The 2013 Kia Sorento – Kia’s take on the Hyundai Santa Fe – arrives in UK showrooms this month priced from £26,495.
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Kia’s new Sorento is basically the same convincing package as the new Santa Fe, just wrapped up in a Kia instead of a Hyundai.
That means new underpinnings and a more appealing shape with a tweaked and fettled 2.2 litre CRD under the bonnet attached to either a six-speed manual or 6-speed auto. But there are differences – apart from the Kia take on badges, grill, lights and interior – between the offerings on the Sorento and those on the Santa Fe.
Every new Kia Sorento will come as a seven seat SUV and all will get 4WD; there is no 2WD or 5 seat option for the new Sorento so the entry level – the Kia Sorento KX-1 2.2 CRDi 194bhp 6-speed manual – will cost you £26,495, £1k more than Hyundai’s entry-level 5 seat Santa Fe.
Kia offers four levels of trim on the new Sorento – ‘KX-1’, ‘KX-2’, ‘KX-2 Sat-Nav’ and ‘KX-3’ – with the KX-1 offering body coloured bumpers, cornering lights, electric folding door mirrors, chrome trim, LED running lights, Cruise and parking sensors (rear).
The Sorento KX-2 adds in auto wipers, a leather instrument panel and 4.3″ LCD touchscreen and the KX-2 Sat-Nav does what it says on the tin with the use of a 7″ touchscreen.
Top of the tree KX-3 throws most of Kia’s toys in to the mix with a panoramic roof, Adaptive Xenons, electric front seats, heated seats and steering wheel and a multi-function full colour display and Flex-Steer.
Engine choie for the UK in the new Sorento is Hobson’s choice – a 2.2 litre CRDI Turbodiesel. It offers economy of 47.9mpg and 155g/km (manual) or 42.2mpg and 175g/km (auto) unless you opt for 18″ wheels and then you’ll get 41.4mpg.
Performance for the new Sorento with a manual ‘box is 9.4 seconds 0-60mph and 9.5 seconds if you opt for the Kia auto ‘box.
The 2013 Kia Sorento is now available to order from Kia’s UK dealers with first customer cars expected to arrive before Christmas.
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