Kia Sorento News

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 are joint winners, edging out the Hyundai i30 after an intensive three-day round of judging and more than 6000km of evaluation by nine COTY judges with more than 100 years of combined motoring experience.The result is no surprise, because the Japanese sports car twins have been COTY favourites since the day they were unveiled. They also embody the Carsguide mantra and COTY methodology: "Real cars, on real roads, for real people".The 86/BRZ is a landmark collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, classy engineering with a concentrated focus on driving enjoyment, and value packaging by both brands. That means a $29,990 starting price for the Toyota and driveaway pricing with free servicing on the Subaru."This is the era of the SUV and that makes the BRZ and 86 quite remarkable. It's a ground-breaking car, regardless of the badges it wears," says Carsguide editor, Paul Pottinger. "This car is a gift. Has anyone got out of either one without a smile on their face?" says James Stanford, summing up the majority feeling.The performance of the i30 is a surprise, as it edges the new Toyota Corolla to make the final four showdown alongside the Kia Sorento and Honda CR-V, which fly the flag for the SUV stars of 2012. "I really like the i30, and would give it my number one vote," says Chris Riley.The COTY showdown for 2012 involves 11 cars including The Twins -- as we dub 86 and BRZ -- nine judges, video and backup crews, and the photographer who insists on a 5am start on Day Two. The judging starts with a 120km run west from Sydney into the Blue Mountains, then laps around a testing and varied 44km loop from Mount Victoria.Each car has been chosen to reflect the best value and strongest sales, not just for the way it would look if it was fully loaded with an unrealistic bottom line. From the start, the troubled Ford Falcon is in trouble again. Its sales have slumped this year and, despite the addition of the excellent EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, it is still too old in too many ways to make much of an impact.But by even making the Top 10 COTY contest, it's a winner. It's a pity Ford has not done nearly enough to promote the car, and not enough people have driven a package that makes it the best riding and handling Falcon of its generation. The Ford Ranger, too, struggles. It's a pickup that can do double duty as a family car, and it led the world with five-star ute safety, but it cannot compete in such a classy field.From the Holden camp, the plug-in electric Volt is a window on the future that's not good enough for the present. We could live with the cramped back seat and the crimped boot and the confusing dashboard if the car was priced at around $35,000. But it's $59,990. "It's trying to be the car of the future but it falls down today," says Karla Pincott.The COTY crew is doing lots of laps on day one, cycling through the cars and usually going back-to-back with direct rivals such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. This is one mini-contest that produces a surprising bias towards the Honda, as the Mazda is beaten on boot space with a lower loading lip, value and the little things that make a difference to families.At the end of the day, as push comes to shove and the preliminary scores are tallied, the four finalists become clear -- although The Twins make it five if you're getting picky. Leading the near misses is the Corolla, which is narrowly trumped by the i30. The CX-5 also falls, and we lose the fun little Volkswagen Up."The Up is a great city car. But there is no auto and you really can't drive it with any comfort beyond the city,'' says Pottinger. Day two begins early but the focus has shifted, even if some of the judges cannot resist more driving time in cars like the Falcon and the CX-5, and even the Up and Ranger."This is a great chance to cover some miles," says James Stanford. By Day two the judges are separating into two camps, as the shortcomings of the Sorento and CR-V take them out of the final fight. The Honda is not strong enough in the engine room for most. Despite the classy Australian suspension settings, the Sorento is not good enough to claim a COTY crown.The i30 scores for its classy cabin, its affordable starting price, and an overall package which edges the Corolla despite the Toyota's impressive $19,990 starting point. The result comes down to the final voting, with each of the cars scored 4-3-2-1 by each of the nine judges. The Twins win. "This car is brilliant, and it's such a great drive," says Stanford. The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are also real cars, on real roads, for real people.PAUL POTTINGER1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VPAUL GOVER1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VKARLA PINCOTT1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VCRAIG DUFF1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VSTUART MARTIN1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VJAMES STANFORD1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VCHRIS RILEY1) Hyundai i302) BRZ/863) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VNEIL DOWLING1) Hyundai i302) BRZ/863) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VJOSHUA DOWLING1) Hyundai i302) Honda CR-V3) Kia Sorento4) BRZ/86 

A real family package with seven seats and a solid diesel engine for hauling. Helped ahead of the Hyundai Santa Fe by intensive local suspension tuning. "I keep coming back to value-for-money and I think it delivers. It's a well-sorted package," Karla Pincott said at the COTY judging.It is money well spent with Sorento remaining composed and controlled in a variety of conditions, soaking up the bumps and potholes whether it's on the dirt or bitumen.The entry level manual diesel is surprisingly fun to drive and even comes with dual zone climate air. The manual change is easy to use and will appeal to those wanting to tow a van or boat as it has a higher tow rating of 2.5 tonnes. The petrol V6 feels like a completely different car and has some real attitude. It is the quickest of the bunch, responds quickly and positively to the throttle, accelerating loudly and aggressively, with the dash from 0-100km/h taking 8.2 seconds.Bigger brakes pull the car up faster. The old Sorento was good and this one is better again. The styling is sharper and it sits better on the road, with more equipment in most cases.Sitting 10mm lower than before subtle changes in design have produced a wider, more aggressive look, particularly through the use of vertical lighting elements.The redesign includes new head lights with LED daytime running lights, a new tailgate with LED rear combination lights, new bumpers front and back with vertical, rectangular shaped fog lights and less use of unpainted plastic trim around the lower part of the body as well as a greater range of wheels.Kia Sorento Si diesel autoPrice: from $38,990Engine: 2.2-litre turbodiesel direct-injection four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed automatic, four wheel drivePower: 145kW @ 3800rpmTorque: 436Nm @ 1800rpmFuel use/emissions: 7.3 l/100km, tank 64 litres; 192g/kmBrakes/safety systems: Driver and front passenger airbags, front seat side/thorax, curtain airbags, stability control (Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control), rear parking sensorsDimensions: Length 4685mm, width 1885mm, height 1700mm, wheelbase 2700mm, cargo volume 258/1047/2052 litres, weight 1648kgWheels/tyres: 17in alloy wheelsWin $5,000 in our People's Choice competition. 

As the eldest in our family, I was a bit like Hyundai. I had some good ideas, and I got there first, but Keith always managed to take what I'd begun and improve things.When I started as a paperboy I was happy to clear around $20 a week, but he lifted that to more than $40 on the same route and put it all in the bank. No frippery or splashing on motor magazines, that's for sure. He was also way better at anything practical, tougher on a football field, and first to head out from home.Just last week I was driving the new Hyundai Sante Fe and was impressed by the design, space, quality and seven-seater practicality. The steering felt wonky and the ride was floppy, but all-in-all it was a very impressive thing. This week I'm in the latest Kia Sorento and almost the same as the Sante Fe - no surprise there, since they're among the Hyundai-Kia clone cars - but a bit better.I think the driver's seat sits way too high for comfort and control, but the Sorento's suspension is massively better and the steering is good. It also feels more 'together' and a little quieter, and the extra refinement in the Sorento means I will always recommend it ahead of the Santa Fe.It's much the same as the Kia Sportage, which I prefer over the Hyundai ix35, the Kia Rio that trumps the Hyundai i20 - and currently holds the Carsguide Car of the Year crown - and the mid-sized Optima which is way better than either the i40 or i45 from Hyundai.Look at the sales figures this year and Hyundai is up by 4.9 per cent over 2011, holding fourth in the charts. Kia is only 11th, but its numbers are up by 26.9 per cent. Kia has the obvious advantage of building up from the basics set by Hyundai in everything from cabin size to engines, but it scores with the styling work by design ace Peter Schreyer and it also has Aussie suspension guru Graeme Gambold on the books.The Schreyer-Gambold double-punch lands every time, which could partly explain a major change at Hyundai that put former Holden marketing boss John Elsworth into the driving seat this week. He's going to lead a more locally-focussed management team tasked to deliver what Australians want in their cars, while holding the prices and value at the level Australians expect from Korean.'He could do a lot worse than to take a look, and a drive, in something with a Keith - sorry, Kia - badge. 

It’s what’s on the inside of the new Kia Sorento that counts. The medium-sized SUV has undergone midlife cosmetic surgery to modernize its looks and now boasts a new bumper with upright fog lights and LED running lights.More significantly, it now has a 2.4-litre petrol engine that will go on sale alongside the 3.5-litre petrol already fitted under the hood. The new direct-injection engine is good for 141kW/242Nm and uses around 8.6L/100km.It has been homologated for Australia but Kia Australia has yet to decide whether it has a place in the local line-up. The existing 2.2-litre diesel has had its thirst trimmed by around 0.3L/100km while still producing the same power and torque.Interior enhancements are intended to make the seven-seater look more luxurious and include satin chrome finishes on the door handles, air-vent surrounds and switchgear, a new centre stack with a seven-inch LCD screen and extra insulation to reduce noise in the cabin. 

The face might be reasonably familiar but it's sitting on an all-new platform aimed at taking it to a new level of refinement.Destined to go on sale here in mid-October, details of the big Kia SUV were released in its home market this week and it has resisted the temptation to go all-diesel, retaining the petrol V6 and four-cylinder engines, as well as two diesels and the choice of 2WD or on-demand 4WD seems set to remain.Currently the Australian line-up has the big V6 petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel and that seems likely to be retained. The 2.2-litre turbodiesel's outputs of 145kW and between 422 and 436Nm (depending on transmission choice) won't change much but it has a new exhaust gas recirculation system to reduce emissions; the petrol V6 looks to be largely carry-over with 204kW and 335Nm on offer.There's some chance that Australia will get a second petrol engine - the 2.4-litre direct-injection petrol engine that produces 141kW and 242Nm, but there's no official word on that yet. Work has been done to improve the weight and strength of the next Sorento, with a higher percentage (25 per cent) of ultra high-tensile strength steel used in the body, as well as other hot-stamped panels that are lighter and stronger.Refinement work has also been carried out on the suspension, which sits on new subframes front and rear to reduce vibration intrusion in the cabin, as well as providing a stronger mounting point. Kia Australia spokesman Kevin Hepworth says the company was looking forward to the new SUV arriving later this year."The information points to a more refined and improved vehicle, the more extensive use of high strength steel is boon for both safety and economy with weight saving and we're looking forward to seeing the vehicle in Australia," he says.Mr Hepworth also says price and final vehicle specification was still in the final stages of negotiation - "there is no doubt pricing will be competitive," he says - which would suggest it would stay starting in the mid-$30,000 and top out just under $50,000 like the current car.The Australian suspension tuning team, led by Graeme Gambold, has had considerable input into the underpinnings of the Sorento, so expect good things in the steering and handling department of the new Kia SUV flagship. Also expected on the Sorento is Kia's new FlexSteer system (probably on the options list), which adjusts weighting within three modes - Normal, Sport and Comfort.The face carries the Schreyer Kia DNA but the updated look consists of new front and rear bumpers, a new front grille and headlights (assisted by new fog lights and LED cornering lights), and a new bootlid shape and LED tail lights. In a nod to its metropolitan duties, the ride height has been lowered by 10mm for easier access, with Kia claiming improved rear legroom in the middle and back rows of the seven-seater.Other changes detailed by the Korean company include the addition of LCD instruments, an 8in LCD centre screen and options along the lines of power-adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats, heating for the second row, Bluetooth phone link and air-conditioning for the third row seats.The safety features available on the current car already have six front, side and curtain airbags, stability control, a reversing camera, xenon headlamps and hill-start assistance, but the new model is expected to have available blind spot and lane departure warning systems and an auto parallel parking system. 

A mild tweak of the family-focussed Korean SUV brings new lamps, a tweaked grille and bumpers. The car is only three years into production but the cabin is also expected to get a lift in quality.

The new Sorento has been unveiled in Korea just days after catalogue images leaked onto the web last week.The SUV has been restyled, given a complete body makeover and set off with new light clusters front and rear, LED daytime running lights, bigger 19-in alloy wheels and a revamped interior with a stronger focus on quality finishes.The cabin also gets a larger eight-inch infotainment display screen, new LCD instrument cluster and redesigned centre console.The seven-seater Kia Sorento is based on a new platform shared with stablemate Hyundai’s next Santa Fe SUV.Kia says the engine range has been updated, which means revisions to improve economy and efficiency of the current engines: a 145kW/422Nm 2.2-litre turbodiesel (6.7L/100km in the manual version), a 128kW/226Nm 2.4-litre petrol (9.2L/100km) and a 204kW/335Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol (10L/100km).Australian specifications and prices will be confirmed closer to the new Sorento’s launch at the Australian International Motor Show in October.

Part of a worldwide voluntary recall affecting some  85,000 vehicles, the issue applies locally to 1029 Sorrento Platinum SUVs and 27 of the Soul3.Kia spokesman Kevin Hepworth said the wiring glitch has the "potential to cause heat damage" in the Soul's mood lighting and in the Sorrento's armrest."All owners will be contacted," Mr Hepworth said. "It's a fix that will take half-an-hour for the Soul and an hour for the Sorrento."  He added that there have been no reports of damage.

To be eligible for 4WD Of The Year, a vehicle has to be completely new that year, or significantly revised. By 'significantly revised' we mean a major mechanical change like a new engine or drivetrain, or a new body. Styling, equipment or interior facelifts don't cut the mustard.To be eligible, the vehicle in question also has to have a full-size spare wheel either as standard, or available as an option. No full-size spare equals no start. On this count, the Peugeot 4007, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and Mitsubishi Outlander were all eliminated automatically.That left a number of other soft-roaders that do come with a full-size spare to consider. These included the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX400h and the Nissan Murano. The fact that so many new soft roaders didn't go down the space-saver route is good news but at the end of the day they are still soft roaders and with so many strong candidates among the ranks of the serious 4WDs, we couldn't warrant their inclusion.The new 'serious' 4WDs included the Prado 150 Series, the Land Rover Discovery 4, the Range Rover Sport and Vogue, the new Land Rover Defender variants, the ML Series Triton, and the revised Jeep Wrangler.   Further culling of the numbers saw the Wrangler and the Defender eliminated on the grounds that they are both variations on well-known themes while the Range Rover Vogue, with its new petrol 5.0-litre V8, was deemed to be too expensive in relation to the new Range Rover Sport with its new 3.0-litre TDV6.In the end it came down to the Discovery 4 with its new TDV6 engine (in SE spec), the Range Rover Sport with the same engine (only one spec level), the top-spec ML Triton as this is the only model with all the new features as standard, and the Prado in both petrol and diesel guise. To us, these five vehicles represented an extremely strong field … a classic Land Rover verses Toyota battle with the wildcard Triton thrown in.Find out which vehicle won in Australia’s leading offroad magazine, Overlander, on sale Wednesday Jan 27.