Test drive Kia Sorento new generation
Test Drive

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation

In other countries, the third generation Sorento has replaced the second, but for the next three years, in parallel with the new version, the previous one, which is simpler and more affordable, will also be on sale ...

The general cult of consumption made me very lazy, and the metropolis rewarded me with a whole bunch of phobias. Overwhelmed by the assortment of malls and online stores, I panic if they try to show me 140 options for a parquet pattern, because one of them will definitely match this particular wallpaper color. Selected from another 60 proposed. It is very good when there is a lively young consultant in the store who shields from an excessive abundance of choice, but then you have to part with the illusion that we are really deciding something. That is, we, of course, think differently, but in fact our apartments look the way this sophomore decides if he has a hanging tongue. In general, the renovation at my house did not begin, on Fridays the same pub, the phone only from Apple, and when in the next version of FIFA it became possible to manually assign the level of the midfielders' propensity to short shuffling on a 100-point scale, I put down the joystick , took the ball and went out into the street.

Therefore, at one time I greatly respected the Japanese automobile premium, which seemed to say: “Believe me, friend, I know what is best, and I have already done all the coolest things for you. Set aside this ridiculous encyclopedia of options in small print. I have a great car for you, and all you have to choose is one of two power options and a color. Oh yes, do you need a hatch? " And for the same reason, he experienced the strongest attack of nostalgia in Greece, on a test drive of the third-generation Kia Sorento crossover, which received the Prime prefix to the name. All-wheel drive only. Diesel only. Only 2,2-liter, 200-horsepower. There are only three comprehensive configurations, the youngest of which (Luxe) has five seats, and the other two have seven seats. Sambo-70 numbering frames will contribute to individualization.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



Why Prime? This is a purely Russian story, since in other countries the third generation Sorento replaced the second, but for the next three years, in parallel with the new version, the previous one, which is simpler and more affordable, will also be on sale. The "second" Sorento is assembled in a full cycle at a plant in Kaliningrad and is very popular on the market - it is a spacious car for relatively little money: a 174-horsepower front-wheel drive petrol version can be bought for $ 17 and a version with the same characteristics as that of Prime costs $ 095. The price tag for the third generation, which so far cannot boast of any significant percentage of localization and is produced using better materials, starts from $ 21 in the Luxe configuration and goes up to $ 697. for Prestige. These are almost the same numbers as the Hyundai Grand Santa Fe, but, for example, is significantly cheaper than the Toyota Highlander. Prices for a Japanese crossover are just starting at $ 27, while we are talking about a front-wheel drive, unlike Korean competitors, a variant.

There is a lot of debate about which would be more effective, since the old Sorento remains - to bring the much more expensive Sorento Prime to the market under a completely different name, and not be limited to a prefix to the name, risking confusing buyers, or do as in the end decided in Kia, but, obviously, potential buyers of the crossover are more worried about another question: for what to pay another half a million? Koreans have long sought to be slightly higher than the mass segment, and at a briefing before a test drive in Greece, I heard the word "premium" from the management of Kia's Russian office about eight times on various occasions, including seat ventilation and a panoramic roof. But the engine remained the same, albeit somewhat reconfigured: three horsepower was added, and the acceleration time to 100 km / h was reduced by 0,3 s - to 9,6 seconds. The gearbox is the same - a smooth, but sometimes brooding six-speed "automatic". Kia counters that this is an absolutely up-to-date engine (besides, with a decent 441 Nm of torque), which is still far from retirement, the platform and suspension are radically redesigned, the body is new, and the interior is just wow.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



It is impossible not to agree. If on the outside the new car from the Schreier design team does not make an explosive effect, although it is beautiful, neat and thoroughbred, then inside the Prime is a different level compared to its predecessor. It will not be inferior in quality to the interior and much more expensive classmates, although the need to stay within certain price limits dictates its own conditions. For example, the demonstrative thread stitching on the front panel, a usual attribute of the premium leather trim, runs along the plastic here. But the plastic is of high quality, soft and tightly fitted. Prime is very well assembled and elegant inside, many details are covered with leather, lacquered wood inserts and aluminum elements look absolutely appropriate, without falsification and overkill.

Moreover, the third generation Sorento turned out to be more comfortable in every sense: it increased in size, and the seats became much more comfortable both in shape and texture, and thanks to a large number of electrical adjustments - up to 14 for the driver, including changing the length of the cushion, and 8 for the front passenger. By the way, the Prime is longer and wider than the previous Sorento, but lower, and despite this, passengers have more headroom. The second row is devoid of a tunnel between passengers and is distinguished by a comfortable height from the trunk floor to the pillows, as well as a convenient tilt of the back of the rear sofa, which is also adjustable. The seats are lower for easier entry / exit, and the doors completely close the sills, so they do not get covered with dirt and no longer pose a hidden threat to passengers' clothing.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



As comfortable as possible for a mid-size crossover, in the third row, where there are even climate control buttons - and this is another signal of Kia's claims for premium equipment. As well as the automatic trunk opening function, for which you just need to walk up to the back of the car, keep the key with you, and stand for a few seconds so that Prime does not think too much. This is the privilege of the owners of the older Prime trim levels, as well as the 8-inch touchscreen of the multimedia system, as well as the completely "drawn" Supervision dashboard, familiar to us from other Kia models. Owners of the Luxe version will get a smaller screen and a simpler "tidy", but the basic equipment is quite rich: xenon headlights, leather interior trim, a navigation system, a rear-view camera and a package of "warm options", which includes heated windshield and windshield mirrors, as well as the functions of heating the steering wheel and both front and rear seats. Their ventilation, as well as, for example, an all-round visibility system and an automatic parking system, are already for an extra charge.

Important figures for buyers of crossovers: the clearance of the Sorento has not changed and is 185 mm, and the trunk volume is 660 liters (1732 with folded seats) in a five-seater version and 124 liters (1662 liters with folded seats) in a seven-seater. The first means that you can still park on the curb, unnerving your neighbors, and the second means that you will take with you all the things that will throw you on the roof in revenge. As practice shows, these can be quite large objects.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



What wins over about Prime is its overall adequacy. You should not expect sensations from a 200-horsepower diesel engine, but it drives quite decently, even if you put four people in it, fill the entire trunk with heavy equipment and go to the serpentine, which we did in Greece. Steady and without radical roll, the Prime confidently climbs the hill, and the brakes withstand the ragged pace of driving on a loaded car and then do not fail on the descent. All this took about 10 liters per 100 km with the declared 7,8 liters in the combined cycle - given the car load and the pace, which did not always contribute to fuel economy, the figure is decent.

Subtly aided when cornering is Advanced Traction Cornering Control (ATCC), which detects understeer and gently brakes the inner rear wheel while monitoring traction on the others. But the steering lacks responsiveness - neither the more advanced R-MDPS amplifier with a drive from an electric motor on the steering rack, which is relied on in the Premium package, nor switching to sport mode helps. If you activate this function, then the steering wheel is filled with artificial weight, but does not become more informative.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



But Prime is very soft and smooth, perfectly fulfills all the irregularities, while not allowing itself excessive swing. In this case, the lack of communication with the road can be forgiven - this is the cost of almost any car, so clearly sharpened for comfort. Prime is an absolutely cruising option, designed to cover distances as delicately as possible for passengers. At the rear, the Sorento's suspension now features double lower wishbones, and the shock absorbers, previously tilted 23 degrees, are vertically positioned behind the rear axle. At the front, the design hasn't changed, but unlike the previous Sorento, there are shock absorbers with a hydraulic rebound buffer. In addition to the suspension geometry, the rear subframe has changed and the silent blocks have been increased, and the torsional rigidity of the body has increased by 14%, the share of high-strength steels in the body has reached 53%, which is twice as much as in the second generation Sorento. Including thanks to these changes, Prime received 2014 stars in 5 - the highest score when passing a crash test using the EuroNCAP system.

And most importantly, nothing is heard in Sorento Prime. That is, nothing from the outside world at all. There is excellent sound insulation without annoying oversights like the whistle from the wind flow cut by the side mirrors, there is practically no noise from the wheels, and the engine rumble does not annoy. And that feeling of absolute silence is worth a dozen options like seat ventilation for the rear left passenger in the fight to reach a new level of brand perception.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation



I don’t know whether to consider the new Sorento a premium or only “prime” so far, but it is definitely worth its money, which, in the conditions of the Russian market and Russian prices, is already a lot. But with its games in the prefix to the name, Kia runs the risk of falling into a semantic trap, when sellers will be forced to explain that "he is like Sorento, only better." And this does not look like an argument for half a million.

Test drive Kia Sorento new generation
 

 

Add a comment