ROAD TEST: Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 4WD
Kia tells us that its new Sorento represents something of a "front-to-rear, top-to-bottom re-engineering" of the crossover SUV.
You wouldn't imagine so after glancing at the exterior - apart from the bolder front bumper and redesigned rear end with slimmer taillights, you'd be hard pressed to tell it apart from its predecessor.
It almost seems like a missed opportunity because the Sorento's design is a bit on the forgettable side of the equation; it simply fails to emit those funky vibes that have made the latest Sportage so popular.
Not that those thousands of changes made beneath the skin are in vain by any means. When I drove the pre-facelift model over three years ago, I remember being suitably impressed - it was an average vehicle with a keen price tag.
SILENT CRUISER
Yet taking the 2013 model for a cruise on the highway recently, I was quite astounded by its refined feel. In fact, pick up a blindfolded passenger and you'd probably get away with saying that you're driving a Lexus. It's just so sublimely quiet at freeway speeds, with hardly anything in the way of cabin or engine noise entering its cocoon of a cabin.
That said, the Lexus facade would crumble the second that vision was restored as the Sorento has nowhere near the level of tactile quality or design that you'd expect in a vehicle with a prestigious badge.
Let's just say that the design is a little on the bland and innocuous side and the plastics are all rather hard. That doesn't mean it feels cheap by any means and I must reiterate that the build quality feels rock-solid - it's just that the overall look and feel is very average, middle-of-the-road.
That can't be said of the specification sheet. In fact the all-wheel-drive Sorento featured here has a features list that would make an infomercial presenter blush.
It has the things you'd expect, like cruise control and dual zone climate control. The seats are covered in leather and the driver's one is six-way power adjustable and both front seats are ventilated and heated. There's a nifty eight-inch TFT display screen for the infotainment function as well as a rear-view camera and a start button.
SPACE FOR SEVEN
The Sorento AWD also does the seven-seater thing, although the third-row seats take up nearly all the boot space when in place and they're rather cramped - fine for kids, but not much of a long journey option for adults with whom you'd still like to maintain a friendship.
The Sorento really shines as a five seater though. That middle row offers acres of legroom and there's even a rather generous recline function for when your occupants feel like a snooze.
It really is the kind of car you'd like to take a snooze in. Besides the quietness at highways speeds, the ride is actually a bit wafty.
From the helm, the steering feels light and detached and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine pulls smoothly and strongly, although it is a little noisy in lower gears from mid-range upwards.
With 147kW available from 3800rpm and 436Nm from 1800rpm, there's no shortage of pulling power here - it has all you'll really need or want in this kind of vehicle and some reserve to tow; the Sorento has a two-ton braked towing capacity.
In the AWD model, power is channelled to the front wheels most of the time and to the rear wheels when needed, via a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic gearbox.
Yet with a price tag that's just 20 grand short of the half-a-bar mark, it doesn't necessarily make the most convincing value case for itself.
If you can live without the AWD (this is not a serious off-roader in any case) and you don't need the third seating row, the Sorento also makes a decent argument for itself in 2WD format. That one costs R399 995 and still comes with the leather, cruise control and dual zone climate control.
VERDICT
Being a seven-seat crossover that's somewhat larger than RAV4, CR-V and friends, there's not much competition in this ballpark besides the similar-underneath Hyundai Santa Fe and Chevrolet Captiva.
The Sorento does little to excite and goes about its business in a smooth, comfortable and floaty way. It's also practical and well-equipped, but you might find yourself wondering whether you really need to stretch to the all-wheel drive model.
PRICE
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 4WD (147kW) - R479 995
ALTERNATIVES
Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRDi 4WD Exec (145kW) - R482 900
Chevrolet Captiva 2.2D AWD LTZ (138kW) - R436 100