ALT-1 2011 Kia Sorento
The previous Sorento was something of a throwback to the old days of four-wheel-drives. With clunky styling and a separate ladder chassis the Sorento was good at towing, but handling and performance were woeful.
That has all changed with the 2011 Sorento. For a start, the switch from a heavy separate ladder chassis and low range transfer box has seen the vehicle drop 200kg (440lb). Secondly, the styling is now right up to the minute, with smart lines that tend to hide the larger dimensions of the new Sorento, which is now available as a seven seater.
Biggest news of all, and something that American fans are unlikely to ever experience, is the new R Series 2.2 litre diesel engine. Hyundai/Kia has invested millions of dollars in this engine and it shows. The Bosch third generation common rail diesel engine produces 16% more power (145kW (194hp) @ 3800rpm) and 13.5% more torque (445Nm (328lb ft) @ 1800-2500rpm – auto model only) than the previous 2.5-litre diesel engine and it’s both cleaner and much more fuel efficient than before.
It is also remarkably quiet and responsive. The older generation diesel in the Kia Carnival/Sedona has a real reluctance to accelerate when moving off from rest. Not only is it annoying, but a potential hazard when pulling out into traffic. No such problems in the Sorento though, which powers into action immediately.
The new six-speed automatic also helps, as it keeps the engine right in the sweet rpm spot where most of the torque is produced.
The new Sorento also handles much better than the old. The steering is still a little on the soggy side, but the cornering ability has markedly increased – due to a combination of new suspension tune and the lighter kerb weight.
Dropping the heavy duty separate low range transfer case was a good move by Kia, as hardly anyone is ever going to actually go really off road in one of these small SUVs. Instead there’s a system that switches torque to the rear wheels when the fronts begin to slip and a hill decent control to keep the vehicle moving at a stately 8km/h when driving downhill. There’s also hill start assist, which stops the vehicle from rolling backwards when moving off from a stop. You can also lock the system to a 50/50 split if things really do get slippery.
Among the safety features are rear parking sensors standard across the range and a reversing camera in the Limited model that displays in the rear view mirror when reverse is selected. The reversing camera works well, but can be dazzled by bright sunlight. ESP, which includes the ABS brakes and traction control, is also standard in the Sorento, together with dual front, side and curtain airbags.
The new Sorento is a huge improvement over the last, but most of the credit has to go to the R Series engine, which is absolutely cutting edge technology
