KIA IS SPOT-ON
Sorento puts safety first with camera on side mirrors
Maggie Barry
There are some pieces of kit on a new car that you know immediately are going to shortly be featured across the whole motoring industry.
And so it was with the Blind Spot View Monitor on the new Kia Sorento – why did no one think of it before?
Basically it’s a camera on the side mirrors that activates when you indicate you want to change lanes and gives you a fantastic video view of the blind spot and what’s going on.
The video pops up on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel. Within a few miles, I loved it.
For any driver ever nervous about joining a motorway, merging onto a fast-flowing road or finding a multi-lane roundabout terrifying, this is your holy grail, your golden ticket. It is amazing.
First seen stateside in the K5, it is found for the moment in the UK only on the top- of-the-range model, the 4, in the new Kia Sorento line- up but should be in every car if only for safety reasons. It gives you confidence and security that the manoeuvre you are carrying out will not end in tears or angry words.
The Sorento has been with us since 2002 and keeps getting better and better – no matter the trim level.
Indeed, such was the quality and features of the entry-level 2 model that a colleague had to go back and confirm with Kia that she was not driving something higher up the range. All models in the line- up have driving modes – Eco Sport and Smart for the new 1.6-litre self-charging hybrid and Comfort, Eco, Sport and Smart for the 2.2-litre diesel. There are now no full petrol engines in the range.
Every model comes with all-wheel drive, hill descent control and terrain modes like snow, mud and sand – the kind of stuff normally found in expensive high-range cars. All models are also seven-seaters with USB ports in the back, front and middle rows.
The Sorento has always been a solid but good-looking car with a high ride height, 17in or 19in wheels depending on the trim level, roof bars, front and rear skids plates and a neat rear spoiler.
This, the fourth generation, sits on a new platform which has let designers
maximise space with more legroom in the front and more headroom to the rear.
The inside is well finished and kitted out, particularly in the 4, which has diamond hatching on the metal of the doors ref lected on the dash and enhanced by ambient lighting at night.
The entry level has plush cloth seats, 3 gets black leather and 4 has stitched black leather for ultimate comfort.
In keeping with the wonderfully simple ethos of Kia, there are just two engines to choose from – a 2.2-litre diesel and a 1.6-litre turbo- charged petrol paired with 44.2kW electric motor powered by a 1.49kWh battery pack.
The HEV ( hybrid electric vehicle) recoups charge as you drive and offers a quiet yet powerful drive with 226bhp, a top speed of 119mph, taking only 8.7 seconds from 0- 60 and emitting
between 158g and 168g of CO2/kg. You will get around 40mpg.
I jumped from the HEV into the diesel and was struck by how quiet it was. It will give you 42.2mpg, has a top speed of 127mph, with 176g/km of CO2 does the dash from 0- 60 in 9.1 seconds.
The HEV has a six-speed automatic transmission and eight speed for the diesel. Tech is superb with the Sorento featuring Kia’s new UVO Connect from 3 upwards, live services and remote access. The safety features are extensive.
Like all Kias, the Sorento comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty and starts at £38,845 for the 2, rising to £46,945 for the 4. The diesel only comes in the 3 spec.
For what it’s worth, the Bose surround sound system in the 4 is fantastic.