16 December 2011
The 7-seater KIA Sorento is available in three different models – the Si, which is the base model, the SLi, and the Platinum. I scored the opportunity to test drive the 2012 Si model for a week. I’ll admit, I was a little wary, as my only previous experience with KIA had been driving a Soul a few years back as a rental car in Los Angeles. It drove like an unwieldy boat so we took it back and swapped it for another car. So honestly, I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the Sorento. After a week of test driving the Si, I was seriously impressed. The car is a pleasure to drive, and is eminently affordable too.
Style & Drive
The Si might not come with all the bells and whistles of the SLi and the Platinum models, but for your average family car it has more than enough to offer, and the best bit is, it doesn’t look cheap at all. The interior is well designed with very user-friendly systems, boasting an MP3-compatable CD player, 6 speakers, an AUX/USB input with iPod compatibility, Bluetooth functionality, and SDVC (Speed Dependent Volume Control.) There is tons of storage all over the car, and it also has dual-zone climate control air-conditioning.
The second row of seats folds flat 60:40 and the third row folds flat 50:50, so there are flexible options for travel and stowing long objects. The third row of seats is a cinch to assemble. Simply pull a tab on the back and they rise up out of the floor and snap into position. The third row is great for kids, but is a bit of a tight squeeze for a full-sized adult.
The Si comes in both petrol and diesel options. I didn’t have the opportunity to test drive one of the diesel models which have greater fuel-efficiency, but the automatic 3.5L petrol model did the job OK, and didn’t seem to chew up too much gas while I was driving around the city for a week. For its size, the car handles pretty well on the roads and feels solid. I will admit I did miss having a rear view camera and reverse parking sensors (which come standard on the SLi and Platinum models) as the car has a high rear window and a few blind spots. It can be a bit of a difficult beast to park if you’re not familiar with it.
Safety
Though the 2012 Sorento has yet to be tested, the 2010 model scored a 5-star ANCAP rating. The 2012 Si features six airbags (driver, passenger, front side and curtain), an Anti-lock braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS), Downhill Brake Control (DBC) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). The SLi and the Platinum models both feature reverse parking sensors and a rear view parking camera with mirror display.
Eco
The 3.5L Petrol model has a fuel consumption of 10L/100km and CO2 emission: 239g/km
Servicing
The Kia Sorento features a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
Describe the car in 3 words
Attractive, adventurous, economical.
What are the best things about this car?
It’s nice and roomy, but it doesn’t feel like a mumsy car.
What are the downsides of this car?
As with most 7-seaters, when the third row of seats is up, boot space is at a minimum.
What kind of petrol does it use?
Petrol or diesel.
Liked it?
Loved it. For the price, you get great bang for your buck.
If personified, who would this car be?
Modern Family’s Julie Bowen.
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