Kia’s trim levels for the Sorento begin at 2 (wireless phone charging, digital instrument cluster, ambient lighting), move through 3 (leather upholstery) and culminate with 4 (nappa leather, panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, Bose sound system), but all versions benefit from the car’s mammoth dimensions.
Inserting 35mm in the Sorento’s wheelbase has liberated yet more passenger space, and any concerns we had about head room in the outgoing model have been dispelled. Width is also unusually generous and such is the expanse between the driver and front-row passenger that the car feels distinctly American.
Large families will warm to the seven-seat Sorento especially quickly. One 6ft passenger in the third row can sit directly behind another in the second row, and both will be comfortable for middle-distance journeys, at the least.
The Kia also offers considerable versatility, should you need it: the second row of seats can be slid fore and aft and can also recline, even if the 60/40 split doesn’t give you quite as much flexibility as you’d have in an Audi Q5 or the Peugeot 5008. However, the Sorento does feature usefully ‘premium’ electric switches in the boot, which make the process of folding down the second-row seats hassle-free.
In design terms, where the old Sorento was doggedly conventional, this reinterpretation feels much more modern, although it does more to superficially mimic premium brands than actually recreate what they offer. The broad digital displays and prominent air vents are Mercedes-esque, while the textured ‘metal’ is very Audi.
