Sorento Review Link
New Car Preview: 2003 Kia Sorento
Sorento is a competent 4x4, with car-like good looks
JIM ROBINSON
Aug 14, 2002
Kia surprised a lot of people when it introduced its Sedona minivan two years ago.
It's not that anyone doubted Kia could build one - it's that it immediately fit squarely into the middle of where the minivan is now in terms of size, power and utility. It's not easy to simply launch a minivan and expect to take sales away from Chrysler, GM and Ford. Look at Honda with the first generation Odyssey or Toyota with their first mini effort, the Previa, and you get the picture.
So when Kia announced it was going to introduce a bigger brother to its compact SUV, the Sportage, the thing you would expect, based on where Kia placed the Sedona, was a compact SUV aimed squarely at Ford Escape, Suzuki XL-7, Mazda Tribute and even Land Rover Freelander.
Cleverly, the 2003 Kia Sorento eschews the trucky look of the bulk of its competitors and is modeled more along the lines of the Lexus RX 300. This is no bad thing as the RX 300 is just about as good a crossover vehicle as they come.
But with the Lexus' price of more than $50,000, Kia has opened up a niche for those who want four-wheel-drive ability along with non truck-like civility, but at a more affordable price.
The Sorento hits showrooms now in the base LX and EX, which differs primarily on trim. Power is a big 3.5-litre, DOHC V6 right out of the Sedona, but here making 192 hp and 217 lb/ft of torque. The only transmission is a four-speed automatic with overdrive.
The LX comes standard with an electronic selected 2-, 4- and 4-low drive while the EX is equipped with auto-select for 2- and 4- wheel drive for 4-low. Both 4WD systems include a two-speed transfer case. A rear limited-slip differential is available on the EX.
In most cases, driver would leave the Sorento in the automatic mode. If the surface is slippery or slushy, twist the knob up to 4X4. If your are or very rough ground, you can go to the Lo setting and get through or over just about any surface because the Sorento gives you a full 8.2-inches (208 mm) of ground clearance.
Both versions have P245/70R 16 wheels, the LX coming with Hankook or Kumho tires, the EX with Michelin M + S boots. I checked to make sure the spare tire (stored under the body) was full size. I also noted skid plates underneath, which is reassuring. Instead of a unitbody, there was a major-league ladder frame with nine-cross members for a very stiff platform -- helpful if you really do travel out into the boonies.
The Sorento comes with four-wheel ABS and four ventilated disc brakes. That's pretty big equipment in the mid-size SUV categor,y but with a curb weight of more than two tons, it's nice to have the extra braking ability. Suspension is gas shocks with double wishbones at the front with a five-link system at the rear.
The Sorento is also rather liberally equipped with power windows and locks, rear privacy glass, liftgate with flip open window, heated remote mirrors, 60/40 split rear seats, air conditioning (climate control in the EX), and a tilt wheel with a very long range to it.
My EX was straight forward and was priced at $33,795, while the LX starts at $29,795. The EX is available with an optional luxury package ($35,795} that includes woodgrain accents on the steering wheel and shifter, leather interior, front seats warmers and a power sun roof. My EX came with "woodgrain accents" too. I'm not much for these imitation wood bits and I found it looked a bit low rent in comparison with the rest of the Sorento's interior which was done in a very nice mix of materials.
The Sorento sits quite high on its tires, so you have to take a big step up, but mind the roof window sill aft of the sharply canted front windshield. Once in the driver's seat, you get a very commanding view of the road. Driving to a staff party, my wife commented that the Sorento felt stiff. Because of the stout ladder frame, there is little body flex and the same stiffness lets the suspension soak up the road instead of the body, as is the case with too many unitbody vehicles.
Because the tester had very few kilometres on it, I took it easy but the big V6 certainly felt like it had wads of power pent up inside. Power application to the waffle-like surface of Highway 407 was not felt through the steering wheel, such is the ability of the transfer case to route torque in the automatic mode. Steering on the EX is speed variable (engine rpm sensing on the LX) which also had something to do with the ability of the Sorento to impart a sense of confidence to the driver.
Back seat passenger space, a thing a lot of mid-size SUV makers don't like to talk about, was more than ample for my six-foot, 1-inch friend, who found it easier to get into the back seat than the front due to the rake of the roofline. Cargo area at the back is 31.4 cu. ft. (889.1 litres) and 66.4 cu. ft. (1,880.2 litres) with the back seats folded.
What Kia has done here is produce a very competent four-wheel-drive vehicle that should appeal to those wanting the ability to go through less than ideal situations while having the feel and look of driving a car, as opposed to a truck.
And when you look at the price and factor it against the things the Sorento can do, it should be just as warmly accepted by consumers as was the Sedona.
2003 Kia Sorento SUV at a glance
BODY STYLE: Five-door, mid-size SUV
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, four-wheel-drive
ENGINE: 3.5-litre DOHC V6 (192 hp, 217 lb/ft)
FUEL ECONOMY: LX 15.7L/100 km (15 mpg) city, 11.2L/100 km (21 mpg) city, 13.4L/100 km (17.5 mpg) combined; EX 16.3L/100 km (14.4 mpg) highway, 11.9L (19.8 mpg) highway, 14.1L/100 km (16.7 mpg) combined.
PRICE: LX $29,795, EX $33,795, EX Luxury $35,795
