- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
Autoboom at the wheel of Kia’s flagship SUV
The Kia Sorento is one of the best-selling models from the Korean brand and a successful player in the mid-size SUV segment. The fourth generation was released at the beginning of 2020. It is the first model to be available in such varied versions. The SUV has four powertrain options! Two hybrids, even an all-wheel drive one, a diesel version and a gasoline version. In other markets, all versions are all-wheel drive, as befits an SUV. We decided to find out all the details and check the quality of the Sorento for ourselves. Meet Autoboom at the wheel of Kia’s flagship SUV!
We tested a top-end front-wheel-drive model with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with 180 hp, mated to an automatic gearbox. Of course, we wanted to test a hybrid version, but alas… they are so popular that they are often out of stock. Therefore, we chose the gasoline version, as it is slightly cheaper than the others. Its estimated cost starts from 245,302 shekels (including registration fees).
Static ‘tiger’
The SUV is large, although it is considered a mid-size model. The length of the body is 4,810 mm, the width is 1,900 mm and the height is 1,690 mm. The 2,815 mm wheelbase offers a spacious interior, which the manufacturer calls ‘the largest in its class’. But the ground clearance is only 176 mm. The vehicle has a laconic, swaying silhouette with classic contours without trying to look bigger than it is. As a result, you immediately begin to feel the dimensions of the vehicle, which helps a lot to ‘bond’.
An experienced motorist may find it difficult to find a nice car among those currently available on the market, which is due to the ideas of the adult generation, formed during the golden age of the automotive industry, which offered a lot of unique and beautiful models. The market was so much more diverse and could offer more than just SUVs.
Sophistication should not be sought in the mid-price segment, to which the Kia Sorento has long belonged. If the vehicle is not ugly, it is already good. As for the Sorento, it’s really friendly and its style lives up to its intention: to be solid and reliable at first sight. This vehicle makes you trust it. It makes you feel relaxed and comfortable. One of the serious image elements is the design of the tiger nose. In principle, it looks like a tiger: tall, sporty and “muscular”. And the interior is spacious. It looks expensive and nice. The steering wheel is particularly beautiful and pleasant to the touch.
Dynamic ‘tiger’
So we hit the road. We feel good as a passenger, the vehicle has no faults, there is nothing to say. The seat, dynamics and suspension work on asphalt and beyond are satisfied, and the sound isolation is absolutely amazing. The image changes noticeably when you sit behind the wheel. Yes, the dynamics continue to satisfy with 180 horsepower obtained from a 2.5-liter engine thanks to direct injection alone. Such a dynamic is supported by confidence and even a feeling of superiority.
The Sorento for Israel has a full range of engines: gasoline, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Power ranges from 180 to 202 hp.
The six-speed automatic gearbox is designed to fly fast without faltering at high rpm: its gears are long enough and ensure efficiency. Consumption is only 6.8 liters per 100 km on the highway or 8.5 liters in the city.
The model offers the typical handling for an SUV. It has the same platform as the Optima, but the weight and size have their effect. The impression of driving is made of behavior in the turns, on the bumps and at high speed. All cars are quite similar on the asphalt road of a city. Only difficult roads outside the city will show the true nature of a vehicle. And here the Sorento is really good, despite the fact that its independent MacPherson-type front and multi-link rear suspensions could give more power.
In addition, the suspension lacks energy intensity. Yes, it handles both small and medium irregularities, and drives easily on large, gentle slopes. But an expensive and solid interior provides more comfort. And given the rather high price of the car, you must first carefully read the owners' reviews about the reliability and find out about the cost of maintenance. As part of the test, we did not ask ourselves these questions, we had a goal: is it worth taking a closer look at the Korean ‘tiger’. The verdict is yes, it’s worth it, the test was successful!
