Kia Sorento KX-3 2.2D
Inside, the kit list reads like a Range Rover’s.
Highlights include a panoramic sunroof, keyless go, heated and ventilated
leather seats, touchscreen sat-nav and a 10-speaker, 495W stereo.
Front-seat passengers feel like royalty
in those impressive seats, but while second-row headroom is good, kneeroom back
there could be better. The two third-row seats flip up from the boot floor with
minimum effort and actually offer reasonable space. Those rear-most passengers
get their own air-conditioning vents, too, which should make long journeys more
bearable in the very back.
The 194bhp 2.2-litre diesel carried
over from the old Sorento is the only engine choice for UK buyers. It’s still a
little noisy, but superbly torquey, with 422Nm available to make light work of
the Sorento’s hefty 1,999kg weight in KX-3 specification.
New for the facelift is exhaust gas
recirculation, which boosts fuel economy by 5.7mpg to 47.9mpg. CO2 emissions
fall 22g/km to 155g/km for lower-spec manual models. Sadly, the six-speed
automatic in the car we drove has also been carried over unchanged it still
never quite knows what gear to be in.
Comfort and refinement on the move are
impressive, aside from slight engine note intrusion and wind noise on motorways.
The ride is soft and the body rolls under hard cornering, but the Sorento is
incredibly sure-footed thanks to four-wheel drive that sends up to 50 per cent
of torque to the rear if slip is detected. The suspension has been revised with
a wider track and tyres. This improves grip, and while you can adjust steering
weight, there’s never any feel. Overall, the Sorento is a very reassuring car
that will get you to your destination in any weather.
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