Kia has really come a long way. Starting out humbly as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts by hand, the firm has worked its way up to be South Korea's second largest carmaker.
Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Kia, once said, "In the past, Kia cars were very neutral. When you saw one on the road, you didn't really know if it was Korean or Japanese… I think it's very important that you are able to recognise a Kia at first sight."
This is especially true of Kia's recent cars after he took over the helm. One of them is the Kia Sorento. Kia introduced the third generation of its seven-seater SUV, this despite just two years after the last major update.
Exterior
The latest Sorento's styling has benefited from a revamp. Narrower head lights, a more aggressive-looking front fascia, and more sculpted fenders are all positive changes that serve to give the car a 'play-it-safe' aura with a tinge of sophistication and sportiness.
Barely recognisable from the crude and tough original Sorento, the third generation car picks up where its predecessor left off, completing its more car-like transformation. The car is still based on the second generation's platform, but it has been stretched and reinforced.
Now 95mm longer, with a wheelbase stretched by 80mm, the Sorento is also fractionally wider (by just 5mm) but some 25mm lower. These are dimensions that help the Sorento appear more wagon-like than before yet retain the practicality of an SUV.
So while the previous Sorento seemed to be stuck in a no man's land between compact and mid-sized SUV options, the increase in dimensions here allows the Sorento to compete better with larger rivals such as the Toyota Harrier and the Nissan X-Trail.
Interior
Increasing the dimensions of the car results in more head and legroom inside. This extra space also means that the seven-seater SUV is a viable alternative to a people mover, especially since the third-row seats can now be folded easily into the floor, revealing a generous 605-litre boot.
Speaking of boot, to access the cargo area, the Sorento has one really amazing trick up its sleeve and that is the Smart Power Tailgate system. With the Smart Key in your pocket, walk up behind the car and the rear tailgate opens automatically three seconds after it detects the key fob. This is especially useful when your hands are full from grocery shopping.
The middle row also slides back and forth for better ingress/egress to and from the last row, though we'd recommend a few stretching exercises if you happen to be in your mid-life crisis.
Increasing the dimensions of the car results in more head and legroom inside. This extra space also means that the seven-seater SUV is a viable alternative to a people mover, especially since the third-row seats can now be folded easily into the floor, revealing a generous 605-litre boot.
Speaking of boot, to access the cargo area, the Sorento has one really amazing trick up its sleeve and that is the Smart Power Tailgate system. With the Smart Key in your pocket, walk up behind the car and the rear tailgate opens automatically three seconds after it detects the key fob. This is especially useful when your hands are full from grocery shopping.
The middle row also slides back and forth for better ingress/egress to and from the last row, though we'd recommend a few stretching exercises if you happen to be in your mid-life crisis.
While the extra roominess is welcome, the most obvious improvement inside the Sorento are the improved plastics used on the dashboard and door panels, many of which are soft-touch items lifting the quality feel in the big Kia.
The car gives the impression of a premium product in the flesh, even right down to the satisfying door closing action, and we dare say this is a cabin that ought to have European and Japanese automakers seriously concerned.
The Drive
The latest Sorento is powered by a 2.4-litre GDI powerplant mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Decent power is delivered with a large degree of refinement and the reasonably capable gearbox works well together with it, allowing the drivetrain to be responsive to inputs from the driver.
Kia also offers the driver some customisation in the driving experience with three driving modes available - Eco, Normal and Sport - and the only differences are a sharper throttle response as well as a slight change in steering weight.
The best way to describe the Sorento's performance and handling ability would be 'graceful'. Although it isn't the kind of car that'll make you wake up early in your desire to get behind the wheel for an exhilarating drive, it's nevertheless significantly more accomplished, displaying better body control than it has before.
The car positively glides across tarmac, making it easy to mistake it for something from a far more premium brand. It's smooth, soaks up bumps in the road with aplomb and is even fun to drive at pace. More impressively, it is a distinct step up in terms of refinement and quietness with better soundproofing.
The latest Sorento is powered by a 2.4-litre GDI powerplant mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. Decent power is delivered with a large degree of refinement and the reasonably capable gearbox works well together with it, allowing the drivetrain to be responsive to inputs from the driver.
Kia also offers the driver some customisation in the driving experience with three driving modes available - Eco, Normal and Sport - and the only differences are a sharper throttle response as well as a slight change in steering weight.
The best way to describe the Sorento's performance and handling ability would be 'graceful'. Although it isn't the kind of car that'll make you wake up early in your desire to get behind the wheel for an exhilarating drive, it's nevertheless significantly more accomplished, displaying better body control than it has before.
The car positively glides across tarmac, making it easy to mistake it for something from a far more premium brand. It's smooth, soaks up bumps in the road with aplomb and is even fun to drive at pace. More impressively, it is a distinct step up in terms of refinement and quietness with better soundproofing.
The Sorento also hauls big without driving big. Even in tight situations, the big Kia SUV is easy to manoeuvre and park, which is also assisted by rear cameras. Kia's Smart Parking Assist System is also on standby if there happens to be any lack of confidence.
Conclusion
The new Kia Sorento is a family-friendly vehicle that offers a lot of functionality in a handy size that's easy to manoeuvre. With this new and improved version of the seven-seater SUV, Kia has successfully moulded a credible threat to the Europeans and the Japanese.
More importantly, this car has joined its other brethrens - the Forte K3, Optima K5, and Sportage - on Kia's growing list of vehicles that have helped the carmaker shed its reputation of driving a Korean car.
