Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: which one is the best value for money?
Kia Sorento vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport: which one is the best value for money?
By Martin Pretorius
Seeing as the traditional sedan and estate car has now largely been supplanted by mid-sized SUV/Crossovers, these SUVs deserve a closer look. Just as small sedans have had to make way for compact SUVs, so too has the mid-sized saloon fallen victim to the rise of the medium SUV: they offer most of the technology of their lower, sleeker brethren, but with a hearty extra serving of practicality.
In this light, it makes sense to evaluate some competitors in this busy market segment with an eye towards value for money, as the typical family buyers who would be interested in a vehicle of this kind most likely also has to stick to a fixed budget. To this end, we’ve selected three entry-level, mid-sized SUVs, close to each other in price and specification, and determined which one offers the best value for money.
For the purpose of this comparison, we selected diesel-fuelled, two-wheel drive variants (they’re all also available with all-wheel drive), and stuck to the base models only – because that’s where value-conscious shoppers will look first.
1. Kia Sorento
For some strange reason, the current-generation (launched in 2015) Sorento has never quite managed to become as popular as its predecessor was. This is certainly through no fault of the car itself, but rather pointed towards a pricing/positioning problem – most likely brought about by an unfavourable foreign exchange rate. To this end, Kia performed a range re-alignment on the Sorento at the end of 2018, in the hopes of achieving greater sales success, albeit in a highly specific niche of the market.
Motive power
All Sorentos are now powered by the same engine and gearbox: a 2.2-litre turbodiesel 4-cylinder with a healthy 147 kW and 440 Nm, coupled to a (new) 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. This leaves the range without any petrol options, with the old 2.4-litre and V6 units being discontinued in our market.
Nonetheless, performance is quite frisky, with the 0 – 100 km/h dash dispatched in 9.4 seconds and a top speed of 203 km/h. Official fuel consumption claims are quite encouraging as well, with Kia listing an average figure of 6.3 litres/100 km. (Expect closer to 8 litres/100 km on real roads, however.)
Safety credentials
With a 5-star Euro-NCAP crash test rating, the Sorento is off to a very good start in the safety stakes. ABS with EBD and BAS keeps the braking system working at its peak, and traction- and stability control is standard across the range. 6 Airbags keep the occupants cushioned in the event of a collision, but lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring are not available on base-model cars.
Creature comforts
The Sorento scores quite highly in this criterion, but not really for any over-endowment of equipment. Its great comfort instead comes from a smooth ride quality, comfy seats, and low noise levels.
That’s not to say that the Sorento is barren, though: at R 584 995 for the entry-level LX variant, the standard specification sheet includes hill holder/auto hold, 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control (with air outlets for the rear seats), cruise control, a leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel, a colour touchscreen infotainment display with USB- and Bluetooth compatibility, navigation, keyless entry with push-button engine start, leather seat upholstery, automatic headlamps and wipers, a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors, and 7 seats (the rearmost pair are mainly for occasional use, however). The Kia Sorento comes standard with a service plan for 5 years or 100 000 km, and carries a warranty for 5 years or an unlimited distance.
A fresh arrival in 2018, the latest Santa Fe has stepped up its premium game by quite a notch: it looks a lot more upmarket than the previous one, and it has a lot more modern technology. Because it also has 7 seats, it’s nice to know that the possibility of occasionally carrying extra passengers exists, although they will be rather cramped (as they would in both of the others).
Motive power
Seeing as Kia and Hyundai are members of the same manufacturer family, it’s logical that they’ll share their major mechanical parts. In this case, the 2.2-litre turbodiesel (and its matching 8-speed automatic) finds yet another home, although it’s detuned slightly to produce 142 kW. That 440 Nm torque peak remains, however, so performance differences between the Sorento and Santa Fe are bound to be minimal.
The sole exception is the Hyundai’s claimed average fuel consumption figure of 7.8 litres/100 km – this seems plausible, considering that the mechanically similar Kia returns figures very close to this mark in normal driving. In reality, the on-road performance and consumption of the two Korean contenders should be nearly identical.
Safety credentials
The Santa Fe mirrors the Sorento’s basic safety spec, with the ABS/EBD/BAS combination for the braking system, traction- and stability control, and 6 airbags. It also has a 5-star Euro-NCAP crash test rating, although the European-spec Hyundai featured passive safety enhancements in the form of automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning (not standard in South Africa). Overall, there’s very little to choose between the two Koreans in this respect.
Creature comforts
At its list price of R 599 900, the entry-level Santa Fe 2.2D Premium largely mirrors the Sorento’s LX-level of equipment. There are two glaring omissions, however: the Hyundai misses out on the Kia’s standard navigation system, and it doesn’t have push-button engine start. The Santa Fe also can’t quite match the Sorento with its service plan, which runs for 5 years or 90 000 km, but it regains some lost ground with its warranty: 5 years or 150 000 km on the vehicle, but 7 years or 200 000 km on the drivetrain.
Apart from the fact that it also offers 7 seats, a turbodiesel engine, and an automatic transmission, the Pajero Sport really is the odd one out in this company. Where the other two are unibody (unitary construction) designs, the Pajero Sport rides on a ladder-frame chassis with a separate bodyshell mounted on top. No matter how well-developed its suspension may be, it will never match the all-round independent arrangements of its two opponents' ride quality or sportier handling. If either of these qualities override all other considerations, skip right through to the conclusion. However, if you can accept some moderate compromises, read on.
While the others employ front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive, the Mitsubishi is available with either rear- or four-wheel drive. But, as far as body-on-frame 7-seater SUVs go, the Pajero Sport is as good as it gets, hence its inclusion here. It is properly price-competitive too, with the RWD Pajero Sport opening the range at R 579 995.
Motive power
Under the Mitsubishi’s bonnet, you’ll find the largest engine of the three. Displacing 2.4-litres, this turbodiesel is slightly more agricultural than the unit doing duty in the Korean cousins, with a commensurately lower power output but also with a wider torque spread. Peak outputs of 133 kW and 430 Nm are sent into an 8-speed automatic gearbox, but because of its extra weight (more than 100 kg heavier than the unibody Koreans), performance isn’t quite up to the same levels.
The Pajero Sport’s claimed average consumption isn’t too far off the mark, however, (officially) only losing to the Hyundai by 0.2 litres/100 km. However, real-world driving will show that the Mitsubishi is noticeably less frugal, with average consumption closer to 10 litres/100 km being far more likely than the manufacturer's claim of 8.0 litres/100 km.
Safety credentials
No Euro-NCAP data is available for the Pajero Sport, but it did score a full 5-star rating in ASEAN NCAP crash testing. It also features the requisite traction- and stability control, as well as ABS/EBD/BAS for the brakes, but adds a driver’s side knee airbag for a new total airbag count of 7. As with the two Koreans, ISOFIX child seat anchors are standard on the outer two seats of the middle row.
Creature comforts
Equipment levels largely follow what you’d find in the other two cars, but with the notable additions of electric adjustment for the driver’s seat, and LED headlights. For the rest, the Pajero Sport has roughly the same toys as the others, and like the Kia, includes standard navigation. Its service plan runs for 5 years or 100 000 km, and its warranty is valid for 5 years or unlimited mileage, matching the Kia on both counts.
Conclusion
Choosing between these three turned into a surprisingly tricky affair, because each car has its own strengths and weaknesses.
But, looking at the cold facts, the Hyundai Santa Fe is the first one to fall by the wayside. It’s R15 000 more expensive than the (otherwise very similar) Kia Sorento, yet it has to make do without some key equipment (such as the standard navigation) which you’ll find in the Kia.
In its turn, the Kia is well-priced and well-equipped, looks great, rides very comfortably, and offers decent real-world fuel efficiency. Owners will most likely be very satisfied with their Sorentos, and it makes a strong case in the value for money stakes. As far as the unibody contenders go, the Kia Sorento offers the best value for money. But there's still one alternative, however...
We didn’t really expect the Pajero Sport to walk away with the honours here. After all, it’s a much more basic vehicle, and definitely isn't as sophisticated in its manners or perceived quality as its on-road-biased opponents. However, it matches them on equipment, has some nice extra convenience- and safety features, yet manages to undercut them on price. If value for money is your thing, the Mitsubishi garage has a car to show you...