Car Review UK

Menu
  • Home
  • Road Tests – Road test reviews.
        • 4×4
        • Commercial
        • Coupe
        • Executive
        • Hatchback
        • Saloon
        • Sports
        • SUV
        • Volvo XC40 – recharged and readyJanuary 11, 2021
        • Nissan Juke – two-tone chartbusterJanuary 4, 2021
        • Fiat Panda – the happy hybridDecember 30, 2020
        • MG HS – a money-saving secretDecember 24, 2020
      • All Road Test Reviews
    • Close
  • Articles – News & First Drives
    • News
          • The Renault lollipop – licking pollutionOctober 12, 2020
          • Volkswagen California – life’s a beachOctober 12, 2020
          • Ford Fiesta ST – fine tuningOctober 5, 2020
          • Ton-up treat for Mazda fansSeptember 28, 2020
    • First Drives
          • Kia e-Niro – efficiency to the maxSeptember 29, 2020
          • Kia Soul EV – our friend’s electricMarch 3, 2020
          • Porsche 718 Spyder – interstellar overdriveNovember 20, 2019
          • Disco dances to a new beatOctober 21, 2019
    • Close
  • Brands – Manufacturers
    • Abarth
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Aston Martin
    • Audi
    • Bentley
    • BMW
    • Chevrolet
    • Chrysler
    • Citroen
    • Dacia
    • Daihatsu
    • Dodge
    • Ferrari
    • Fiat
    • Ford
    • Great Wall
    • Honda
    • Hyundai
    • Infiniti
    • Isuzu
    • Jaguar
    • Jeep
    • Kia
    • Land Rover
    • Lexus
    • Maserati
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • MG
    • Mini
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
    • Peugeot
    • Porsche
    • Proton
    • Renault
    • Rolls-Royce
    • SAAB
    • SEAT
    • Skoda
    • Smart
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Toyota
    • Vauxhall
    • Volkswagen
    • Volvo
    • Close
  • Music – Driving Tunes
        • Leon Russell – Delta LadyNovember 14, 2016
        • Juliette & The Licks – Long Road Out of HereMarch 19, 2016
        • Blossoms – At Most A KissMarch 7, 2016
        • Escondido – ApartmentFebruary 27, 2016
      • All Music Picks
    • Close
  • Contact

Featured · Kia · Reviews · Road Tests

Sorento’s seat in seventh heaven

  • by Mike Torpey
  • November 23, 2013
  • ROAD TEST – KIA SORENTO 2.2 CRDi KX-2 SAT NAV 

FIVE seats versus seven, it’s an interesting question.

For instance most drivers don’t need seven seats in a vehicle and, understandably, wouldn’t consider buying an extended people carrier or SUV.

It’s not a view Korean manufacturer Kia subscribes to though. In fact the progressive brand has actually discontinued five-seater versions of its popular Sorento MPV.

Kia takes the view that while most buyers might not need seven seats very often, they like the flexibility that having them there offers.

And they can quickly – and in the Sorento’s case, effortlessly – fold them out of the way at other times.

Soro2Positioning the car in this way, says Kia, makes it simpler and easier for customers and dealers to understand.

Also ditched are the 2.0-litre diesel engine in favour of a more efficient 2.2 CRDi unit and the two-wheel drive version of the car, due to diminishing demand.

The result of these decisions, along with styling changes like a new headlight set-up and redesigned tailgate, result in a car that’s safer, more adaptable and more upmarket.

Soro4Factor in a lowered ride height, revised suspension, permanent all-wheel-drive plus a stiffer body shell and you have a very refined and agile vehicle.

The 194bhp of power from the new engine gives the Sorento plenty of punch, though I struggled to match the official fuel return of 47.9 miles per gallon, my own figure closer to 39mpg.

Inside the redesigned cabin there’s more room for passengers up front and in the middle row, but the rear pair are really for kids.

Have just the five seats in place though and the luggage area – 1,530 litres – is huge.

You get plenty of kit in every car, even the most basic model coming equipped with stuff like reversing sensors, body-coloured bumpers, chrome exterior door handles, aeroblade-type front wipers, projection headlamps with cornering lights and electrically folding heated door mirrors.

And all versions apart from ‘KX-1’ have ambient lighting in the front centre console and door trims and every model has door sill scuff plates.

Kia have definitely done a smart job with this car – it’s practical, spacious, well made and looks attractive too. It also has Kia’s seven-year or 100,000-mile transferable warranty.

  • SPEC CHECK

  • MAKE Kia.
  • MODEL Sorento 2.2 CRDi KX-2 Sat Nav. 
  • ENGINE 2,199cc 4-cyl diesel.
  • POWER 194bhp at 3,800rpm.
  • PERFORMANCE 0-60 in 9.4 secs, top speed 118mph.
  • ECONOMY 38.2mpg Urban, 56.5 Extra Urban, 47.9 Combined.
  • CO2 EMISSIONS 155g/km.
  • BiK RATING 26%
  • INSURANCE Group 21 (1-50)
  • PRICE £29,995 on the road.

  • WHAT’S HOT

  • Space, equipment, performance, versatility.
  • WHAT’S NOT
  • Fuel economy.
  • RATINGS  {rating}
  • LOOKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
  • EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
  • RIDE AND HANDLING . . . . . 3
  • PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . . . . 4
  • VALUE FOR MONEY . . . . . . . 4

Soro3

Tags: dieselKiaMPVSorento

— Mike Torpey

Mike Torpey is freelance Motoring Editor of the Liverpool Echo, past Racing Editor and also a travel/golf writer, music reviewer and rock music nut. Tweet @michaeltorpey1

  • Previous story Mercedes-Benz CLA 180 Sport
  • Next story Plain sailing for lean green Mazda

    Explore More

  • Kia Sportage – the sophisticated SUV September 1, 2017
  • Kia XCeed – more than a feeling June 30, 2020
  • Kia sows the seeds of success July 1, 2013
  • SEAT Alhambra – a palace for the people January 11, 2016

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Menu
    • Abarth
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Aston Martin
    • Audi
    • Bentley
    • BMW
    • Chevrolet
    • Chrysler
    • Citroen
    • Dacia
    • Dodge
    • Ferrari
    • Fiat
    • Ford
    • Great Wall
    • Honda
    • Hyundai
    • Infiniti
    • Isuzu
    • Jaguar
    • Jeep
    • Kia
    • Land Rover
    • Lexus
    • Maserati
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • MG
    • Mini
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
    • Peugeot
    • Porsche
    • Proton
    • Renault
    • Rolls-Royce
    • SAAB
    • SEAT
    • Skoda
    • Smart
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Toyota
    • Vauxhall
    • Volkswagen
    • Volvo
  • Recent

    • Volvo XC40 – recharged and readyJanuary 11, 2021
    • Nissan Juke – two-tone chartbusterJanuary 4, 2021
    • Fiat Panda – the happy hybridDecember 30, 2020
    • MG HS – a money-saving secretDecember 24, 2020
    • Bentley Flying Spur – force of natureDecember 3, 2020
    • Peugeot 208 – a genuine Euro starNovember 30, 2020
    • 4×4
    • Commercial
    • Coupe
    • Executive
    • Hatchback
    • Saloon
    • Sports
    • SUV
  • More

    All First Drive Reviews All Road Test Reviews All News Features Click MUSIC for all our previous picks
  • Search

  • Home
  • Featured
  • Sorento’s seat in seventh heaven
          • Home
          • Driven
          • News
          • Sitemap & Archive
          • Contact

          Copyright © 2014-15 CarReviewUK | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy