Kia Sorento Review
Sponsored Review
We had the chance to review the latest Kia Sorento last week, and it has proven to be a very sweet ride! 
Having driven Toyotas to Continental cars like Peugeots and Citroens, this was my very first time that I had a Korean car for a week. Known to be a more budget brand, I did not expect much “fizz” from Kia, however I was surprised by what this 2.2 litre Diesel Powered SUV offered me.
Coming with 19 Inch Alloy wheels, this SUV is a full 7 Seater that is able to move the whole family comfortably.
Besides climate control, the 2nd and 3rd row all come with air-con vents and to make sure that all the passengers are cooled down in the Singapore heat, the Kia Sorento comes equipped with 3 Speed Fan controls for the 3rd row Air-cons. This is definitely a nice touch, considering many cars do take some time to cool down in the hot weather.
One of the cool things of the car is that it is filled with gadgets. The car comes with various steering modes to cater for different drivers. For example, you can experience the car in normal, comfort or sport mode. In a Sport mode, the steering is tighter, and it gives the car a more sporty feel.
Besides Keyless Entry, the Kia Sorento is one of the few Japanese/Korean Cars with the Smart Parking Assist System (SPAS). Found often in European brands such as BMW, Audi and Volkswagen, The Smart Parking Assist System is definitely on the forefront on technology. Upon activation when one is attempting to parallel park, the computer informs the driver when to park the car into reverse and when to engage drive. Drivers just need to sit back, relax, release the brake pedal and let the car take over. It is a real eye-opener, as you will see the steering wheel moving by itself! Once the driver actively engages the steering wheel, the CPU is deactivated, and the driver is back in control. The Smart Parking Assist System is Super COOL!
To round off the whole package, the Sorento comes with an Ultra-cool Sunroof which goes all the way to the 2nd row. My kids love the fact that it is not a moon roof, as they loved the novelty of putting their head through the roof!
In an era of mounting maintenance and running costs, you will be glad to know that the Kia Sorento comes with 5 years warranty. However, as it is a diesel engine, road tax is higher with drivers needing to fork out about $2326 in Road Tax.
The Good News is that there are fuel savings for diesel drivers. Driving the car for a week, I did not even need to go to the pump, after doing 500km on the Sorento. And according to the calculations from Kia, drivers get to save as much as $2253.63/year compared to driving Kia’s 2.4litre Gasoline variant!
This is a real plus for all drivers, who are always looking to save more for the family!
Lastly, the Kia Sorento is a real giant on the road, and my wife said that other cars were more tentative to cut her lane when she got behind the wheel! Personally, I liked the drive, and with the Smart Parking Assist System, integrated bluetooth speaker phone, memory car seats, and even seat ventilators for both hot and cold weather (comes for 1st and 2nd row seats), the gadgets are more than adequate for any driver.
Do head down to Kia for a test drive today!
