2009 Kia Sorento Reviews

Kia refettled the Sorento for those who understood their city limits. New Kia diverted from the bush and went closer to the 'burbs with its all-new Sorento wagon in 2009. Gone were the low-range transmissions in its four-wheel drive models — in came economy-oriented four-cylinder and front-wheel drive models. These

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 as a used buy.

Kia has dropped its 4WD abilities in favour of making its new Sorento an SUV.  Kia has sold almost 900,000 globally since it introduced Sorento in 2002 (9000 in Australia since it started here in January 2003) and Kia Australia president and CEO Terry Im says the new Sorento's arrival is just the start."The company is scheduled to introduce 20 all-new or upgraded models between 2009 and 2012 - this is our fourth new model in Australia just this year," he says.  "The development of the new Sorento clearly demonstrates the depth of Kia's engineering and manufacturing capability."The Korean-built two and four-wheel drive SUV - on sale now - now boasts seven seats but is now a monocoque body with no low range.  The new-look design - which follows the family look of the breed, drawn by design boss Peter Schreyer - has dropped the drag-co-efficient from 0.425 to 0.38. Kia admits it may lose some sales to other ‘proper’ 4WDs, as well as those looking for a heavy-duty tow vehicle, as the braked towing capacity for the lighter new-mode Sorento has also been reduced to 2500kg for the manual and 2000kg for the auto.Seven seats, stability control, dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags for all three rows are all standard range-wide, which will give it a Euro NCAP five-star rating, although an ANCAP rating of the same number will have to wait for the addition of a front passenger seatbelt reminder.The car has grown by 95mm in length but has 10mm from its wheelbase and 15mm from the overall height of the outgoing car.  The company claims it is quieter - with more sound deadening materials and foam injection into keys areas - as well as being lighter and stronger, thanks to the use of 70 per cent high tensile steel.The brand has downsized both the petrol and diesel engines but has improved fuel use without sacrificing outputs.  The 3.3-litre petrol 180kW/309Nm V6 engine has been replaced by the familiar (to Kia and Hyundai buyers) Theta II 2.4-litre four-cylinder, with variable valve timing - the four-cylinder produces 128kW and 226Nm, but with a claim of 16 per cent better fuel economy at 9.2l/100km.The diesel and its own six-speed auto are big news for the company, with the engine down from 2.5 to 2.2 litres but all-alloy in construction with double overhead cams and 16 valves.  The variable-geometry turbo works with third-generation common-rail injection to produce 145kW and 436Nm, while claims of 6.7l/100km for the six-speed manual and 7.4 for the six-speed automatic, more than a litre better than the out-going diesel.The six-speed auto was four years in development - which has yielded more than 300 patent applications by Kia - and is 12kg lighter and more compact than the five-speed.  The Sorento has an on-demand 4WD system that has a manual 50/50 locked mode, which releases above 30km/h; the system as has hillstart assist and downhill assist, which brings the car down a steep slope at 8km/hrThe double-wishbone front suspension has been replaced the lighter, smaller and cheaper MacPherson struts, while the rear end gets a sub-frame mounted multi-link suspension with coil springs; the diesel models also get an automatic self-levelling system.  The new model gets four-wheel discs - front rotors are ventilated - with anti-lock and brakeforce distribution and the aforementioned stability control as standard.The base-model Sorento Si is available from $36,490 for the two-wheel drive petrol model - the 2WD drivetrain is available with the four-cylinder petrol engine (Si only) and offers a slightly lower weight: 50kg less than 4WD models.  The Si gets 17in alloys, front fog lights, remote keyless entry, auto door locks, cloth trim, 60/40 split 2nd and 50/50 3rd split-fold seats and folding power-adjustable side mirrors.A leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control (with wheel-mounted controls), trip computer, power windows, reach'n'rake adjustable steering, a six-speaker MP3 compatible single CD sound system with USB/iPod input, dual-zone climate control with CleanAir ioniser and vents for 2nd and 3rd rows.The four-wheel drive manual turbodiesel is $39,990 (the auto adds $2000), with the mid-spec SLi turbodiesel - which Kia believes will represent the biggest slice of its annual sales target of 2000 - is an automatic-only proposition at $45,990. The SLi ups the wheel-size to 18in and adds a rear view camera (with screen within the centre electro-chromatic rear-vision mirror), rear parking sensors, automatic lights, leather trim, roof rails, LED rear taillights, alloy pedals and scuff plates and fan controls for the 3rd row.The Platinum tops the list with a smart key, the panoramic sunroof, an external amplifier, centre speaker and sub-woofer for the sound system.  The Sorento flagship Platinum auto turbodiesel starts from $48,990.   The company has full iPod integration across the range but has no integrated Bluetooth or satellite navigation available yet, although the company is working on the latter.The shift from the 4WD to the SUV genre for Kia's Sorento has done the Sorento no harm.  While the grey nomads might not like the reduction in towing capacity and the transfer case will be missed by the rock-hopper, most people in the market for a medium SUV will like much of this new offering.The first impressions from behind the wheel of the new car is that Kia has toughened up the structure, if not maintaining the rough'n'tumble off-road image.  More svelte, with the longer, more stylish nose, the front of the new Sorento has an attractive edge, unlike the rear which looks a little out of balance and nowhere near as nice.The smaller diesel is smooth and quiet, with a strong bottom-end - once the turbo has wound up a little - and the surge doesn't taper off until well up the rev range.  We didn't sample the six-speed manual but the diesel-six-speed auto combination worked well - as long as the engine revs didn't drop away too far.  The ride is on the firm side but has some compliance and isn't skittish, the body control is similarly good and it is only tyre grip that sees the front wash wide under pressure.The launch drive was far from frugally-minded but both the SLi and Platinum versions had figures in the low 9s on the trip computers.  The third row is more useful than some but there's minimal storage space with it in use for passengers - something not unique to this car - but in five-seater mode there's decent luggage space, without being cavernous.The rear pillar is very thick and there's a solid blind spot at either back corner, which will make sensors and a reversing camera most welcome.  The Sorento has a more solid feel than its predecessor and the new smooth and quiet diesel will put it on plenty of shopping lists.

Kia’s affordable and durable Sorento 4WD has shed its old clothes to become a stylish suburban wagon. But the change takes the Sorento down a new, more urban road.In Korea today, Kia unveiled the new Sorento with seven seats, a monocoque body, the option of an economy-minded four-cylinder petrol engine, the availability of a 2WD system and yet without its trademark low-range 4WD transmission.The new wagon is now clearly aimed at the urban market and in doing so, has increased its comfort-biased features and eased off on the adventure-trail image of old.Kia Australia spokesman Jonathan Fletcher says the new Sorento will be on sale in January — priced about the same as the current model — though under debate is the engine selection and the trim levels.“We have the choice of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 3.5-litre V6 petrol and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel,” he says.“The turbo-diesel is a definite. But were not so sure about which petrol, and even if we need a petrol. The 3.5 is less fuel efficient than our current 3.3. The 2.4 may be too underpowered, though may suit the 2WD system in Mum’s taxi roles.“We have to look at the manual or automatic transmissions — do we bring in both or just the auto?“So then we have to decide if Australia wants a five seater or a seven seater or make the extra two seats an option.“Then we have the trim levels. We will get electronic stability control. The base-model LX in Korea doesn’t get it but we will. So we’ll upgrade the LX with safety features ESC and six airbags, and bring in the upmarket EX and even look at making a limited edition model above the EX with airbag list of standard features.”The 2WD version will give Kia a lower-cost medium-sized SUV in the Australian market that will compete with the Ford Territory, Hyundai Santa Fe, Holden Captiva and Toyota Kluger.It is possible that a high-spec 2WD could be priced s low as around $32,000 though Fletcher says it is too early to call prices.This entry-level model with a diesel engine would only compete with the Hyundai — ironically one of Kias associate companies — and the similarly Korean-made Captiva.The Sorento gets a chiselled look and wide-mouthed grille that follows the creation of a family face by Kia’s leading designer, Peter Schreyer.It is substantially more aerodynamic, slashing its drag figure to 0.38 from 0.425, which aims to improve the fuel economy.Compared with the current mode, it sits on a slightly smaller wheelbase yet at 4685mm is longer by 95mm and is 15mm lower.Its move away from the dirt is reflected in its ground clearance, now 184mm from the previous models generous 203mm.Cabin room is up, hence the ability to seat seven and luggage space is up 10 per cent to a spacious 1047 litres.The automatic transmission is a new six-sped unit that is 12kg lighter and 54mm shorter than the five-speed box it replaces. The move away from a separate full ladder chassis has saved depending on the model up to 215kg. The diesel and V6 are both about 1760kg. The 2WD version saves another 45kg.Kia claims the Sorento will get the maximum 5-star Euro NCAP and US crash ratings and the best 3-star pedestrian rating, but has not yet received official test results.The lack of a low-range gearbox will affect specific market sales though Kia is looking above this sector at the more substantial family and soft leisure markets. This is defined by Kia’s plan to start manufacturing the Sorento in the US state of Georgia in November. It is Kia’s first plant in the US and in fact the first new vehicle plant to be built in the US this year.Australia will get its Sorento range from Korea as the US plant will be left-hand drive only.Look at the new Sorento, expected in Australia in January, as an update of the current model and you would be barking up the wrong tree.In almost every respect, what the next Sorento does and how it does it is far, far away from the original model that was seen as a durable, rugged and off-road capable five seater. Now, its gone soft. Very soft.On a long and winding road through South Korea this week, the Sorento felt supple and very compliant and it was only when a sharp pothole or bad road joint came in contact with one of the wheels did it all become a bit pear-shaped.The ride, while sumptuous, doesn’t have the suspension — particularly the dampers — to muffle the transition through to the occupants derrieres.It is, thinking back, very close to the impressions of the first Sorento.Treat the new wagon carefully and it will come close to matching the ride comfort and quietness of its main rivals, the Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger.I drove a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel model with its six-speed, inhouse-built automatic transmission driving a part-time, on-demand all-wheel drive system. There is no low-range gearbox on offer. The test vehicle was also a seven seater and, according to Kias statistics, weighed about 1800kg.The engine is new for Kia, with an aluminium block and head, variable-geometry turbocharger and a high pressure common-rail injection system. Kia codes this engine as the R series and it will be expanded to other models.It’s a strong unit with 145kW and a meaty 436Nm of torque at 1800-2500rpm which gave a surprisingly good account of hauling the Sorentos weight and its three adult occupants.There was an occasion or two when the engine wasn’t awake and the lag would temporarily produce a dead accelerator. The gearbox has a sequential manual mode and it’s this feature that overcomes any tendency for the engine to suffocate.General handling is good though, again, there may be benefit in fitting firmer dampers to get a more positive feel to steering and body stance.For towing, the turbo-diesel is rated at 2000kg which should really be at least 2500kg. There may be adjustments to tis when the final specification shake-down happens for the Australian model range.The Sorento is a big vehicle and will seat seven, though the third row of seats which fold flat into the luggage floor are awkward to get to and a bit limited for adult haulage. Im 177cm and just fitted in, with tight legroom and my head on the ceiling. Best for the kiddies, really.Interior finish is very good though there is a lot of hard (and black) plastic in there. Heated front and rear seats were on the test car though probably unlikely — and generally unnecessary — in Australia.