The Sorento is Kia's flagship combustion-powered SUV for the Indian market. It's also Kia India's first hybrid offering, but if that doesn't strike your fancy, a diesel is also on offer. The Sorento contends in the premium three-row SUV segment, locking horns with the Volkswagen Tayron, Jeep Meridian, and Skoda Kodiaq. Now that we've reviewed the Kia Sorento, here are three reasons why you should bring one home, and three reasons why you may want to consider one of its rivals.
Pros
Well-judged powertrain offerings
The Sorento can be had with either a 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol strong hybrid powertrain (230hp, 380Nm) mated to a 6-speed torque converter, or a 2.2-litre diesel engine (193hp, 442Nm) coupled to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic. Both are available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive too. Of these, the hybrid is our pick for city driving because it’s smooth, instantly responds to throttle inputs, and the 1.49kWh battery pack allows it to run in pure-electric mode for better fuel efficiency – speaking of which, the Sorento hybrid claims 19.6kpl with FWD and 17.7kpl with AWD. On the highway, though, the turbo-petrol gets vocal and starts to run out of breath if pushed hard.
Highway frequenters, then, should look towards the diesel-powered Sorento. The low-end response is good, but not as immediate as the hybrid’s, and torque is delivered in a strong, linear surge, making it an excellent highway cruiser. Another highlight is the wet-clutch DCT, which slurs its gear changes like a torque converter and adds to the smoothness of the driving experience. Refinement is also good for the most part, with the diesel engine emitting a gruff note only under hard acceleration.
Feature-packed cabin with a premium feel
Inside, the Sorento offers a blend of quality, technology, and ergonomics that majorly outclasses rivals. The dashboard is decked out in soft-touch materials, there's a healthy amount of physical controls, and overall quality levels are fabulous for the price.
As for features, the Sorento is absolutely loaded, especially in higher variants. You get goodies like dual 12.3-inch screens, a heads-up display, a panoramic sunroof, powered and ventilated front seats, ventilated second-row captain's chairs (6-seat), Level 2 ADAS, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, dual-zone climate control, 64-colour ambient lighting, a camera-based IRVM, rear-window sunshades, a powered tailgate, connected car tech, and more.
Outstanding ride quality
Kia has tuned the Sorento’s suspension exceptionally well, with a clear prioritisation of comfort over sportiness. It glides along bad roads at high speeds with ease, almost never needing you to lift off. Part of the credit here goes to the tall-sidewall tyres, which round off sharp jolts and filter high-frequency shocks. While there is a bit of body movement at highway speeds, the Sorento never feels unsettled or busy.
Cons
Knees-up seating in third row
While the first and second rows of the Sorento are very spacious and comfortable, the outlook on the third row (left image) is mixed. Legroom is decent, but the seat base is mounted nearly flat on the floor, which means there's no under-thigh support and you're sat knees-up. The Sorento’s third row, then, is best-suited to small children.
Not as engaging to drive as European rivals
Since the Sorento is softly-sprung and has a higher 208mm ground clearance, it isn't quite as dynamically sharp as the Tayron and Kodiaq – a bit of body roll rears its head during hard cornering. The steering feel is light, but not as fluid or progressive as those of the Sorento's European rivals, and there's a dead zone around the straight-ahead position too.
Top-end variants are expensive
Pricing for the Sorento is very broad and competitive, starting at Rs 27.99 lakh for the base-spec diesel-FWD variant. However, prices for the top-spec HTX and HTX(A) trims range from Rs 37.49 lakh to Rs 40.19 lakh, which is rather steep. It doesn't help that these trims are offered solely with AWD – FWD versions could've helped bring the HTX’s price down.
All prices are ex-showroom, India.