- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
2.2DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
147kW, 441Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 7.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
7 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2017)
2019 Kia Sorento GT-Line diesel long-term review: Introduction
Which direction should you turn for a family-friendly seven-seater SUV? The Kia Sorento is one of your options, which is the latest addition to the CarAdvice long-term garage.
You’re a bit spoilt for choice in the large-SUV segment these days.
You’ve got a huge number of manufacturers vying for your attention, and the majority (if not all) of them are all quality offerings.
So far in 2019, Toyota’s ageing Kluger leads the race in non-off-roading SUVs. Coming in second place is Mazda’s sharp CX-9.
A couple more slots down that list sits the Kia Sorento; a vehicle that has always scored and rated well in reviews and comparisons at CarAdvice.
If you’re in the market for a big family hauler, this is one vehicle you want to have on your list of options.
It’s good value for money, has a nicely tuned ride, and has the option of two nice motors under the bonnet: a smooth and powerful petrol V6 or a grunty turbo diesel four-banger.
There’s more to an effective family hauler, however.
They need to be safe and comfortable across all three rows, and have space for your stuff. Along with raw storage space, cubbies and nooks for your bits and bobs are also handy.
Our tester is the range-topping GT-Line, with the four-cylinder turbo diesel engine under the bonnet and AWD.
The asking price is $58,990, but as always, shop around for your best price.
GT-Line gets electric leather seats inside, with the fronts being heated and ventilated.
The second row is heated, and has loads of knee and head room. The sunroof extends all the way past your head in the second row, which helps with the spacious feel.
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GT-Line also gets a 10-speaker sound system, 9.0-inch infotainment system, 360-degree camera, smart key, and LED lights front and rear, in return for the additional spend.
There’s an additional $8500 to the asking price over an SLi, while the range starts at $42,990 for a petrol-powered Si spec.
Along with the value-for-money proposition, the Sorento is made more compelling with Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
There’s also seven years' worth of capped-price servicing, at 12-month or 15,000km intervals.
The best way to really get to know the strengths and weaknesses of a vehicle, beyond the straight single-vehicle assessments and multi-vehicle comparisons, is through long-term testing.
It’s a good way to see how a vehicle performs on the straight daily grind, as well as on extracurricular weekend activities.
Perhaps the best thing about long-term testing is the variety of opinions you can garner.
While I’ll be doing the majority of testing and will be putting together these long-term reports, the Sorento will be getting passed around to a few different sets of hands in the CarAdvice office.
Stay tuned as we start piling some miles onto Kia’s seven-seater SUV, and see how it fares.