Kia Sorento Si petrol 2018 review

Is there anything interesting about its design?

7 / 10

The Sorento got a new face a couple of years ago and it seems to be ageing well. The Schreyer grille still looks terrific, as do the slimmer, smarter headlights. There's no hiding its exterior bulk, though, and it does manage to look slightly under-wheeled on 17s.

Inside isn't exactly avant-garde but is well screwed together. It's entirely conventional and inoffensive, but it won't be a talking point at the Saturday morning sport. It's pretty similar to the exterior - clean, well-executed, understated.

How practical is the space inside?

8 / 10

There's a tonne of space inside, and it's flexible. You can slide the middle row back and forth to give the back row more or less legroom.

As it stands, the final row - while not roomy - will take a six-footer like me for short trips, although my knees are quite high. At least I can have my coffee and a cool breeze blowing on my face while the middle-row occupants have good head, leg and shoulder room.

As you might imagine, the interior is huge and packed with storage. Each row scores a pair of cupholders for a total of six and there are four bottle holders.

Unusually/mercifully there are air conditioning vents for all three rows.

The boot is predictably gigantic with the middle and third rows folded with 1662 litres of cargo space. With both rows up there is still 142 litres and the middle ground is an impressive 605 litres.

Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

8 / 10

The MY18 Sorento Si quickly made its way to Australia after its Frankfurt debut. The big change from MY17 is the shift (sorry) to an eight-speed automatic and the inclusion of a new 8.0-inch touchscreen for media and navigation.

Also onboard are seven seats covered in cloth, 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-speaker stereo, active cruise control, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, AEB, power windows and mirrors and a full-size alloy spare.

The six-speaker stereo features the usual Bluetooth and USB and also has DAB+ digital radio. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are along for the ride, which is still - absurdly - a curiosity at this level.

What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?

7 / 10

The Sorento Si has Kia's 3.5-litre V6 driving the front wheels through the company's new eight-speed transmission. Developing 206kW/336Nm, it has almost two tonnes to shift and will pull up to 2000kg.

How much fuel does it consume?

6 / 10

Kia's claimed combined fuel consumption figure is 10L/100km. Our week with the beast was mostly around town, which explains the sobering 14.1L/100km figure indicated in the dash screen.

What's it like to drive?

7 / 10

Having never driven a V6 Sorento before, I wasn't sure what to expect. Obviously I had an idea of what it might be like - the diesel Sorento I drove last year was a strong performer if a mite clunky, rode well and got on with the job of being an impressive load-hauler.

It's no dynamic wonder, though. Unlike the tauter, tighter Mazda CX-9, the Kia is a far more relaxed affair. The 3.5 V6 is smooth and quiet but doesn't mind a drink, getting you up and moving with minimum fuss. The new eight-speed is better than the six-speed it replaces, which is actually quite a feat because that was a pretty decent transmission.

The suspension is very soft and with the higher-profile tyres (235/65), the ride is actually quite plush, more so even than the Kluger's. Of course that translates to a fair bit of body roll and squealing tyres at moderate cornering speeds.

Obviously it's not built for apex-clipping mayhem, so it's hardly a disappointment. Less disappointing is its hilarious propensity to light up the front tyres if you switch off the traction control, which I did once, purely in the interests of science.

In the main, though, it's quiet, really quiet. Big cars like this aren't always peaceful and comfortable, but the Sorento nails that down very nicely indeed.

What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating?

8 / 10

The Si sports six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, lane-keep assist and AEB. Kid seats are anchored with either three top-tether anchors or two ISOFIX points.

ANCAP re-tested the Sorento in October 2017 and it scored the full five stars.

What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered?

9 / 10

Kia's massive seven year/unlimited kilometre warranty comes with capped-price servicing for seven years or 105,000km. Over the seven years you'll pay $2681 (average $383 per year), with individual services moving between $252 and $560.

Service intervals come around every year or 15,000km.

Verdict