Ken Gratton•5 Jun 2015
REVIEW
Kia Sorento 2015 Review
New from the ground up, Kia's seven-seater raises the bar for SUV driving dynamicsModel Tested
Kia Sorento Si, SLi and Platinum
Review Type
Local Launch
Review Location
Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
The frenetic struggle taking place in the large SUV segment has seen new contenders from Nissan (Pathfinder) and Toyota (Kluger) raise the stakes over the past 12 months, but now the Kia Sorento puts a bomb under the two Japanese rivals. Quieter, more spacious and more driveable than its predecessor, the new Sorento boasts a five-star ANCAP rating, and local suspension calibration that the two Japanese rivals can't match.
Over a two-day drive programme for the new Kia Sorento, motoring.com.au sampled the seven-seat SUV in Platinum trim with a diesel engine, in mid-range SLi specification with a petrol V6 under the bonnet, and a base-grade Sorento Si with the diesel.
2015 Kia Sorento pricing and specifications:
Price: from $40,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.3-litre V6 petrol / 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 199kW/318Nm (petrol), 147kW/441Nm (turbo-diesel)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.9L/100km petrol (ADR Combined) / 7.8L/100km diesel (ADR Combined)
CO2: 230g/km petrol (ADR Combined) / 205g/km diesel (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP
Also consider:
>> Ford Territory (from $36,990 plus ORCs)
>> Hyundai Santa Fe (from $40,990 plus ORCs)
>> Toyota Kluger (from $40,990 plus ORCs)
Picture legend: Sorento Platinum (pics 1-5), diesel engine, petrol V6, Sorento SLi (pics 8-10) and Sorento Si (pics 11-13)
Tags
Kia
Sorento
Car Reviews
SUV
Family Cars
Written byKen Gratton
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
Expert rating
73/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
16/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
14/20
Safety & Technology
16/20
Behind the Wheel
14/20
X-Factor
13/20
Pros
- The serenity
- Ride and handling balance
- Generally good packaging
Cons
- Auto transmission reluctant to kick down
- Hauling on the wheel for reach adjustment
- No tumbling action for second-row seats
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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