First drive: Sorento’s great leap forward

SEVEN years is a long time in the SUV market. Technology and tastes have leaped forward since the BL Kia Sorento debuted in 2002 and even since its facelift in 2007.

Old-school features such as a separate chassis, live-axle suspension and dual-range transmission pushed the mid-size Korean even further from relevance in a market dominated by soft-roader medium SUVs such as Kluger and Territory.

Kia believes it has the answer in its new XM series Sorento, with improvements in performance, fuel economy, emissions, on-road handling, cabin space, safety and technology.

The new XM has a car-like monocoque frame, independent suspension and single range transmission to bring it into line with key competitors.

Officially unveiled at the Seoul motor show in April and on sale in Korea since May, the new Sorento also adds a highly sophisticated diesel engine – the Euro V-compliant R-diesel developed jointly by Kia and Hyundai.

In-house conventional six-speed transmissions – both auto and manual – were also developed for Sorento, alomg with, for general markets at least, new premium features such as keyless start, HID headlights and integrated sat-nav.

The new XM Sorento is longer, lower and has a wider track than its predecessor. While off-road fans may mourn the loss of dual-range transmission, separate chassis and live rear axle - the loss of these bush-friendly features also largely explains a significant weight loss for the second-generation Sorento. Despite being larger, the new Sorento is up to 215kg lighter than the model it replaces.

The new body not only looks smoother, with its new signature features such as the corporate grille design, but it is also smoother through the air – the aerodynamic drag figure coming down from 0.425 to 0.38.

The new Sorento is 95mm longer, 15mm lower and has a 10mm shorter wheelbase. Its front overhang has grown 105mm and rear overhang remains the same, as does width. Front track is up 38mm and rear track is up 40mm while the ground clearance is down 19mm to 203mm.

Kia believes, through its own crash testing program results, that the XM Sorento will achieve a five-star crash test rating in Euro and US NCAP testing.

Turning circle is slightly improved at 10.88 metres over the 11.0 metres for BL Sorento.

Fuel tank capacity is 10 litres lower at 70 litres.

Luggage space is slightly improved, with 1047/2052 litres storage capacity behind the second row/first row (897/1960 litres for BL Sorento).

A larger interior provides seven-seat capacity for the first time.

Kia has moved the A-pillar forward and moved the tailgate back compared with the old car, and also put the seats on a diet – thinner than before.

The steering wheel is adjustable for height only in the LX, while EX and EX-L have height and reach adjustment.

An optional panoramic roof has a fixed section at the rear and a front section that tilts and slides.

The second row seats are split 60-40 and present a flat loading floor with seat backs folded. In seven-seat models, the third row also folds into the floor and access is provided via the kerbside door, where the 40-split seat tumbles forward for access to the third row.

Top specification Sorentos get adjustable air vents on the side walls and in all models a cupholder and storage trays are fitted.

Childseat tether points are fitted to the seatback of each of the three seat positions in the second row.

Two engines will be offered in Australian market Sorentos – firstly, the all-new ‘R’ diesel engine, with the Euro V engine a 2.2-litre displacement with outputs of 145kW at 3800rpm and 436Nm at 1800-2500rpm (421Nm for the six-speed manual). These figures are impressive in light of the current BL Sorento’s 2.5 CRDI engine outputs of 125kW/392Nm.

The new engine is a third-generation common-rail turbo-diesel with a variable geometry turbo, cast-iron block and 16-valve aluminium cylinder head, Fuel pressure is 1800bar and a diesel particulate filter is fitted.

The 0-100km/h claimed figure for the 2.2 4WD is 9.6 seconds for manual and 10.0 seconds for auto (2WD models: 9.4sec and 9.7sec respectively), while 4WD six-speed manual consumption figures are 6.6L/100km (six-speed auto 7.4L/100km) while the 2WD six-speed manual achieves 6.5L/100km (six-speed auto: 7.2L/100km). C02 figures are 171/189 g/km for manual/auto respectively.

Australia’s second, petrol engine, will be either a 3.5-litre V6 or a 2.4-litre four-cylinder, with Kia Motors Australia to choose between the parsimony – and potentially lower purchase cost – of the 2.4-litre four or the power of the petrol six.

The all-alloy dual CVVT 3.5-litre develops 206kW at 6300rpm and 335Nm at 5000rpm. Kia has not revealed the fuel consumption or C02 figures for this Euro IV engine, but claims a 0100km/h time of 8.1 seconds for the V6 auto.

The all-alloy dual CVVT 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine develops 129kW of power at 6000rpm and 225Nm of torque at 3750rpm. The Euro IV engine propels the 2WD Sorento from rest to 100km/h in 10.5sec/11.1sec (man/auto) and the 4WD version yields 11.1sec/11.6sec (man/auto) for the same sprint.

Fuel consumption is a claimed 8.5/8.6 (man/auto) L/100km for the 2WD and 8.7/8.8 (man/auto) L/100km for the 4WD. C02 figures are 203/205 (man/auto) g/km for 2WD and 208/209 (man/auto) for the 4WD.

The Kia/Hyundai designed and built six-speed auto and six-speed manual are hooked up to an on-demand 4WD system with a lock button giving a fixed 50-50 split up to 40km/h.

Maximum towing weight is listed as 2000kg for global markets, and it is unknown at this stage whether the Australian market will be able to raise the towing capacity as it did with the current BL Sorento (where it was increased in 2007 from 2300kg to 2800kg).

Key new features available for the global market include keyless stop-start and entry, sat nav and reversing camera, ventilated driver’s seat/heated front passenger’s seat and panoramic sunroof.

According to Jonathan Fletcher, Kia Motors Australia’s PR manager, the ventilated driver’s seat won’t be on the menu for Australian spec cars but with the possible exception of keyless entry, everything else is on the Australian wishlist.

While global spec cars have a space-saver spare wheel, Aussie cars will come with a full-size spare only, fitted under the rear of the vehicle as with Sorento.

Final specification sign-off for Australian market cars won’t happen until August, and the first batch are expected to roll off the line in October for docking at Australian ports in December and on sale in January.

The Australian market cars are likely to continue with current grades of LX, EX and EX-L. However, because the general market LX does not have electronic traction control, Aussie spec cars will be based on the general market EX. That means Australia will slightly de-spec the EX for the range starter Aussie spec LX.

Crucial elements to the Australian specification – such as whether the 2WD model will be marketed here, whether the petrol model will be the 2.4-litre or the V6 and whether to take seven-seat-only spec or to offer a mixture of five and seven seaters – are yet to be decided.

Although the keyless start option is not looking promising, Kia is working on a flip key for Sorento – much better than the separate fob of the current model.

The BL Sorento introduced globally in 2002 was Kia’s first mid-size SUV and more than 900,000 have been sold worldwide. Kia is expecting an annual global export sales figure of 140,000 units from 2010.

Drive impressions

CAR companies sometimes are reluctant to let overseas journalists loose on overseas roads for fear of terrible disaster.

Various nationalities driving a new car on roads where they don’t understand half the road signs or know the local road rules can cause a PR’s nightmare.

Yet, Kia set us free on Korean roads and we left unscathed, but the roads were not ideal and the distractions many, so we could not get the clarity of impressions we would have liked about the new Sorento.

Yet, it does not take much of a drive to know this car is vastly different to its predecessor. Reading the specs gives much of the game away, and driving it – even in less than ideal circumstances – cements that.

The step into the cabin is lower and easier than before. First impression of the interior is that it is almost Kluger-like: the three-cone instrument cluster, the red backlit features (include door panels, to light up the door pulls) and chrome accents to the centre stack leave a strong first impression. Yet look a little closer and you will see cheap-feeling hard plastics (that are cheaper to make then soft plastic or vinyl, but ultimately look cheaper and scratch more easily).

The front seats offer a fair degree of support, and the driver gets a good view, only slightly obstructed by the A-pillars and the thick D-pillars when parking. Large side mirrors help.

A huge centre console bin with tray and ample cupholder and other storage bins are dotted about the cabin.

Second-row seats lack underthigh support, placing passengers a little too close to the floor, but offer plenty of leg and head room.

The step into the third row is acceptable, and so is the available space once sitting in the third row, although it is a knees-up seating position and claustrophobic with the thick D-pillar alongside. Like most vehicles of this type, luggage space is next to non-existent with all three rows in use.

The 2.2-litre six-speed auto version of XM Sorento settles into a slightly lumpy idle but is quieter than the previous model. One thing that is very clear is the mid-range response is much better than before although the transition from low to middling revs is more sharp than progressive. The six-speed auto appeared to have a good spread of ratios and aside from one upshift delivered with a slight thump, it didn’t put a foot wrong.

The 2.4-litre petrol has good around-town response and appears less harsh than other Kia four-cylinder petrol engines. It also feels that with seven occupants or five and luggage climbing a long freeway hill that it would be stretched.

The steering lacks feel and while turn-in is decisive there’s not much we can say about the handling. It appears okay but Ford needn’t worry that Kia has surpassed Territory just yet on the dynamics front.

Ride quality does not appear entirely cohesive with a brittle ride over sharp bumps and a float over longer, fast bumps. It’s much better than the BL Sorento, but not world-class by any means.

The new XM Sorento is a major step forward – it would have to be, given that Kia’s had nine years to come up with this new model – but whether this new SUV is more style than substance remains to be seen – and only a local Australian drive will clarify that.

Read more:

Kia softens up second Sorento

Global gloom no match for Kia

Kia officially reveals next Sorento