THERE are but few traditional, separate-chassis 4WD wagons with part-time 4WD left on the market, so in a sense they are a dying breed amid a sea of soft-road crossovers. But the Kia Sorento, updated late last year and now featuring an up-to-the-minute common-rail 2.5-litre turbo-diesel and (optional) five-speed automatic transmission, proves that you can pack a lot of technology and value in a rugged ‘small-medium’ SUV wagon. There are not many wagons that combine the nimble exterior dimensions that city SUV buyers need with the tough underpinnings and 4WD system to really hit the trails like the Sorento does, and it’s a practical towing proposition, too.