Comparison review of Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger - we test two of the best seven-seater family SUVs in Australia

The Kluger and Sorento are tough-looking SUVs, but Toyota seems to me relatively simple and conservative, almost “state-owned”. Kia is much more extravagant and modern in its styling both inside and out.

Let's take a closer look at Kluger first.

Kluger is about as handsome as his name, which isn't pretty. However, while it doesn't have the futuristic face of the Kia Sorento, it looks tough and serious.

After spending some time driving in the suburbs where off-road rules, I can tell you that it commanded a bit of respect, even as I closed the entire street with my eleven turns.

The Kluger looks like a larger version of the RAV4 with a mustache grille and blade headlights. The Kluger isn't as angular as its mid-sized sibling, and you can see the curves in the rear fenders that extend to the tailgate.

Kluger is about as handsome as his name, which isn't pretty.

The GX is the entry class and the GXL above is they have 18" alloy wheels but only the top class Grande has 20" wheels and they come with chrome effect paint which might be OTT for some.

The cockpit is functional rather than fashionable, with a dashboard dominated by what appears to be one of those big pizza scoops that houses a multimedia screen and climate control dials.

The GX has black cloth seats with a leather steering wheel and shifter, the GXL has synthetic leather seats, and the Grande has real leather upholstery.

There are soft-touch surfaces with stitching, but all classes still have an abundance of hard plastics and style that lacks the premium look of some competitors.

The dimensions of the Kluger are 4966mm long, 1930mm wide and 1755mm high.

Nine paint colors to choose from: Graphite Metallic, Atomic Rush Mica Red, Licorice Brown Mica, Saturn Blue Metallic, Galena Blue Metallic, Crystal Pearl, Silver Storm Metallic and Eclipse Black".

The overall dimensions of the Kluger are 4966 mm long, 1930 mm wide and 1755 mm high.

The Sorento is about 150mm shorter at 4810mm long, 30mm narrower at 1900mm wide and 55mm shorter at 1700mm high.

And although the new Kluger is very similar to the old version, the new generation Sorento is nothing like the previous one ... not at all the last.

Well, except for the rear side window, which has the same angle, which is a deliberate nod to the previous model.

The level of detail, thoughtfulness and style of the Sorento is evident.

The outgoing version was premium and friendly, but its proportions seem bloated compared to the beefy, angular new generation Sorento.

It seems that attitudes have also changed. It's a family SUV, sure, but it has muscle car flair, from Camaro-style headlights framing the grille to Mustang-style taillights, and everything in between is filled with sharp edges.

The cabin is even more striking with its cheese grater texture on the dash and doors, large center console with chrome trim and jog dial.

The 10.25-inch media display, standard in the Sport class and above, is the most interesting I've seen on any car I've tested.

The level of detail, thoughtfulness and style that went into it is evident with its neon people, fonts and icons, old-school light bulb effect for radio frequencies, and even an intriguing "street light" mode for navigation. At the same time, it is also one of the easiest systems to use that I have come across.

While the new Kluger is very similar to the old version, the new generation Sorento is nothing like the previous one.

The top-of-the-line GT-Line completes the premium look with a fully digital instrument cluster and Nappa leather seats.

The materials feel high quality and the fit and finish is excellent.

There are seven colors to choose from, but "Clear White" alone does not require the $695 cost of the others, including "Silky Silver", "Steel Grey", "Mineral Blue", "Aurora Black", "Gravity Blue". ' and 'Snow White Pearl'. 

Score out of 5