Balancing the right amount of luxe design, considered practicality, and a cloud-like drive, the new Kia Sorento is the best yet.
In this review…
The all-new Kia Sorento is the fourth generation of the South Korean automaker’s seven-seat, all-wheel drive SUV, and a lot is riding on this model. With a crowded market, the new Sorento faces fierce competitors like the Peugeot 5008, Skoda Kodiaq, Volkswagen Tiguan, and its cousin, the Hyundai Santa Fe. All these models pull their weight to create healthy competition for the Kia Sorento. Does it prevail these SUVs? We take a look at its design, interior, practicality and drive performance to find out.
Design and Interior
The latest Sorento offers a trio of powertrains: a basic diesel, a hybrid, and a plug-in hybrid, each respective one offering better fuel efficiency than the last. The SUV’s silhouette is a bulky one, punctuated by roof bars that come as standard. But the star of the show is its front fascia which barges through the crowd with its idiosyncratic grille design.
Inside, the cabin sports an industrial design that’s evident in the thick-bordered, pronounced air vents and multi-layered dash. It boasts a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a handy wireless phone charging bay for the tech-savvy out there. When on the road, passengers are bound to appreciate the comfortable leather-upholstered seats that make long drives feel shorter. It’s clear that quality materials were chosen with care; there’s no sense of corner-cutting, at least not where eyes can wander.
Practicality
Where seven-seaters too often squeeze the extra two passengers in a tiny box, this is a purposefully spacious SUV that can accommodate people comfortably. Third-row passengers even get treated to cupholders, air-con vents and USB chargers, but these seats can be folded up neatly into the floor to create 616 litres of space.
Then there are the party tricks, such as being able to drive the car forward with your car keys if you’re stuck in a particularly tight parking spot. Though it’s a big beast, parking is a doddle with its high-definition 360-degree cameras and parking sensors. What’s more, its bevvy of safety features has earned the Kia Sorento one of the strongest 5-star Euro NCAP ratings for a family SUV, meaning if you’re looking for a car that will protect the family if the worst happens, place your bets on this model.
Drive
The Sorento positions itself as a family cruiser, and its driving dynamics reflect that ethos. The ride is intentionally level, keeping any choppiness at bay. It manages rough patches gracefully, absorbing large bumps with aplomb. The automatic gearbox doesn’t stifle your momentum when accelerating, and that gear selector? It’s a tactile joy.
Final Verdict
By streamlining the Sorento for the purposes of a large family, it does a single job extremely well. Balancing the right amount of luxe design, considered practicality, and a cloud-like drive, the new generation of the Kia Sorento is the best yet.
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