From the outside it might look pretty much the same as before, but actually Kia Sorento has changed quite a bit. The updated Kia Sorento comes with an all-new platform and a more rigid bodyshell. Thanks to the use of ultra-high-strength steels in the body construction, the torsional stiffness has been increased by 18 percent compared to the predecessor. The new body construction has also helped the Sorento to loose some weight, but the car’s kerb weight with the automatic transmission is still over 2000 kilograms.
Changes have also been made to the suspension, steering and brakes. The basic suspension layout has been retained with the MacPherson struts at the front and the independent multi-link arrangement at the rear. Among the improvements are a new front subframe, new dampers, larger suspension bushes and longer trailing arms at the rear. On the road the suspension provides a nice and firm ride. The old hydraulic power steering has been replaced by the Kia’s Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS). The new system saves fuel by drawing power from the engine only when the car is turning.
The exterior dimensions are unchanged. The length of the car is 4,685 mm and the width is 1,885 mm. Although much of the exterior has kept unchanged, this latest model can be recognized from the new headlamps and especially from the new rear lights. There are also new bumpers and the tailgate has been redesigned. The chrome door handles are small detail, but they have a big impact on the exterior.
Kia Sorento is available as a 5-seater or as a 7-seater version. Although the length of the wheelbase is the same as before, The new platform has improved space for passengers in rows two and three. In the middle row there is an extra 30 mm of knee room. The second row is very comfortable also for adult passenger. Depending on the market, the Sorento is offered with different trim levels, but with features like leather seats, power-adjustable driver’s seat, front seat ventilation and panoramic sunroof, it also offers a little bit of luxury for everyday life.
In Europe, the Kia Sorento is powered by a four-cylinder CDRi turbodiesel. From the displacement of 2199cc, it delivers 197 horsepower at 3800rpm. With the 6-speed automatic transmission, the engine provides 436 Newton metres of torque between 1800 and 2500rpm. With the 6-speed manual gearbox the maximum torque is 422 Nm. Although the 2.2-litre diesel is quite powerful, you can’t really call this car sporty. Acceleration from zero to 100km/h takes around 10 seconds and the top speed is 190 km/h. More important than the best acceleration time, is that with a lot of torque, the Sorento is very comfortable to drive with the automatic transmission.
Being a big and heavy car, the Sorento can be surprisingly economical. On the highway the average consumption is easily below six litres per hundred kilometres. In the city the consumption can rise to around 10 litres. The average fuel consumption is 6,8 l/100km and the CO2 emission are 178 g/km.
Specification
Engine
- Diesel
- 4-cylinder
- 2199cc
- Turbo
Power
- 145 kW (197 hp) / 3800rpm
Torque
- 436 Nm / 1800-2500rpm
Transmission
- 6-speed automatic
- AWD
0-100km/h / 0-62mph
- 9.9 seconds
Top speed
- 190 km/h
Fuel consumption
- 6.8 l/100km
CO2 emissions
- 178 g/km
