Car on a test drive "Autodel": Kia sorento prime
Engine: diesel 2.2 l, 199.8 hp
Transmission: AT6
Dimensions (LxWxH, mm): 4780x1890x1690
Wheelbase (mm): 2780
Ground clearance (mm): 185
Test car cost: Premium grade from 2 529 900 rubles. without ERA-GLONASS, 2 629 900 with ERA-GLONASS.
Car production: Avtotor (Kaliningrad region)
Vehicle warranty: 5 years or 150 thousand km
Service mileage: 15,000 km
If there are more than three children in a family, the car market shrinks a lot - there are not so many seven-seat or eight-seat cars in Russia. The buyer has a choice between a minivan, minibus or crossover. While minibuses and minivans are great for space, this choice isn't for everyone. Many people simply do not like cars in such bodies - an important role is played by the question of presentability, and in a big city they are not always convenient. But the seven-seater crossover has an excellent balance of appearance and functionality.
How is the KIA Sorento different from the KIA Sorento Prime?
First, the price tag and the number of seats. KIA Sorento is sold only in a five-seater version. Secondly, these are generally two different generations of the same car, simultaneously being sold in our market.
KIA Sorento is the second generation, which appeared in 2009, and in 2013 received a serious restyling. It looks simpler, but it is also cheaper.
The third generation of KIA Sorento in Russia received the Prime additive. It first saw the light of day in 2014, and got to us in 2015. Sorento Prime is larger and more authentic. But the main thing here is the obvious claim for premium (it is enough to quickly compare the two versions of cars to understand this). Let's see if the Koreans succeeded in the “swing for the ruble” on the test drive of the “Avtodela” magazine.
KIA Sorento Prime outside
Outside, KIA Soprento Prime fulfills the demand for high prices as much as possible.
Here and a balanced appearance - at the same time aggressive, but not too much (after all, this is, after all, a family car), and an abundance of chrome details.
A strong "German hand" by Peter Schreier is felt in the exterior of the car. KIA Sorento Prime has a very streamlined harmonious shape, and the semantic lines are emphasized by chrome.
There is also little of Asian traditions behind - everything is sustained, strictly. Big, but not heavy, the Sorento Prime looks sporty and stylish.
KIA Sorento Prime inside
Inside, the German "ordnung" is weakening, forming a pleasing symbiosis with Asian traditions. The interior of the Sorento Prime has a lot of shiny details - but this is "honest" metal (plus a noble "matte chrome"), so they look appropriate and give the cabin a sense of luxury.
Embossed functional elements flow into thin moldings - the entire interior is divided into semantic zones, united by logical accents.
The materials of the KIA Sorento Prime interior are worthy of praise - the plastic does not glare, it is soft to the touch. The torpedo has a stitching and feels like leather. The smell in the salon is noble. Here the hands themselves reach out to touch and touch everything. And you can do this with a light heart - fingers do not leave marks.
The driver is offered a multifunction steering wheel and a dashboard with a 7-inch TFT-LCD display. It displays all the information you need on the road - data on fuel consumption, navigation tips, information from the audio system, outside air temperature and more.
The driver's seating position in the Sorento Prime is comfortable - the seats are wide, but provide good lateral support. The position of the seat is adjustable in 14 directions (in this regard, the passenger on the right is "deprived" - he is supposed to adjust the seat in only eight directions). There is a memory for different positions of the chair. Perhaps the only thing that can be criticized here is the insufficient size of the lumbar support itself or the insufficient adjustment of the headrest. It's not very clear how the problem could be solved better. The profile of the seat has a noticeable concave profile, and in some variants of the driver's height / size, it turns out that no matter how you adjust it, the upper part of the backrest overhangs unnecessarily and makes the driver hunch over. But the steering wheel is very comfortable - it is easy to adjust for yourself, it is very pleasant to the touch and lies comfortably in your hands.
8-inch multimedia navigation system KIA Sorento Prime with touchscreen display has a rich set of functions, settings, excellent graphics and good "intelligence". You can control all this not only with your fingers, but also with your voice.
And, of course, the control of the "smart functions" of the car is also on the steering wheel.
The KIA Sorento Prime multimedia system displays data from the rear view camera. However, a rear-view camera is far from being an achievement for a premium car.
And the KIA Sorento Prime, of course, has a 360-degree view. A useful thing, but you have to monitor the cleanliness of the cameras.
In addition to rear-view cameras and all-round visibility, the KIA Sorento Prime has a whole set of driver assistants, whose work can be customized to the driver's requests. The lane change assistant works very well - the LED in the mirror does not dazzle, the approach warning settings are excellent. As a result, after a week driving the Sorento Prime, you get so used to these unobtrusive prompts that later you feel very uncomfortable without them.
The Sorento Prime navigation system is comfortable, understandable and quite complete, so it is convenient to use it.
The premium audio system Infinity provides good music sounding. It is curious that KIA Sorento Prime did not abandon CDs, so music lovers can safely carry a collection of their favorite discs with them. Such a multimedia "head" is a sign of the top versions of the KIA Sorento Prime. The simpler trim levels offer a 7-inch head unit with a slightly smaller set of functions and options.
The radio has a shark fin-shaped antenna and a good receiver, so Moscow radio stations can often be easily listened to even a hundred kilometers from the metropolis. In general, the multimedia system in the KIA Sorento Prime is commendable. Perhaps the only thing I would like to wish here is an easier and wider adjustment of the screen brightness.
The organization of the driver's space in the KIA Sorento Prime is very good - everything is at hand, there is a place for coffee and electronic gadgets, and you can "hide an elephant" in the armrest. When business rigor is needed, all niches are covered with special curtains.
The glove compartment is large and comfortable. A weighty book "KIA Sorento Prime Owner's Manual" and A4 paper fits freely here.
Perhaps the only thing that can be criticized in the organization of the KIA Sorento Prime space is the location of the DRIVE MODE button. Unexpectedly, it is not located on the gear selector knob, but on the keypad next to it. It takes a long time to get used to the location of this button - searching by touch makes it difficult to find an abundance of other functional buttons. Particularly in the way of this is the electronic handbrake button located nearby. As a result, transferring the gearbox to another operating mode takes an indecently long time, especially in the early days.
KIA Sorento Prime: and five more passengers
The KIA Sorento Prime seats five more people behind the driver and front passenger. Of course, the most advantageous position will be "standard" two passengers - the driver and the passenger.
They will have the most space, the most comfortable fit and the ability to use the armrest.
They will also have at their disposal an adjustment of the operation of air ducts, a USB connector and a 12V socket. But the most important thing that awaits two passengers in the second row is heated seats.
There is a lot of space in the second row of the Sorento Prime, so it is as comfortable as possible for the two to ride behind, even if there are skis in the trunk. Adding a third passenger will slightly reduce overall comfort, but it will be quite comfortable for him to ride due to the flat floor.
The third row of the Sorento Prime is a "gallery" where children and especially delinquent adults are sent. It is quite convenient to climb in there (the second row travels 270 mm), but there is only enough space to "sit". On a long journey, only children will be comfortable here. True, the passengers of the third row are not deprived of absolutely comfort - if you move the second row forward, then there will be more space. And to keep it warm and cozy, the third row offers its own air ducts from the stove, the ability to adjust the operation of the air conditioner and cup holders.
When all the seats are "ready", the trunk of the KIA Sorento Prime becomes very small, almost like a "baby" KIA Picanto. A couple of bags, umbrellas, maybe jackets - this is the maximum that will fit here. Therefore, the largest optimal number of travelers here is six. The folded back half gives you the space you need to store your belongings. Another option is a roof rack, as roof rails are standard on the KIA Sorento Prime.
When the backrests of the second and third rows are folded down, the Sorento Prime's cabin becomes an airfield. A practically flat floor is not only a dream to transport washing machines, kitchens and cabinets. This is an opportunity to sleep comfortably on the road.
Here KIA should be commended for solving the issue of the tailgate. Thanks to the soft felt tips, installing and removing the curtain is very easy - there is no fear of scratching the interior trim. When the curtain is not needed, it easily hides under the floor in a special compartment, where it does not take up space, and you can always carry it with you.
In a five-seater version of the seat layout, the KIA Sorento Prime boasts a huge trunk.
Under the boot floor there is a tool compartment (and curtains). There is also access to the spare wheel lift, which is hidden under the bottom of the car.
The tailgate of the KIA Sorento Prime has an electric drive and a Smart Key owner recognition system. There is no need to wave your arms, legs or gently touch the emblem on the back door. It is enough to stand for more than three seconds in front of the door with the key in your pocket, and it will open itself. The door is closed either with a key, or with a button, or with a massive handle (this should not be abused so as not to "drive the electronics crazy"). But such a handle is convenient when it is necessary to sharply slow down the lifting of the trunk lid, if suddenly some beams of the parking canopy or tree branches above the car turned out to be unnoticed.
KIA Sorento Prime on the road and in the city
When is the best time to test a diesel vehicle? In winter, of course. After all, it is then that all the possible disadvantages of diesel engines are most clearly manifested.
The weather unambiguously understood our wishes, and "gave out" to the fullest and snowfall, and wind, and frost. And it was not so far for us to go, but not close either - to Yaroslavl. That's why we went there: the theater. Modern theatergoers do not wait for this or that troupe to come on tour. You can also visit the most interesting ones on the home stage. Moreover, tickets to provincial theaters cost ridiculous, by Moscow standards, money. And even gasoline makes up the difference, especially if the car is economical.
This time we went to the Yaroslavl Theater, founded in 1750. Volkov, which is considered the oldest drama theater in Russia. Since 2011, the artistic director of the theater has been the Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation Evgeny Marcelli, whose performances regularly receive the Golden Mask awards. We watched the immortal Chekhov's "The Seagull" and, if not for the test drive format, I would have paid a lot of attention to this production. However, in order not to be too distracted from the KIA Sorento Prime, I can advise the others to simply repeat our journey and see everything with their own eyes. And if you get hungry, not far from the theater there is an excellent dumplings called "Central Pelmeni Podbelka".
So, our task is to go from Moscow to Yaroslavl and back on a winter Saturday afternoon. This is approximately 270 kilometers of road one way. Not so much, but quite a lot. It all depends on the specific road conditions and ... the car. How comfortable is it for the driver to drive, overtake, keep in the stream? How quickly does fatigue come? Do the headlights shine well? Is it comfortable for everyone to sit for a long time, will it be warm and comfortable? These and other questions determine whether such a trip will be easy Saturday entertainment or it will turn into a nightmare.
Under the hood of our KIA Sorento Prime is a 2.2L 199.8hp diesel engine. It is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. As a chassis, an intelligent all-wheel drive with a viscous coupling is offered, which can be made to work in full forced mode. The declared fuel consumption is 10.1 l / 100 km in the urban cycle, 6.4 l / 100 km in the suburban and 7.8 l / 100 km in the mixed one.
I start the engine in the frozen car and am amazed at the silence. Surprisingly, the engine in the cabin is almost inaudible. Maybe it's just so quiet at idle? But no, the sound insulation of the KIA Sorento Prime turned out to be really high - on the road we all four talk calmly, and no one has to raise their voice.
Frost. The KIA Sorento Prime deals with him very quickly. The interior gets warm quickly, and the heated seat and steering wheel create a soft feel. There are no problems with starting the engine either - however, the air temperature did not drop below -15C during the test. The engine itself heats up quickly and after a while, even through the protection of the engine compartment, its heat breaks through.
Let's start. Like a big bear, the car starts to move and picks up speed. The response to pressing the gas pedal is pleasant - you can feel the weight of the car, its power. It would seem that the Sorento Prime should be clumsy, but this is not at all the case - its maneuverability and handling are at their best. You regret the long length of the car only when you can only get into the only free parking space “with soap”.
The road is very slippery, and our test Sorento Prime is velcro. This is very noticeable - every now and then the security systems are triggered - the car, obviously, brings, but the electronics does not allow it to go into a skid. This is especially noticeable when at speed a sharp descent begins with a turn, accompanied by a strong crosswind. At this moment, I passionately want the rubber, after all, to be with spikes. Therefore, we will not show any special sports achievements.
Moreover, the character of this "bear" is far from a sports car. In general, the Sorento Prime behaves quite nicely - the car is predictable, the response to the gas pedal is clear, and the speed is picked up easily. Two hundred "horses" is a lot, and the speed limit can be kept very high. But to force the Sorento Prime to pick up speed sharply will not work - the car "does not bullet". And even if you still find a button for switching to the "Sport" mode on the go, there will be no special effect - the difference is barely noticeable. The car will pick up speed at its own pace. Therefore, it is worth relaxing and just enjoying the road. The behavior of the Sorento Prime diesel fully complies with the concept of a "family car" - confident but calm. Haste is the lot of "young" and "green". Here you have to enjoy the road, not drive.
The Sorento Prime's suspension matches the diesel's calm disposition - soft and slightly prone to swinging in waves. The car easily "swallows" holes and speed bumps, but rolls at sharp high-speed corners, which contributes to a quieter ride. At the same time, the steering wheel is very comfortable, understandable and obedient.
Glasses and mirrors get dirty rather slowly, but rear-view cameras and all-round view - instantly. We have to be content with parking sensors, which practically does not react to dirt and snow.
But at night, Sorento Prime pleases with excellent headlights - bright, but not too sharp, they illuminate the road and the side of the road well, so your eyes get tired slowly even in a blizzard. Nice illumination of the dashboard and buttons, good music, comfortable fit - you can ride the Sorento Prime for a long time and with comfort.
Sufficiently high ground clearance allows you to feel calm on our roads and in yards, but this is the "ultimate dream" of the Sorento Prime - it is not an SUV. Exits on a snow-covered dirt road make you nervous - both because of the not too high landing, and because of the all-wheel drive clutch. Both are not intended for off-road assault. But small road surprises in the form of snow parapets from the tractor are overcome with confidence and rarely remember the shovel.
And finally, fuel consumption. Have we saved on tickets by deciding to visit Eugene Marcelli, instead of waiting for his tour? I would say yes. The average consumption of the Sorento Prime during the trip was 9.7 liters per 100 km. At a price of about 35 rubles per liter of diesel fuel, the four of us spent less than 2,000 rubles on the road, that is, 500 rubles from the nose. Theater tickets cost us 500 rubles per person. As a result, 1000 rubles each. Maybe in Moscow we could have met the same price, but there would have been no fascinating trip to Yaroslavl with Pereslavl-Zalessky (where Alexander Nevsky was born) and Rostov the Great (where Ivan Vasilyevich changed his profession) obviously would not exist ... In general, here we are and saved and enjoyed it.
But overall, the Sorento Prime diesel was expected to be more economical. If you constantly have to warm up the car, stand in traffic jams, then the on-board computer numbers of 11.4 l / 100 km are a sad truth.
Summary
The KIA Sorento Prime is a very worthy option in the seven-seat crossover market. Its advantages can be enumerated for a long time. In short, it is a comfortable, spacious, beautiful and functional vehicle. It differs from the "ordinary" Sorento as different generations of KIA cars among themselves, that is, very much. Sorento Prime is seriously trying to claim premium. And he does it quite well - the Koreans have succeeded in "swinging the ruble".
But the main advantage of the Sorento Prime is the price. For 2,629,900 rubles, the "Korean premium" could be forgiven a lot. Fortunately, this car does not really need to forgive anything - both the wrapper and the filling of the Sorento Prime are really worthy of attention.
Text and photographs by Natalia Paramonova.
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What has changed since our last meeting?
The first appearance of "Kia Sorento Prime" was a signal to the Japanese and Germans that it is time to reconsider the views on the automotive industry. Koreans are on the doorstep and ready to grab a piece of raspberry pie Frau brought for Christmas. How? Yes, they don't even need to make serious efforts, especially now, when the crossover has been updated, where the touches of the designers and engineers touched on small details that in the first version still said that Kia is cheap.
Outside everything speaks of solidity
First of all, optics. The headlight unit itself has not changed its geometry. The narrow and elongated, wing-licked headlights are now equipped with an LED pupil that is able to look into corners and adjust the lighting angle by itself. Of course, we are talking about the Premium version and higher. Above, by the way, are not only the stars, but also the GTLine. With the new filling, the headlights look much more attractive and solid. Now they, and look directly into the gut with three pupils. Blackened chrome on the expressive radiator grille is no longer a detail that tears out the eyes, but a discreet element with enlarged honeycombs. In Russia, they love chrome on cars, but everything should be in moderation. This is just a story about Prime. The new outfit made the front of the car massive and businesslike.
The glittering lines of the fog lights were completely removed. The LED pixels now peek out of the black niche and look very good. If you look back at dorestyle, then the previous version is gaping with a black eye under a man's eye. And even if he is a middle-level manager and dress him in a jacket, it will be difficult to take such a person seriously. Actually, I did not perceive, especially in the color of the test car. True, I still did not understand whether the edge on the bumper became less sharp, or Gravity Blue conceals details in daylight.
Behind, of course, there is also something to see. The LED lights received a pattern of luminous lines, which, for some reason, is compared with the Hyundai Santa Fe. But this story can be admitted, as well as the lamp similarities between the Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris. But to find it, you need to have a good imagination and some sympathy for certain cars. Personally, I did not try to see the donor and did not see it. It will be difficult to confuse the Sorento Prime with anything during the day or in the evening, and here it is not only in the optics, but in the build and shape of the car. The geometry is original, and if you close the "Kia" nameplate, the driver who is pushing from behind in a traffic jam can be confused and besieged. A big dark car with beautiful optics? So there are serious people inside. But this is not our case.
As if visiting grandma
Personally, my salon is perceived not only visually and tactilely. I try to understand the mood of the car and assess whether I feel comfortable in it. Having previously downloaded the St. Petersburg release "Day One" to my phone, I prepared for the tests by pairing the phone with 8-inch multimedia. In such a situation, it is better to prepare for the worst, but the phone found Prime, and now Harman Kardon is pouring juice into my ears, coiling with a subwoofer located in the left side of the trunk. The sound, of course, is good and it’s a good start.
The scattered multimedia and air conditioning units are clear and massive. In general, the interior of the car fully accepts the projection of the Sorento Prime exterior - everything is large, affordable and massive. Even the multimedia head, not so big, but due to the air ducts, looks like a solid musical center of the years 2003-2005. The climate control system is already familiar with its layout and from below it is supported by the control buttons not for the climate, but for various heating: steering wheel, seats. In case of trips along the summer Black Sea coast, there is also ventilation for the front seats. Considering that the upholstery is made of leather, heating and ventilation are necessary depending on the season.
Conceptual hypertrophy was transferred to the instrument panel. The central well with a color display takes all the attention and the other four indicators remain nominal. It seems to me that in the conditions of modern technology, this same temperature can be replaced with a pair of light bulbs: one of which lights up when heated to operating temperature, the second when overheated. But this is all lyrics, of course.
The driver's seat, which has 14 electric adjustments and a memory for two people, does not only allow to move the lateral support closer to the center, but this is what I lacked. It can be seen that the car is designed for those who are less than 190 cm and much larger in the waist and shoulders, this is reflected in the width of the back (lateral support was felt only in sharp turns) and in the seat cushion adjustments: the chieftain moves forward, but the angle of its rise is slightly almost missed. So I had to raise the whole chair. And this affected the fit and comfort of the location behind the wheel. The armrest in the door turned out to be at the bottom and my desire to fall imposingly, leaning with both hands, was faced with a skewed back and banal discomfort. Okay, no, so no.
Despite the lack of warm embrace of the chair, it is pleasant to sit in it. The embossed seat and backrest do not cause the desire to jump out from behind the wheel after a long trip on uneven roads.
There is plenty of room behind. Here, as in all cars with a third row of seats, the seats slide on sleds and shine with the recline range. "Pull the rope" and the third row of seats will be put on alert, emerging from the floor.
The route is limited by roads
The Kia Sorento Prime has remained as a crossover. This is, roughly speaking, the Korean answer to the Japanese who once created the Toyota Hilander. My acquaintances, the owners, spoke of the latter only as a bloated station wagon without regard to off-road conditions, despite the V6 and all-wheel drive.
The story is similar here. For the most part, while driving, front-wheel drive predominates and the rear bogie is automatically connected when the machine realizes that it needs help from the outside. The whole process of distributing forces between the wheels is beautifully reflected in the central display - various indicators are running. In Prime, there is an imitation of inter-axle locking, but when giving out the keys to the car in the cabin, they made it clear to me that the car was not suitable for off-road and should not be risked. To be honest, I didn't really want to. Prime with all its businesslike appearance shows that his element is in the city and on the highways. It can also run in the countryside, but the pleasure of such trips will be about the same as driving in the back of a GAZ-53 on arable land. The suspension here does not differ in large moves, and from that it is decently tightened. On one of the "waves" on the road, the left front pillar stretched as much as possible, accompanying this procedure with a weighty blow to the body, and such that the glass almost flew out. I slowed down as a result.
Diesel 200-horsepower engine works wonders with this crossover. I would not be surprised if they send me a couple of letters of happiness in a week, because a couple of times I came to my senses when the arrow reached a hundred with a limit of 70, monitored by complexes. The 8-speed torque converter discreetly shifts gears and when suddenly the need to accelerate appears, "Prime" does it without any hesitation. Even when at such minutes on the speedometer 120-140 kilometers a silent pause does not hang in the car, as in the same Toyota Prado.
With an eye on the Germans
I like the Kia more than Hyundai, if only because they draw their cars with an eye on the Germans, and not on the Japanese, as the latter do. And now if you look at the appearance of Prime now, you can see the completeness of the model and its balance and conciseness. There are no unnecessary elements and faces, protruding parts - one flows into the other.
The salon also has something of Europe. When I drove Prime, for a long time I could not understand where I saw such a decor of the front door map. Later, when I was sitting in the office, I remembered that I had seen this story.
But in terms of electronics, the Kia Sorento Prime goes a few bodies ahead in the sprint with Audi, BMW and Mercedes. This does not mean that the Germans are worse equipped, no. Just for 2.7 million, which is the test "Prime", they will be much poorer, if not naked.
As outside
The model received redesigned bumpers, all optics, a different radiator grille, new designs of 17-19-inch wheel rims and two new body colors - Rich Espresso dark brown and Gravity Blue deep blue.
This is not to say that the updated Sorento Prime has changed dramatically; only fans of the brand and those who closely follow car innovations will be able to notice new touches of designers.
But it is hardly worth denying objective things - the car has outwardly become more attractive. Especially in the front. In the rich versions, the adaptive LED headlights have replaced the xenon, and with the Prestige modification, the taillights are also made from LED elements.
How inside
The changes also affected the interior: a new four-spoke steering wheel appeared, now a different handle at the gearbox selector, a different climate control unit. The dashboard retained its design, but the central "well" became digital. By the way, I liked the "tidy", all important and necessary information is quickly found and easy to read.
In the basic version, the crossover has a 7-inch monitor, and starting with the Prestige configuration it has an 8-inch monitor. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been added to multimedia. In our version, the car had built-in navigation, reflecting information about traffic jams in real time, and four all-round cameras. An audio system with eight speakers, a subwoofer and Harman / ¬Kardon's Quantum Logic Surround 3D technology is certainly not fancy, but it sounds very decent.
Salon Kia Sorento Prime became available in four design options, and not two, as before: black, brown, black-gray and black-beige. But the main thing here is not even quantity, but quality: there is nothing to complain about. Soft plastic and soft-touch skin are everywhere.
It's even strange to talk about the amount of living space in Sorento Prime. There is a lot of it, as before, both in front and behind. Nothing has changed since the update. On the second row, passengers have a standard set for today: a center armrest, curtains on the windows, USB connectors for mobile devices and personal air vents.
Our test car was a seven-seater, but why we need to buy such an option is not very clear. Only children can fit on the last two armchairs - and even then with difficulty. Too little legroom. Plus, you will have virtually no trunk. No, it may be enough for a trip to the grocery store, but for a family, of course, it will be too small.
So it is better to leave your choice on the five-seater version of the crossover, where the luggage compartment volume is 660 liters, and when the second row is folded, it can be brought to 1732 liters. Then, even with the transportation of bulky items, you will not have any problems. For example, we managed to place a plate in the trunk - it fits perfectly both in width and height.
One more point. Korean companies have always been famous for the wealth of equipment for their machines. So Sorento Prime received a bunch of all kinds of assistants and a winter package, which is very useful in Russia. Another thing is strange. Why does the car, which costs 2.6 million rubles, have no windshield heating, but only heating in the wiper parking area? At the same time, the Kia Rio, a budget model of the brand, has a heated windshield. Some kind of paradox, not otherwise. As well as the fact that the large crossover has not received a remote engine start.
In Russia, the car is offered with the already well-known fans of the Korean brand, a gasoline 2.4 GDI (188 hp) and a diesel 2.2 CRDI (200 hp), as well as a more powerful 3.5 MPI, producing 249 hp. The latter is paired with a new 8-speed transmission - just like the diesel variant. But a more modest gasoline engine is combined with a modernized 6-speed automatic transmission.
We tested a diesel Sorento Prime. But first I would like to dwell not on the engine, but on the box. This is a new unit. And he's very, very good. Yes, we can say that it is lighter than the six-speed automatic transmission of its predecessor and has a larger power range. This is all true. But its main plus is different: while driving, you will not pay attention to it at all. There are no pauses or dulling, the "box" works clearly and smoothly, always choosing the right gear.
With a heavy fuel engine, the large SUV is not dynamic. Acceleration to "hundreds" is more than 9 seconds. But, on the other hand, there are doubts that most of the potential Sorento Prime customers will focus on overclocking.
Although Kia also has a lot to offer. A car with a 3.5-liter gasoline engine accelerates to 100 km / h in 7.8 seconds. There is also a minus - you will have to pay for speed - the consumption of this engine up to the passport level (10.4 liters) is hardly achievable. For our diesel car, for example, it was 12.3 liters (considering the weight of the Korean SUV - the result, by the way, is very good).
The 2.4 GDI engine pulls perfectly at low revs, and at high revs it is no longer so reckless. For megalopolises (and this is where the target audience of Sorento Prime lives), diesel, in my opinion, is the best choice of everything that Koreans offer. You will not be an outsider in the dense city traffic, and on the highway overtaking vehicles leaving the oncoming lane will not be a big problem.
I really liked the new operating mode of the control electronics - Smart. The bottom line is that now you do not need to turn on Eco when, for example, you are standing in the most severe traffic jam. Or transfer the "puck" to sport when maximum power is required from the engine. The car now adjusts itself to your driving style and road conditions. If you drive slowly - it saves fuel (while the car itself does not turn into a vegetable), you start to work actively with the accelerator - right there at your disposal all 188 hp that are under the hood of the car.
By the way, the Sorento Prime is handled quite well - the way a crossover weighing a little more than two tons should behave. Not everyone will like the suspension. At the joints, passengers in both the front and rear will feel slight discomfort. On good roads, the car behaves perfectly.
What is the result
Kia is positioning the Sorento Prime as a family car. And he fully copes with this role: this is a large, comfortable, well-made crossover that will not make you doubt that the choice was made correctly. It is pleasant to look at it, it is pleasant to be in it. It has a well thought-out, spacious and high-quality interior, plus a wide range of engines for every taste. The Korean is ideal for the role of the only car in the family.
But in our market he has enough competitors. One of the main rivals is the Skoda Kodiaq. Not so long ago, by the way, the Czechs announced prices for localized cars, which pleased many. Kodiaq can now be bought from 1,339,000 rubles - before it cost from 2,000,000 rubles. Kia sells the Sorento Prime from 1,749,900 (for a 2017 car) and for 1,849,900 rubles (for a 2018 model year). True, already in the database, Koreans offer much more options than Czechs. In any case, the battle between Sorento Prime and Kodiaq will be very interesting.
Occasion:restyling of the mid-size crossover Kia Sorento Prime
Scene:Petrozavodsk, Russia.
Impression: Kia Sorento Prime in Russia is still a young car. We started selling it two years ago. In South Korea, where the car is known under the name Sorento (without the Prime prefix), it appeared a little earlier. It's time for the update, which also affected the Russian version.
The updated Sorento Prime, like the pre-reform car, will be sold with a 2.4 GDI gasoline engine with direct fuel injection (188 hp) and a 2.2 CRDI diesel (200 hp, 441 Nm). But instead of a 3.3-liter gasoline engine, there is now a new 3.5-liter V-six with 249 hp. One of the main technical innovations is the 8-speed hydromechanics developed by the Hyundai-Kia concern. She made her debut on the second generation Cadenza sedan (not sold in Russia). For the Sorento Prime, the new 8-speed automatic will be available mated to either a diesel engine or a 3.5-liter petrol engine. But the younger version 2.4 GDI relies on a 6-speed automatic, however, modernized.
As expected, the restyled car differs from its predecessor in a different form of bumpers. Because of this, the length of the car increased by 20 mm, reaching exactly 4.8 m. The radiator grille has also changed.
The cabin has become more comfortable. The seats have four upholstery options to choose from. Plus a new steering wheel. It is now four-spoke. There is also an electric steering column. In the center of the front panel is an eight-inch touchscreen display, and a Harman Kardon music system.
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With an eight-speed automatic, the crossover has become more economical. After I drove on the asphalt, and then grabbed the dirt behind the wheel of a diesel car, I looked at the readings of the trip computer. He highlighted the average fuel consumption: 8.5 liters per 100 km. The Sorento Prime with a 3.5-liter gasoline engine rushes like a hurricane and eats up 16 liters per hundred. For such a powerful and large machine - a good result.
Perspectives:prices ... waiting. They will be announced closer to the start of sales, that is, by February. Given that the pre-reform Kia Sorento Prime was quite popular with Russian buyers (5482 crossovers were sold in eleven months of 2017, which is 84.5% more than in the same period of 2016), the restyled one will also be in demand.
Rating: the car has become prettier and more economical. You can still choose both a five-seat crossover modification and a seven-seat one. This is a plus. And for those who want to save money, the old, more affordable, five-seater Sorento of the previous generation remains on sale.
Details: ZR, 2018, No. 02.
