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Monday, 15th of March 2010

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Kia Sorento 2.5 litre CRDi XS road test report

2.5 litre CRDi XS

The Kia Sorento is the largest model currently in production from the Korean manufacturer, offering a huge amount of space to comfortably accommodate five adults and still hold plenty of luggage. All variants have the same meaty 2.5-litre turbodiesel at their heart which has plenty of grunt for the car to be a good choice for those wishing to tow a caravan or trailer. While the aesthetics are now starting to look dated the car remains a solid choice for people looking for a value-for-money 4x4 with bags of room inside the cabin.

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Performance

The 2.5 Litre 168 Brake Horse Power engine in the Kia Sorento Is an absolute gem! With 392 NM of torque at 2000rpm it contains plenty of low down grunt when you need it and when operating at A-road or motorway speeds you find plenty of power available further up the rev range. As the Sorento is a genuine 4x4, the gearing is fairly low which can have an impact on the rev-meter when you are cruising at say 70-80 MPH but this car is nowhere near as compromised in this department as its contemporaries. Other vehicles of a similar size from ‘premium marques’ have larger 3 or even 4 litre engines to play with , the Sorento however operates in a completely different market and would be hard to beat in it’s sector.

Ride & Handling

The Sorento manages to keep body roll to a minimum. This is something which has often plagued the 4x4 market but the handling remains sharp and focused in the Sorento. We had the XS spec level for our test drive which had the comfort aids of leather interior, steering wheel and gearknob. There is also the entry level XE model, higher spec XT and top of the range Titanium model available. For a vehicle only mid way up the spec range we felt that the XS was very generously equipped. The seating position as you would expect was nice and high and visibility was virtually panoramic.

Build Quality & Reliability

As you would expect from a manufacturer offering 7 year warranties on a selection of it’s range the Kia certainly appears well built. We had no hint of problems in our 10 day road test. Soft touch materials are apparent in the cabin, with the dashboard being predominantly built with high quality finishes. The only hint of disappointment in the build quality is around the stereo facia, which is made using the same materials found in cheaper models in the Kia Range. The Sorento has the air of a robust vehicle which will be found motoring along for many years to come.

Safety & Security

All of the Sorento range has Anti-lock breaking system with Electronic brakeforce distribution and a Low ratio Gearbox. An active torque transfer system is available on all but the basic XE Specification with selectable four wheel drive capability. Full length curtain airbags are standard, along with driver and front passenger airbags. The Sorento even has a panic alarm facility to go along with remote central locking and engine immobiliser. You certainly wouldn’t expect this vehicle to come off second best in the case of a collision.

Space & Practicality

It is certainly possible to fit 4 adults plus their luggage into the Sorento without any issue at all. Being the size of vehicle it is the Sorento is a highly practical car with little luxuries such as heated front seats and leather upholstery being standard on all but the entry level XE Spec. Thanks to it’s low ratio gearbox and high torque engine the Sorento has a towing capacity of 3,500 Kg which is impressive in any range of vehicle! There are literally dozens of storage compartments within the vehicle such as those which can be found n the rear quarter panel and under the floor of the Cargo area.

Ownership & Value

The top of the range Titan spec Kia Sorento is now available from just £22,195! That is a lot of vehicle with a lot of spec for the money. Depreciation should not be too much of a feature as the Sorento is such value in the first instance. Contract Hire rentals appear to hover around the £259 per month level, which again for a vehicle of this type with this spec is great value. The majority of Sorento owners will no doubt look to keep the vehicle for as long as possible and get the most use out of the vehicle before changing again in a good few years time.

Submitted: 03/08/2009 11:41:11

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