2015 Kia Sorento Review: Premium Korean Leads The Way
What’s Hot: Stylish 'Kia family' design, appealing cabin, long standard equipment list.
What’s Not: Gearbox mapping not quite right, tight third row for adults.
X-FACTOR: The new Sorento takes Kia's large SUV to new heights. If you're in the market for a big family crossover, it's a stellar choice.
Vehicle Style: large SUV
Price: $40,990 to $55,990 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans
199kW/318Nm 3.3 petrol 6cyl | 6sp automatic | 2WD
147kW/441Nm 2.2 diesel 4 cyl | 6sp automatic | AWD
Fuel Economy
claimed: 9.9 l/100km petrol, 7.8 l/100km diesel
tested: 11.8 l/100km petrol, 8.9 l/100km diesel
OVERVIEW
Remember when Kia was a bargain brand? Remember the ads that spruiked low drive-away deals and little else?
Yeah, those days are long gone.
Kia has grown up and now carries a more sophisticated air that runs right through its product portfolio. The latest model to display the Korean automaker's fancy new style is its largest SUV, the Sorento.
Packing seven seats as standard, the new-for-2015 Sorento now sports an upmarket interior and more generous equipment levels than before.
Prices are slightly up (by between $2000-$4500 depending on model), but the improvements made to the Sorento justify the extra spend. Like we said, Kia is no longer a bargain-driven automaker and the price list is evidence of that.
So, what of the new Sorento? We travelled to Port Douglas in Queensland to sample the range, and came away mighty impressed.
THE INTERIOR | RATING:4/5
Key features:
Si: seven seats, cloth trim, 17-inch alloys, full-size spare, 7-inch display with sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, auto headlights, front/rear fog lights, dual-zone climate control
SLi: (in addition to Si features) leather trim, 18-inch alloys, eight-way powered driver's seat, hands-free tailgate, tinted windows, 7-inch multi-info display in instrument cluster
Platinum: (in addition to SLi features) 19-inch alloys, adaptive HID headlights, blindspot detection, lane change assist, rear-cross traffic alert, smart cruise control, panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, ventilated/heated front seats, heated second row, 10-speaker audio.
Luggage capacity: 142 litres with all seats up, 605 litres with 5 seats up, 1662 litres with 2 seats up
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