. It is one of the low-cost ways of getting behind the famous BMW badge and suits Yuppies.Engine: Two-litre, four-cylinder, petrolPower: 110kW @ 6400rpmTorque: 200Nm @ 3600rpmTransmission: Six-speed manual (optional six-speed automatic); rear-wheel-drive.TOYOTA RAV4 - $28,990 Fuel economy, Toyota reputation, modest kerb weight (1525kg), price Tows only 1500kgRAV is the most recent 4WD SUV available in 2WD and uses the Toyota Camry 2.4 engine. RAV started the compact SUV segment and has kept updated nicely since.Engine: 2.4-litre, four-cylinder, petrolPower: 125kW @ 6000rpmTorque: 224Nm @ 4000rpmTransmission: Five-speed manual (optional four-speed automatic); front-wheel-drive.

CarsGuide has assembled our top 10 motoring snow companions.

Take two Korean twins into the Australian bush and you could have trouble telling them apart. That's what happened when we took loaded up a Kia Sorento and a Hyundai Santa Fe to the gunwales with people and camping gear and headed into the bush to Queensland's majestic Carnarvon Gorge.Our test vehicles were both top-spec diesel models, just the type of vehicle a grey nomad are considering for their lap of the continent.After more than 2000km of highway, country road and limited dirt and offroad driving, we had a hard time telling them apart. They look, feel and even sound similar. Making a buying choice could be even more difficult. Far from being out of their depth in the Aussie bush, these Korean softroaders excel with a quiet, comfortable ride and performance levels that will challenge the average Aussie's view of what it takes to get around west of the Great Divide.The Koreans are forging ahead with Hyundai not far behind Ford, even outselling them in February. Hyundai's sister company, Kia, is a long way back, but surging past Mercedes-Benz and BMW and not far behind Suzuki. Their keys to success are not cheap and cheerful vehicles, but reliable, quality products.What are the differences?The Santa Fe and Sorento are basically built off the same platform with the same underpinnings, shared engineering and engines. On several occasions during the test, I forgot which vehicle I was driving, so similar are the controls and appearance, especially inside.Outside, there is more difference. Voting on the most stylish was divided among friends and family with some preferring the bulkier and more noble look of the Hyundai and others admiring the sleeker Kia with its extra touches of chrome bling.The differences are basically an optical illusion as the silhouettes are almost identical. Kia has made their SUV appear sleeker and slimmer by having higher black plastic mouldings which reduce the amount of painted panels. By comparison the Hyundai looks a little saggy in the rear end. Interiors are also fairly similar and you could easily step from one to the other and operate all the controls and audio functions without having to look.EquipmentBoth have a load of creature features fitted: six airbags, rear parking sensors, cruise control, climate air and leather steering wheel. One of the best features of the two vehicles is the reversing camera screen in the rearview mirror, which is the first place you look when reversing.And how about those electric front seats. They move forward, back, up and down, tilt and have adjustable lumbar support - more positions than the Kama Sutra.The interior differences are few and far between, but could be crucial in making a buying decision. For example if you have rowdy kids, you might want to go for the Hyundai which has a clever convex mirror under the standard rearview mirror which allows parents to check on who started the latest fight.If you have a lot of MP3 players, mobile phones, portable fridges etc, you also might like to buy the Hyundai as it has four 12V outlets compared with two in the Kia.The Hyundai also has an airconditioning vent in the centre console which acts as a chill box. The console has a two-stage lid which helps keep some items separate. However, the Kia has a bigger bin with a small removable inner small bin inside.Both have good build quality inside and while the plastics are a bit hard in places, the Hyundai has slightly better feel on the steering wheel. Its leather seats are also just a shade softer, but neither is particularly plush against your backside.The Kia brings a little bling inside with nice touches of chrome and the word "Sorento" in the door kicker which lights up. It's a slightly more upmarket feel in the cabin. Instruments are near identical except that the Hyundai lights up in blue and the Kia in red. Both have three rows of seats and separate airconditioning controls for the passengers and even the supplied iPod cable will work in either vehicle. So a buying decision could come down to your favourite colour.DrivingIn driving dynamics there is even less of a divide. They both steer slightly lightly around the centre and have an initial tip in the body on turn-in, but don't wallow or lean too much more under heavy cornering.Brake pedals have a plush feel, but deliver similar strong stopping performance even when packed and on loose surfaces. Tyre noise and grip is similar despite the Hyundai running Khumo 235/60R18 tyres and Kia on Nexen 235/60R18 rubber. The diesel engines are the same and have identical power and torque figures, pulling surprisingly well up some steep Central Highlands inclines.Both have a slight turbo lag off idle, but then the power then comes on hot and strong, sometimes giving a bit of a tug on the steering wheel and sending the outside wheel for a short spin until the stability control cuts in if you are on loose or slippery surface. I had previously found the Hyundai engine noise a little intrusive, but once settled into the rhythm of the highway, it was not a problem and no louder than the Kia.While both have capable off-road drive components with electronic locking diffs, slightly more serious off-roaders who like to tackle steep descents may consider the Kia which has a hill descent selector.Over a week of bush driving, both diesel vehicles returned identical fuel econmomy figures of eight litres per 100km. That was the same figure I obtained from the Santa Fe over a week of purely urban duties. The extra load and off-road duties obviously offsetting the highway cruise.So if you are making a choice between these two capable Korean SUVs it might come down to the flip of a coin or your favourite colour. Either way, you shouldn't be disappointed.Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia SorentoPRICES: $48,490 (Santa Fe Highlander), $48,990 (Sorento Platinum)ENGINES: 2.2-litre turbo dieselPOWER: 145kWTORQUE: 436NmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed autoFUEL TANK: 70 litresTOWING: 2000kg (braked)KERB WEIGHT: 1988kg (Hyundai), 1959kg (Kia)SAFETY: stability control, six airbags and 5-star crash rating

Kia was heading in the right direction with an affordable, durable (in a slightly backyard kind of way) 4WD wagon that made up for Tonka toy styling with stuff that the big LandCruisers got - like a low-range gearbox, full ladder frame chassis and high ground clearance. It was, to families who wanted to inhale the eucalyptus fragrance of adventure, a well-priced, offroad-capable and city and family-friendly car.And the Kia Sorento - one ‘r’ because Toyota licensed the other ‘r’ in its Avalon Sorrento limited-edition special - did quite well on the sales charts. That was, until the truth came out about what these families actually did with their dirt-capable wagon on weekends. 'Sod all'... because the parents were too busy moving children from one sports oval to the next and fighting with the rest of town for supermarket shopping bays. Which made Kia, and all of its rivals, figure that adding all the off-roady bits was all a bit pointless. So the carmakers simply took the bits back.Now its Sorento wagon comes with seven-seat room for the kids and their sports gear for Saturdays and a tall riding stance to locate a parking bay in a crowded shopping complex. The suspension is more compliant and the floor level is lower, so you don't show too much leg while boarding. The girls will also appreciate this feature. It's quieter, easier to drive, has better ergonomics, looks a lot - a real lot, in fact – better.Thanks to sharing engine development with its parent Hyundai, now comes with an excellent turbo-diesel engine and delightful six-speed automatic transmission. This 2.2-litre R-Series four-cylinder drank an average of 8.7 litres/100km on its predominantly city-suburbs route which - given its size and capacity for load - was pretty good. Even better was its verve. Strong from idle to give it a push away from the lights, it breathed second wind at about 2000rpm for a healthy kick that really dazzled neighbouring traffic.The engine is also remarkably quiet and this, together with its elastic power delivery and its choice of six cogs, made it surprisingly smooth and almost unassuming. That said, the engine - which is set transverse with a T-drive for the prop to head to the back wheels - isn't just made for the city streets. It cruises without fuss and the only complaint is that it can occasionally be uncomfortable in its top gear and doesn't easily select a lower cog to ease its pain. It does, however, have sequential shift so individual gears can be locked. You can go over firm sand, it'll run a beach or two and enjoys gravel, but rock hopping isn't its bag. So it's not a big adventure machine but it's still a great package.The rest of the chassis works without complaint. I was pleasantly surprised with the steering that has, thanks to some reworking, lost a lot of its disconcerting vagueness and lifeless feel. It's no BMW now, but it's a heck of a lot better than before. The third row of two individual seats lifts neatly from the cargo floor and will accommodate two adults for short journeys. Though it lacks windows back there, it does get big airconditioning vents (as does the centre row) with its own fan speed dial, plus a storage bin and cupholders.There's more room in the centre seat which adds split, fold and tumble modes plus a recline function for sleepyheads. Parents will appreciate the lower floor height if they're loading babies or toddlers. Most of the niceties mentioned here about the Sorento is thanks to its upmarket Platinum trim level. You can buy a Sorento for $36,490 and it's pretty complete. The Platinum costs $48,990 and while that's a lot of money, it's actually better value than most of its peers.Amongst the Platinum's goodies are two sunroofs - well, a tilt glass with shade-cloth slide at the front and the shade-cloth cove for the rear unit. Kids love it, though, because of the night-sky outlook and airy daytime feel. The audio accepts iPod, other auxiliary appliances and a USB stick. The reverse camera is a beauty with its screen within the rear vision mirror - clever - and the keyless start has a port within the centre console to recharge the key fob.

If there was a turning point when Korean cars were not just thought of as cheap but started to earn respect as worthy in engineering and quality, I'd nominate the introduction of the Kia Sorento in February 2003.Now, the latest edition Sorento advances that, to add style, comfort and space into the mix, to create an attractive proposition in the medium-large SUV wagon sector.In these past seven years, other Korean cars have stood up, too. Kia's own Cerato sedan and Koup being a good look in any driveway, sister brand Hyundai becoming a valid big seller and its i30 a big force in the small-car segment, and brands such as Holden sourcing cars from Korea, such as Captiva and the popular Cruze.The point being: don't dismiss something because it's Korean. The Kia Sorento is an excellent example of a good thing to own and drive if you can overcome any lingering badge snobbery.Sorento is available from $39,990 in petrol, diesel, manual or automatic (each six-speeds) and two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive.  We've been driving the top of the tree, the Sorento Platinum. It comes only with automatic transmission, AWD and the diesel engine which outguns the petrol unit in power and certainly in torque while using less fuel. And at $48,990 (between the prices of a Holden Commodore Sportwagon V8 and SV6) it's pretty well equipped.For starters (literally), you keep the key in pocket or purse, walk to the car and touch the doorhandle for it to unlock. Still without getting out the key, just push the dashboard start-stop button and you're ready to go.Sorento Platinum has power front seats, a full seven seats, leather trim (though having a durable look and feel rather than soft luxury), a premium audio system of eight speakers, dual-zone airconditioning for driver and front passenger and headlight washers.There's an electric sunroof (too much wind noise when open at highway speed). The second row passengers have a non-opening glass sunroof as part of the "panorama" roof. The wagon sits on big alloy wheels and tarmac road-biased hefty tyres, Happily, the spare is full size and kept under the rear of the vehicle. It has a foot-pedal park brake.Centre-dashboard controls are easy to read and understand. Cruise control switches are on the steering wheel right-hand spoke.   The D-pillars are wide but those blind spots are helped overcome by large exterior mirrors, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera that has its almost-9cm colour screen appear in the left of the interior rear view mirror, a perfect spot for it.Front occupants get good elbow room. Scond row passengers have improved leg room and a reclining back rest, the middle person getting a flat floor for their feet, and the pair of third row seats are just OK for average-sized adults if they keep their heads forward. The third row also gets variable-fan vents.Luggage space is minimal with the third row seats up (no surprise) but those seats easily fold to a flat floor, as do the 40/60 second trow.  Even better for families, Kia Sorento has ESP, spread of airbags and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.This latest Sorento is a complete re-design of the earlier model. First the good news: it is more car-like thanks to a monocoque body, it has lower entry and floor level, is sleeker, more modern looking and the new suspension MacPherson strut at front and independent multi-link at the rear gives a far better ride comfort. The lower centre of gravity helps handling.Now the bad news, at least for 4WD adventurers: it no longer has low-range transmission, its lost 19mm in ground clearance and the front overhang is 105mm longer. It will still take to a bumpy dirt track in quite some comfort but is no longer an off-roader.A dash button gives all-wheel-drive lock but otherwise it's front-drive and AWD on demand. Technology is some help with a feet-off downhill creep control and traction control, but a limiting factor will be the tyres designed for tarmac, not clay. For 4WD pundits who want to check, it has a 25 degree approach angle, 23 departure and 17 degree rampover with 184mm ground clearance.The sump "guard" is merely plastic.  Exterior mirrors fold in electrically -- just as useful in parking by a bike lane as negotiating bushes and trees.So consider this an all-wheel-drive SUV luxury wagon and not a bush-basher and it will do the job nicely.  The diesel engine is a beauty. A typical rattle on cold start but once warm, barely noticeable, unless 2500-plus rpm is used for sharp overtaking or hillclimbing, when there is a buzz. We did mostly urban driving yet still achieved 8.3 litres/100km economy, this in a 1960kg SUV. It's even better country cruising a whisker under 2000rpm at 110km/h in sixth gear.