Kia Sorento long-term test: report 4

The car Kia Sorento 1.6 HEV T-GDi Auto AWD 2 Run by Claire Evans, consumer editor

Why it’s here The Sorento impressed our road testers so much that we voted it our Large SUV of the Year, but what’s it like for an extended family to live with? 

Needs to Be a relaxing cruiser for occasional motorway commute, have good access for my octogenarian parents and be economical on frequent short local trips

Mileage 2540 List price £39,110 Target price £37,489 Price as tested £39,505 Test economy 37.7mpg Official economy 40.9mpg Options fitted Premium Paint £660

13 July 2021 – Off the beaten track 

Although most modern SUVs are front-wheel drive, my Kia Sorento follows old-school tradition and comes with four-wheel drive capability as standard. That’s made it well-suited to visiting my neighbours who live on the unmade roads and tracks in our area to drop off and collect the various secondhand items that we donate to each other via social media.

As well as using the dial controller to select different on-road settings, I can use it to pick one of three different off-road options from the Terrain menu: Mud, Snow and Sand.

The Terrain system automatically optimises the car for the specific conditions, adjusting the engine’s pulling power, the timing of gear changes, distribution of power between the wheels and the strength of the stability control.

I’ve tried out the Mud and Sand settings on the tracks in a range of conditions from totally sodden to dry and dusty, and found that they both enhance the car’s ability to maintain traction and make smooth progress.

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