Kia Sorento: 2020 carsales Car of the Year

The Kia Sorento is the carsales Car of the Year for 2020, proudly presented by Bingle.

And to be frank, after early drives and glowing reviews from our team, the 2020 carsales Car of the Year award was this new seven-seat SUV’s to lose from the outset.

To say we were impressed with the big Korean family car from our very first drive is an understatement.

Many things changed in 2020, including the way the winner of the carsales Car of the Year was decided.

Eligibility requirements were unchanged and the significant degree of number crunching required each year to arrive at a shortlist and then 10 finalists was still carried out by the data experts at RedBook.com.au.

But the limitations of movement necessitated by Australian authorities’ measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic meant that a head-to-head test of our 10 finalists and two wildcards was impossible.

That shouldn’t take away from the Kia Sorento’s win in any way. This is the best vehicle ever from a brand that’s rapidly on the rise.

And while it was pushed hard by a technological tour de force and a re-invented off-road icon, the simple excellence the Sorento exhibited won through.

A number of our senior team drove the seven-seat family SUV both in isolation and head-to-head with other respected SUV rivals and, on each occasion, the Kia reinforced its claim to the top step of the COTY podium.

“The Kia Sorento may have had humble beginnings but over the years it has morphed into a genuinely-impressive large SUV that comfortably rubs shoulders with the segment’s best,” said Tim Britten.

The 2021 Kia Sorento is a vehicle that will pamper Aussie families – a spacious, affordable package that’s smart, frugal, safe, refined and still satisfying to drive.

It doesn’t feel like an oversized, overweight three-row family hauler, thanks in large part to the unique Aussie updates Kia made to the suspension and steering.

Indeed, this modern SUV is effortless to drive.

It’s also fitted with the latest in driver assistance tech, like the excellent side mirror cameras that abolish blind spots when you flick on the indicators – it’s like having two extra pairs of eyes.

Other intuitive driver aids include an advanced autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, adaptive cruise control, driver attention warning, lane following assist and rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist.

here are also seven airbags on board, including a centre front airbag, and wow-factor tech too – like a self-parking mode that is far from a gimmick.

All of these features and a top crash test rating combine to make the Kia Sorento one of the safest SUVs available today.

“The 2020 Kia Sorento is a step change from its predecessor, which was a pretty good thing, and even further away from the kind of vehicles the brand has delivered before in terms of sophistication, fit and finish,” said Alexandra Lawrence.

The new Kia Sorento is available with front-wheel drive 3.5-litre petrol V6 and all-wheel drive 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel powertrains, and its standard eight-speed auto is one of the best in the business.

The superlatives continue with the way the Sorento’s premium cabin has been crafted. The expertly-executed and classy interior feels more German than Korean and more prestige than plain, with intuitive controls and high-quality materials throughout.

Throw in interior space that is generous and versatile, and there’s no denying Kia’s big SUV sets a new benchmark in the family SUV category.

Cultured, capable, beautifully finished and with all the user-friendly tech you want and need… These are just some of the factors that make the Kia Sorento the 2020 carsales Car of the Year.