The Kia Sorento Thread [Merged]

[KCboy]

ganda sorreno but crdi, nasa huli ang pagsisi.

[OTEP]

[Elroi]

ganda sorreno but crdi, nasa huli ang pagsisi.

Pardon me for my ignorance... What will happen ba to a CRDI engine if u put in our so-called "dirty" diesel... di ba sila compatible?

[AC]

hehe.. pa import nalang ng sariling diesel.. hehe.. naka container van pa.. hehe.. drum drum.. hehehe

[cyberdoc95]

[SIZE=3]Just thought of posting this for reference:[/SIZE]

[cyberdoc95]

[SIZE=3]With these pictures, this Sorento reminds me of my NOX![/SIZE]

[cyberdoc95]

[SIZE=3]More PIX:[/SIZE]

[cyberdoc95]

[SIZE=3]KIA SORENTO DIESEL REVIEWED:[/SIZE]

Kia Sorento challenges kings of off-road SUVs
Source: CLICK HERE


Kia, until now a low-volume importer in SA with about 300 sales a month, is moving itself into new territory in terms of sales, model range and quality – as already shown by its Carnival MPV and Rio small family car. Local CEO Ray Levin is confident that the trend will continue as more new models are launched this year.


Much of the company's focus, which involves the launch of 17 new vehicles in the next five years, will be on diesel-powered vehicles, right down to a one-litre motor.

He's also confident that he'll sell 80-100 Sorento SUVs a month, provided he can get that many from Korea as other nations worldwide increase demand for stock. Already the factory is producing 180 000 a year, way beyond expectations.

Not surprising, after having driven the car. There are two versions, a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder common-rail diesel CRDi capable of 104kW at 3800rpm and 320Nm from only 2000rpm and a 3.5-litre V6 petrol built to deliver 145kW at 5500rpm and 301Nm at 3000rpm.

The diesel has a five-speed manual gearbox, the petrol model a four-speed automatic but both have the same high/low-range 4x4 transmission which, through having a rotary selection switch on the fascia to invoke the extra traction, does away with the usual small forest of shift levers on the floor

All other specifications – and they're darn good – are the same on both models though Levin promises an auto box for the diesel and a manual box for the V6 later in the year.

Kia has never been slow in coming forward with claims on quality and performance and says the Sorento "is competitive in all respects when compared with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Land Rover Defender". Its wheelbase and wheel tread are claimed to be longer and wider than the Mercedes M-class and BMW X5.

"The Sorento also has more interior space than the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Nissan X-Trail," the company says.

Levin, introducing the Sorento, said Kia was intent on becoming one of the world's top five manufacturers in the next few years. "The Sorento is a superb sport utility vehicle that combines the ruggedness of off-road ability with comfort and style."

He emphasised that the car would compete on value instead of simple price – a new strategy for Kia. In other words, it has all the bells and whistles, superb build quality, amazing interior space and comfort with leather upholstery standard and proper off-road capability while maintaining its price at or below that of its competitors.

"It exceeds customers' expectations and delivers value for money," Levin said. "It’s targeted at the premium end of the SUV market and is competitive in all aspects.

Kia, he said, copied Toyota in its initial design concept. Toyota top management, when first thinking about its outstanding Lexus sedans, told its technicians and designers to buy in cars from high-end manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce, Mercedes and BMW, tear them apart, find out how everything could be done better – then build a car to beat them all.

The result: the Lexus was once evaluated as the best car in the world.

Kia did the same exercise, apparently, with the Mercedes ML, BMW X5, Lexus and Nissan X-Trail. The Sorento, after a design phase that cost the equivalent of more than R2-billion and had a brief to focus on 4x4 use, was the result.

The words "heavy, big, massive, large and huge" were also in the brief. So were "posh, comfortable, luxurious, elegant, sporty and aggressive" as well as "powerful, dynamic and strong". Again, the Sorento was the result.

Yesterday's drive in the car – a diesel version, in my case – took in normal Highveld roads and sessions on a rugged off-road track and steep concrete gradients at the Gerotek vehicle testing centre west of Pretoria.

On-road, the Sorento has a fluid but very comfortable ride with a very high seating position. The five-speed gearbox is fine for high-speed cruising but second-gear ratio is a little high for the thin atmosphere up there – it needs a fair whack of revs to get rolling for a brief period until the tacho reads above about 2500rpm.

The quality of finish and equipment in the cabin is outstanding: premium sound system with eight speakers, automatic air-conditioning, leather upholstery with electric eight-way adjustment for the driver's seat, power sockets front and rear, fully folding rear seats, high roof, crash bags, central locking, pop-out drink holders, map lights, compass, altimeter, barometer and twin eyewear holders.

The boot will take 890 litres of luggage with the rear seats in place and 1900 litres with them folded; the spare wheel is tucked well away under the rear of the car – which has excellent approach (27.9 degrees) and departure (26.4 degrees) angles and very short overhangs.

The wheelbase is 2710mm, track 1580mm and ground clearance is 203mm with 16" alloy-rimmed wheels under the flared arches hung on gas-filled shock absorbers with double-wishbone suspension and coil springs up front and five-link suspension, also with coil springs, at the rear for the solid axle.

Wheel articulation is nowhere near that of, say, the Range Rover, but the Sorento was perfectly at home over the steep ridges and muddy pools of the Gerotek off-road track. The low-range ratio is 1:2.48; there's also high range and, under normal conditions, the car runs with rear-wheel drive.

The front drive in that case "free-wheels" – totally disconnected from both power input and wheel rotation.

The wheels are 16" diameter, 7.0JJ alloy shod with 245/75 rubber and any doubts about the Sorento's traction ability were squashed on the 70% concrete gradient at Gerotek. That's so steep that you fall forward against your seat belt, by the way.

We drove up and down it easily; stopping halfway up and restarting is another matter but the Sorento did it both ways – reverse and forward gears – in low range. That is impressive – but then so is the whole vehicle.

[gregg_g]

Hi guys! Just would like to solicit some opinions on the Kia Sorento especially those who own it… thanks!!

[OTEP]

http://tsikot.yehey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16712 is a good thread. See other related threads below.

[SpinAxel]

I have owned my Kia Sorento diesel LX for almost four months now. So far,except for being a little unforgiving when it comes to bumps and a non working clock(which will be replaced soon) I am all praises for my current ride.

[carlove]

Stay away from it.

Wait for the final pricing of Toyota Fortuner.

[mazdamazda]

I have owned my Kia Sorento diesel LX for almost four months now. So far,except for being a little unforgiving when it comes to bumps and a non working clock(which will be replaced soon) I am all praises for my current ride.

how's the 4wd system of the Sorento?

what features / amenties does the diesel have (compared to the gas version)?

[luckytruck]

i would rather get a low mileage gen 2.5 pajero. my friend is selling his to me for about 1 million, parang 20,000 kms pa lang. i am sure the gen 2.5 will hold its resale value longer than the sorento.

andy

[Hero]

matigas pala ito?...

[mazdamazda]

from a light truck kinuha ang chassis ng sorento... matigas nga yan... ;)

[SpinAxel]

I only tried the 4wd system set at low spped (just to test it) once on a muddy road in montalban,rizal and in my opinion,it seems to have work well. Even though I am at best a novice at off road driving so I cannot really tell.
In terms of features,the diesel LX is the stripped down version of the EX. The following features were removed: multi function display,light dimmer for the display panel, powered side mirrors,cruise control, leather seats and steering wheel,grain accented panels,tilting headrest,cargo cover and net,roof rack,fog lamps,ABS and body cladding. The paint of the LX is in monotone(is that the right term?) and the stereo is a little cheaper compared to the one at the EX. Also the EX has the TOD(torque on demand) feature,I think.

[OTEP]

Advantage ng CRDi LX over the V6 EX is that 5 speed a/t ang transmission niya (the V6 gets a 4AT) and an MP3 capable head unit.

The cladding and other stuff can be ordered through the dealer. I have seen an LX made to look like the EX already.

[KCboy]

all i can say is one of the best value suvs u can buy in the market. tough like a real suv should be and a very good crdi engine, with a price of a little above 1m, u can't go wrong(diesel variant to).

[luckytruck]

i thought the diesel variant is under 1 million? or promo lang ba yun?

andy