Kia: Sorento's a soft touch

Kia Sorento's too-soft handling detracts from its good looks. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

I wasn't away by Kia's Sorento at its Australian launch drive. Sure, it was handsome enough, but the handling didn't feel as assured as its Hyundai equivalent, and the auto's willingness to change for you even in manual mode annoyed.

Still, that won't bother the average harassed parent seeking a four-paw family wagon, so I took it away for a week and 1000km of home roads with luggage aboard.

I still like this engine. The 2.2-litre, 145kW/445Nm common rail diesel with its variable geometry turbo is refined enough - and sufficiently keen to pull that you'll rarely change gear manually, instead relying on the auto's six speeds to do the job.

The extra cogs mean Sorento's reasonably frugal, averaging as-near-as-damn-it to Kia's 7.4l/100km claim for our Auckland to New Plymouth drive, some running around and a few suburbs trips.

This generation is longer and lower than the outgoing car, and head and leg room are up - especially in the second row. You can pull two more pews from the boot floor and access them via the second-row tilt-fold seats, but we needed the space for luggage - a lot of it. Shame the tonneau cover fastening gets caught in the third-row seatbelts, though.

Still, once up front we recovered. There's plenty of space to get comfy - with door pockets that'll hold water bottles, a 15.9-litre centre console with divider tray for snacks and CDs, and an iPod fitting for the sound system.

The Sorento scampered along the motorway, and it was only once we hit the hills south of Ngaruawahia that the overly plush suspension set-up made itself felt.

You don't expect incisive handling from an SUV, even one that's tarmac-focused, but this one was just a tad too prone to bouncing and wallowing when hitting a bigger bump through bends. Though its line remained all but unaffected, it was disconcerting until I got used to it - and cut the pace back a little to suit.

After all, this is not a sports car, but a high-riding family wagon. It no longer features the low-range transmission and live rear axle that took its predecessor so far off-road, though you can lock drive 50-50 front to rear. Nor does it deliver the generous tow rating, which has dropped to 2000kg for the autos. So you're paying the soft ride compromise for off-road benefits that are now largely imaginary. That said, some may like it; certainly my occasional rear passenger approved both ride comfort, and the fact the rear seat back angle easily adjusts.

We liked the long features list too, which in this $63,990 limited variant includes a panoramic sun roof, cruise control, leather seats, and a rear park aid and reversing camera.

Kia's aiming up-market with Sorento, and it certainly looks the part. But this bracket is in the doldrums and there's a lot of choice; Sorento's strengths - its looks, its practical and comfy cabin - may not be enough to offset its weaknesses; too much wind noise at speed, and that too-soft handling.

KIA SORENTO

We like
Refined diesel engine delivers grunt without compromising thirst; handsome looks, five-year warranty

We don't like
Too much wind noise, too-soft handling, lower tow rating than before, the Limited is a tad pricey, too.

Powertrain
2.2-litre turbo diesel, 145kW at 3800rpm, 445Nm at 1800-2500rpm, six-speed auto drives all four wheels.

Performance
0-100 not available, 7.4l/100km (claimed)

Safety
ABS, stability control, six airbags, reversing camera

What it's got
Panoramic sun roof, iPod and USB input, heated leather seats, auto lights, rain-sensing wipers

Vital stats
4685mm long, up to 2052-litre boot, 70-litre tank