Kia’s third-generation Sorento large 4×4 is the car tasked with leading the brand’s ambition to move upmarket and away from its budget roots.
The new seven-seater comes with just the one 197hp
2.2-litre diesel engine, and is longer, lower and wider than the previous model, offering a huge additional 90 litres of luggage space.
Excellent
The Sorento is a stylish and spacious vehicle, inside and out, and interior quality is impressive.
Good
The driving experience is good, and the Sorento doesn’t feel as big as it is on the road. The 2.2 diesel is pretty refined, and we weren’t too far off the 46.3mpg official figure in our test drive.
Average
The Sorento looks expensive in KX-3 trim as driven here. Dropping to KX-2 saves nearly £4000 but still includes touchscreen satnav, heated seats, reversing camera and dual-zone climate control. The extra kit on the KX-3 is nice, but far from essential.
Poor
The Sorento falls down significantly on costs. Only the entry KX-1 trim gets under 150g/km thanks to its smaller wheels, and the residual value can’t match sister brand Hyundai’s Santa Fe, which is eight percentage points better off.
