This is the redesigned new-for-2015 KIA Sorento.

[Ocean6576]

160k lim leh will self import the 220GT leow

 

Considering the size, bels & whistles, perhaps the overall servicing cost, Sorento wins hands down.

Perhaps even the torque in the diesel version as well.

 

If for badge recongnition and drive, 220GT will be a better choice.

So depends on each individual priorites and needs.

[OeteM]

so did you guys managed to get a better price??

 

Booked. Got Diesel SX + AWD for $161300.

Edited May 28, 2016 by OeteM

[Ocean6576]

so did you guys managed to get a better price??

 

Will be a better price when Monday comes where the price is increasing by 2k.

Current deal is pretty good for myself, SE thrown in couple of gadgets inclusive in the price.

Overall still happy and satisfied with what I am paying for.

[OeteM]

Booked. Got Diesel SX + AWD for $161300.

Based on the past posts, is it true that the AWD will switch back to FWD at high speed? We asked the SE, he has no idea or knowledge at all. Any brothers driving Sorento AWD can comment?

 

Also How do we know it has switched back to FWD?

[dsman]

Based on the past posts, is it true that the AWD will switch back to FWD at high speed? We asked the SE, he has no idea or knowledge at all. Any brothers driving Sorento AWD can comment?

 

Also How do we know it has switched back to FWD?

 

hi. we do not know when it has switched back to FWD. it is written in the owner's manual that AWD will revert to FWD when speed is in excess of 30km/hr. this is also the case for the 2013 model. 

Booked. Got Diesel SX + AWD for $161300.

 

awesome. that's a good price. guaranteed coe right? how many ppl book to get this price? care to share what goodies were thrown in? 

[JustArrived]

Based on the past posts, is it true that the AWD will switch back to FWD at high speed? We asked the SE, he has no idea or knowledge at all. Any brothers driving Sorento AWD can comment?

 

Also How do we know it has switched back to FWD?

 

According to the owner's manual, AWD LOCK mode ls used for climbing descending sharp grades, off road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to maximise traction.

 

This  mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 30km/h and is shifted to AWD AUTO  mode at speed above 40km/h. If the vehicle decelerate to speeds below 30 km/h, however, the transfer mode is shifted into AWD LOCK mode again.

 

When driving on normal roads, deactivate the AWD LOCK mode (the indicator light off). Used only AWD AUTO mode.

 

 

Iirc, in AWD LOCK mode, drive power is locked at 50/50, so turning sharply on a paved road at low speed whilst in AWD, steering control will be difficult. This is the Tight corner brake effect of all wheel drive vehicles.

[Bryanteo1978]

wow.....      

[OeteM]

hi. we do not know when it has switched back to FWD. it is written in the owner's manual that AWD will revert to FWD when speed is in excess of 30km/hr. this is also the case for the 2013 model.

 

 

awesome. that's a good price. guaranteed coe right? how many ppl book to get this price? care to share what goodies were thrown in?

Yes. 6 bids Guaranteed COE bidding. SE threw in solar film, tonneau cover, paint protection, garmin and 1 channel thinkware. Intend to get 3M Solar film so I only asked for upgrade to thinkware F750 and tonneau cover so the rest price reduction at their cost price. As I did not take any loan from them, no free 1 year servicing. Edited May 28, 2016 by OeteM

[OeteM]

According to the owner's manual, AWD LOCK mode ls used for climbing descending sharp grades, off road driving, driving on sandy and muddy roads, etc., to maximise traction.

 

This mode automatically begins to deactivate at speeds above 30km/h and is shifted to AWD AUTO mode at speed above 40km/h. If the vehicle decelerate to speeds below 30 km/h, however, the transfer mode is shifted into AWD LOCK mode again.

 

When driving on normal roads, deactivate the AWD LOCK mode (the indicator light off). Used only AWD AUTO mode.

 

 

 

Iirc, in AWD LOCK mode, drive power is locked at 50/50, so turning sharply on a paved road at low speed whilst in AWD, steering control will be difficult. This is the Tight corner brake effect of all wheel drive vehicles.

So if I understand correctly, under 30km/hr, it will full time AWD (AWD LOCK) . Above 30km/hr,it will be under AWD Auto. It will switch to FWD. If encounters any slippage, under or over steering, AWD will be activated again, correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.

[Jaskin]

160k lim leh will self import the 220GT leow

 

 

too cramp. have you seen the interior. Its a BMW no doubt but if you need to seat 7 often its horrid

[Jaskin]

So if I understand correctly, under 30km/hr, it will full time AWD (AWD LOCK) . Above 30km/hr,it will be under AWD Auto. It will switch to FWD. If encounters any slippage, under or over steering, AWD will be activated again, correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.

 

 

Oh i forgot to share this. I got this youtube video transcribed from Korean to English. See attached PDF file. Relevant for those who want to get a 2WD 2.2 Diesel 

 

hmm can't attach PDF. 

 

The model we are reviewing is representative of Kia, midsize SUV Sorrento.

This model is recently competing with Chevrolet Captiva and Hyundai Santafe and we will be examining the overall satisfactory experience for Kia Sorento. 

 

According to Kia, the third generation Sorento was developed for 42 months with the cost of 450,000,000,000 won and the verification driving miles alone was equivalent to circling the earth 24 times.

 

The change in the front is the front grill wrapped with chrome and has sharper looking head lamps. The side looks fairly big. In fact, the overall height is 15mm shorter, but the length is 95 mm longer and the wheelbase is 82mm longer than the previous model.

 

The rear part seems highlighting a sense of proportion but it appears to be a bit monotonous. Although it is not apparent, the area of undercover is 2.5 times bigger than the previous model.

 

They also implemented techniques to increase power they have increased the application ratio of AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steel) from 24% to 53% and they have expanded the structural adhesive joints to 144m.

 

The interior of this car has applied the horizontal design in order to have a spacious look and added artificial stitch design to the dashboard for a luxurious look. The steering wheel is thin but the grip is firm enough. the gauge panel appears simple and

modern. The center display shows the idle stop time as well. The center fascia with 8inch monitor is easy to control and has a great graphic display. The navigation system is too perfect to compare to other models. Particularly, the steer wheel, the center fascia and buttons are well arranged that even beginner drivers may find easy to control. However, some dials seem loose. 

 

Although seats are not as firm, both driver and passenger seats are heated and ventilated

seats. The driver seat has lumber support and the back seats area is quite big with plenty of head and leg room with sliding and seat angle functions. The back seats are also heated seat. Both front and back seat have USB charger outlet and power outlet. The panoramic sunroof is wide and is the first one to be made with carbon fiber but it is hard to notice. 

 

The trunk is big as well. It holds 605 liter, which is 90 liter bigger than the previous model and if you fold the back seat, it can load up to 2081 liter. The test model is the 5 seating prestige model with the price of 30,300,000 won. Including a navigation, panoramic sunroof and 19 wheel tires, the price is set for 33,000,000 won in total.

 

We are going to drive Kia Sorento front wheel drive version. I don’t think we need to turn off the ESC.

 

Transmission we will be driving on D. For the drive mode, we will set on a sport mode for now. When I pushed the gas pedal and increase torque, it feels quite smooth yet strong due to strong with enough torque. The accelerating potential is very satisfactory.

This model has 2.2 liter digel, which exhibits better performance. 

 

I am overall pleased with this car. It also has the newest EURO6 engine which is a merit. Let’s check the gauge performance.

Given that auto transmission is included, it shows enough driving power. When accelerates, there is a slight torque but it’s not significant.

Let’s find out accelerating performance based on power train. For this acceleration, given the engine and the size of this car, I suppose it’s not too bad.

 

It has 6speed automatic transmission and when I was test driving for quite long, there was not any issues. It felt very smooth yet strong. I think satisfactory level for both transmission and powertrain is pretty high. In fact, the first Sorento I had driven was 2.2 engine 4WD with full option and it demonstrated very good acceleration. Since it was 4WD it felt stable whereas this model is FWD, which gives

less sense of stability for cornering. However, given the size of this vehicle, I think it shows a great performance level.

 

For the steering system, it is MPDS with 32 bit. When I first rode it, I felt that it was definitely better than 16 bit, however, it seems that the ultimate improvement still has not completed yet. Especially, when the steering wheel is in the center, it feels slightly loose. Compared to the previous model, the design of the car has absolutely improved, however, it appears that the fundamental weak areas have not been improved. Like Ssangyong, if Kia offers steering option for customers, it would be great. In fact, there are some customers who do not choose Hyundai and Kia for steering, it may be necessary to include the options to broaden the prospective customers.

 

To compare with Captiva, Captiva has a better drive feel when it comes to steering wheel, but I would say Sorento is superior in other aspects. Since it is unlikely that customers who wants to purchase SUV would look for feels, I think Sorento would be a great choice.

 

Let’s look at the braking force. As you can see, the braking force is on average. if you keep using the brakes, it seems hard on the car, however, with these spec, I do not think that customers would have complaints driving this model. Of course, when driving at high speed

with many passengers, the car may take awhile to brake. 

 

For Hyundai and Kia models, you may find that they put effort in improving this area, which was where customers were filing complaints and I think it is a great attitude as a company.

 

Let’s look at fuel economy. As you see, when you drive at 100 or 110km/h on highway, it showed good number. Meanwhile, when driving around 80km/h, the efficiency went low due to low rpm. With this in mind, I recommend to increase the speed range a little bit. Nevertheless, given the size of this car with 19inch wheels, I can say that this model has a good fuel economy. Even in the cities, you can

go 9 or 10km/h so I think its fuel economy is pretty good.

 

When I first got Sorrento, what I was surprised was the interior structure. Along with the design, I’m very happy with the suspension setting. In case of Santafe, the rear part is firm and it does not feel that comfortable to drive whereas I do not find it to be a problem for Sorento.

Considering the overall market situation and customer trend, I can say that Sorento is the most ideal model.

 

To summarize, this model has a great power train, which Hyundai Kia is known for. I am satisfied with suspension as well. Rather than putting unnecessary rear suspension for SUV to make less comfortable, Sorento is well balanced with a smoother feel to drive and strong

enough to protect the vehicle. For handling, I’m not quite pleased with it. It is more like a hardware issue and it seems like Kia was attempting to cover it with software improvement. It may be helpful to see from other imported car models.

The brake isn’t the best either, but looking at the trend and concept of this model, I don’t think it’s too bad. When controlling the pedal to get braking force, I do not see any problems. Cornering performance is quite good as well. As an option, this model has the 19 inch alloy

wheel and tires I do not think it is necessary. The tire for this car is by Crugen, but the performance is not exceptionally superior. Therefore, considering fuel economy and other aspects, I recommend the basic type 18 inch spec.

 

When I drove Sorento 4WD for the first time, I was happy with it and with this model, I am even more satisfied. Given the price and the package, I think this model is the most ideal choice.One thing I’m not quite happy about this model is that why Kia isn’t confidently marketing this car model after they made it so well. It is a job of media to critisize when new products are out. The compnay doesn’t have to try to cover the negative side of their car. If they are not offering their cars just because they were critisized by media, I think it should be something the marketing team has to change. If the car is great, there will be great reviews as well. If there’s any issues, it will be of course pointed out. In case of Ssangyong, even when they are brutally critisized, they are never stingy about providing their cars. I don’t think it’s a great attitude for a business wanting to hear what they want to hear.

 

For customers, it would be great to introduce them great cars as early as possible, but if the marketing team hinders that, I think Hyundai Kia should reexamine the marketing team’s strategy.

 

Anyway, Kia Sorento, for now, it is the most recommended model from me. I’m not sure how the total review will turn out to be but I give 4.5 out of 5. I’m looking forward to how other panels would rate this model. Kia Sorento, HYundai Kia has been showing a lot of improvement and especially, I like how the interior is so solid. In the past, their cars felt like an empty can but it was something SUV has to compromise. Now, it seems with good spec, they are making great car models and I expect that customers will also give great reviews on this model. I can see that this model can become very popular. Captiva may need to make a new model some time soon and Santafe may need to improve their setup to compete with Sorento.

I believe that this is one of the domestic vehicles that I have found satisfactory in a long time.

 

We have just reviewed a well made besides steering wheel car model by Kia

Edited May 29, 2016 by Jaskin

[JustArrived]

So if I understand correctly, under 30km/hr, it will full time AWD (AWD LOCK) . Above 30km/hr,it will be under AWD Auto. It will switch to FWD. If encounters any slippage, under or over steering, AWD will be activated again, correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.

 

When you are in AWD LOCK mode, by reaching 30km/h, it disengage the AWD LOCK mode and will switch to AWD AUTO once it hit 40 km/h. and will switch it back to AWD LOCK mode when speed lower than30 km/h.

 

You need not to activate AWD LOCK mode when you are driving on paved road.  AWD LOCK mode mainly for Off-road used.

 

Under AWD AUTO mode, Magna intelligent  Dynamax all-wheel coupling will do all the job for you when you encounters any slippage, under or over steering.

 

Below is the press release from Magna:

 

AURORA, Ontario, Canada, May 18, 2015 – Magna International Inc., the largest independent 4WD/AWD supplier globally, announced today the company is supplying its intelligent Dynamax™ all-wheel drive coupling on a global basis to power the all-wheel-drive (AWD) system of the all-new Kia Sorento. With Dynamax, the Sorento provides drivers with optimized handling, increased safety and improved fuel efficiency.

 

“We are excited to expand our successful partnership with Kia Motors by supplying our Dynamax system to the third-generation Sorento, and we are proud to support Kia globally with this innovative product,” said Jake Hirsch, president of Magna Powertrain.

 

Magna’s Dynamax system is the first continuous and fully active AWD system that exchanges information with the control electronics of the car, allowing it to anticipate events and adjust early-on rather than react to changing conditions like previous AWD systems. By ensuring that Dynamax is one step ahead of the car, ideal torque and traction can significantly improve stability, performance and fuel efficiency. 

 

The multi-plate coupling of the Dynamax system and its energy-efficient electronic components boost the track stability of the front axle, effectively preventing unwanted under- and over-steering, and thus improving both safety and driving enjoyment. The system’s high-thermal stress tolerance also protects the AWD system from overheating, even during long and/or steep climbs.

 

The Dynamax all-wheel-drive coupling is manufactured by the WIA-Magna Powertrain joint venture in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, and shipped to Kia’s Sorento assembly locations in South Korea and the United States.  The Dynamax system was first introduced in 2010 on the Kia Sportage.

[Yeshe]

too cramp. have you seen the interior. Its a BMW no doubt but if you need to seat 7 often its horrid

No lah, 2gt is for 5+2 config, same as sorento. If wanna go 7pax should look at full size mpv like vellfire leow

[Jaskin]

No lah, 2gt is for 5+2 config, same as sorento. If wanna go 7pax should look at full size mpv like vellfire leow

 

 

i've sat in both. i'm telling you imho that the 2GT is narrow. this is coming from a BMW brand whore. 

[Mkl22]

Dun bother abt what the wowo SE say lah.

 

U go to MB, BMW or Audi n say u considering wowo, they will oso make a face...

Then you go Porsche and see panamera and say you considering merc BMW and Audi, the SE will also make a face. Haha

[Yeshe]

i've sat in both. i'm telling you imho that the 2GT is narrow. this is coming from a BMW brand whore.

Got nothing to do with the brand, if it's meant to be a 5+2, no way can comfortably sit 7.

[Hamburger]

220 is not comparable to sorento.

 

sorento is masculine and 220 is feminine

[Ocean6576]

So existing Sorento owners, any poisons to recommend?