2017 Kia Sorento vs Nissan Pathfinder

What's the difference?

Parenthood is a funny thing. And not always in a 'ha ha' way.

There you are one minute, living it large, travelling to amazing locations, climbing the career ladder, partying 'til dawn, with money in the bank, and a fabulous shoe collection. The next you are a parent. And the world changes. Or yours does, in every way.

The flash sporty car makes way for a sedate sedan or SUV. As the kids grow you play taxi driver to not just them, but their friends as well. That seven-seater you scoffed at on your way home from a weekend music festival just a few short years ago, is now a coveted prize.

If this scenario feels familiar, Kia's award-winning Sorento may be just the ticket. We put the all-wheel drive (AWD) Platinum to the family test.

Pathfinder. That's a rugged-sounding name, isn't it? It's a well-known name, too, having been a part of the furniture at Nissan for over three decades. The substance of the current (R52) model has been around since 2014 and introduced the big SUV to the idea of hybrid, with a novel supercharged four-cylinder and electric drivetrain. The rest of the range ran the petrol V6, like its arch-rival, the Toyota Kluger.

Nissan Australia has admitted disappointment with the Pathie's sales performance. It looks alright, is cheaper than its obvious rivals, but is outsold by Holden's centuries-old (in car years) Captiva. Punters bought more of the dying Ford Territory in 2016 than Nissan's big bruiser.

So, for 2017, Nissan gave the Pathfinder a bit of a going-over, which included baking some of the dough out of the handling, adding some safety gear and fixing the looks a bit.