Kia Sorento 2015

This year is turning into a very busy one for Kia. The South Korean company’s dealers will handle a surge of new models during 2015: second generations of the Sorento and Optima, and facelifts for the Rio, Venga, Picanto and cee’d. The Soul was recently updated, and when the new Sportage arrives in 2016, the bulk of the range will have been refreshed within a tight time scale. The Sorento has been given a visual makeover to smooth its styling, with a lower roofline, sleeker headlights and a new grille with a three dimensional diamond pattern. There is only one engine option here, like before, with the familiar 2.2-litre unit undergoing revisions to upgrade power, improve economy and cut CO2 emissions. The changes deliver an extra 3bhp and 14lb ft of torque on manual editions, and 3lb ft more on the automatic.

Those enhancements don’t make a huge difference on the road, as the Sorento has always felt quite a peppy car to drive, but it now feels modestly enhanced. The transmission choice is manual or automatic, both with six ratios, and the latter seems to particularly suit the car with its unobtrusive shifts between ratios. Handling is grippy and body roll well contained for a car this size and height. The ride is a touch on the firm side, and the steering feel is a bit disappointing quite numb in terms of feedback. But there’s a noticeable improvement in the Sorento’s noise suppression though, with extra insulation paying off thanks to a quieter cabin.

The interior has undergone an upgrade and has a plusher feel than before, with some pliant material on the dashboard panel to soften the previous rather stark ambiance, and some upscale brushed aluminium and glossy trim to give it all a more upmarket nudge. There is also an eight-inch touchscreen in a design that is said to be Swiss watch-inspired. The new Sorento’s increased wheelbase, now 80 millimetres longer, has freed up a bit more space inside. As a result, the boot is now longer and larger, and the cargo room available when only five of the standard seven seats are in use is up from 515 to 605 litres. Safety is well catered for, with the car already awarded a five star Euro NCAP rating, and pedestrians are looked after, too, with a deployable bonnet to protect their heads from coming into contact with a unyielding engine block.

Kia has upgraded the available equipment on the Sorento. It can now be specified with road sign detection, blind spot warning, a lane keeping assistant, adaptive cruise control, panoramic sunroof, self-parking and a 360-degree surround camera function. Like all Kias, the Sorento comes with an industry-best seven year, 100,000 miles warranty. The Sorento already does well for Kia as a pleasantly-styled, good-to-drive SUV and this new third generation model is more of the same with smoother looks, increased efficiency, a bit more room and a quieter cabin. Precise pricing for the UK is not yet fixed, but is expected to be around five per cent higher than the outgoing model.

Model tested : 2.2 CRDi Automatic
Price : £31,000 approximately
Made in : Hwasung, South Korea
Configuration : 5-door SUV, 7-seats, four-wheel-drive
Drivetrain : 2199cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve, turbocharged diesel with stop-start
Transmission : 6-speed automatic
Power output : 197bhp @ 3,800rpm
Maximum torque : 325lb ft @ 1,750-2,750rpm
Top speed : /0-62mph  126mph/9.6 secs
CO2 emissions (tax band) : 174g/km (H) Euro 6
Economy (urban/extra urban/combined) :  37.2/47.1/42.8mpg
Fuel tank size/range : 71 litres/669 miles
Size (length/width without mirrors) : 4,780/1,890mm
Boot space (7/5/2-seats) : 142/605/1,662 litres
Kerb/max towing weight : 1,849/2,000kg
On sale : April 2015
In showrooms : April 2015
Prices : £28,000 to £38,500 approximately
Bodystyles : 5-door SUV
Engines : 2.2 (197bhp)
Trim levels : KX-1, KX-2, KX-3, KX-4
Also consider : Hyundai Santa Fe, Mitsubishi Outlander