Kia Sorento 2.4 LS

 

The Sorento is by no means sleek and sporty but rather utilitarian in its appearance. The 2.4 LS is the entry level model and lacks many of the extras one would normally get with a vehicle of this type. That’s not saying that it doesn’t look good, on the contrary, the 2.4 LS is a good looking car. Solid lines and curves in all the right places. KIA introduced the hawkeye effect with its angular headlights and a reverse grille said to emulate a tigers nose.
I don’t know about any tigers but I do like the way all these elements come together to make a good looking front end. The Sorento comes standard with multi spoke 17 inch mag wheels and 235 section tyres which give this car a lot of ground clearance ,185mm to be exact, adding to sheer size of the vehicle.

Interior

The size is carried through into the interior where you will find hard wearing cloth seats and enough storage spaces to make a librarian weep. The onboard computer system has the standard issue items you’ll need to control and keep tabs on the Sorento’s opeations. A small 4 inch dot matrix screen allows you to keep track of entertainment settings and Bluetooth connectivity.

As this is the entry level many of the electronic niceties are absent but that doesn’t mean that you don’t get any. The 2.4LS has electric windows front and back, electric mirrors and PDC (Park Distance Control) at the rear. Driver and passenger side airbags will keep you safe while the ISOFIX in the back will keep the little ones safe as well.  Although sparse the small touchs make the Sorento a pleasure to be in.

A simple multifunction steering wheel makes scrolling through the short menu a breeze and if you really need the illusion of sportiness you can activate the Sport Steering Mode button and have the steering firm up while driving.

Engine

The Sorento LS model is fitted with a 2.4l 4 cylinder 16 valve DOHC (Double Over Head Camshaft) fuel injected motor which will give you 127kW at max power and deliver 225Nm of torque while doing so. Emissions are just 215 g/km which is surprisingly light for a vehicle of its size. This means you can get from 0 -100Km in just under 10.5 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 190km/h if you really wanted to. The 2.4LS is the only Sorento petrol model and also the only version that comes out with a 6 speed manual transmission.

Drive

The Sorento is a big vehicle coming in at 4.7 metres long and 1.9 metres wide but its incredibly easy to drive. It lets you feel like you are driving a small sedan. Although parking could be problematic it is still an absolute pleasure to pilot around town. The spacious interior allows for total comfort and the space in the loading compartment is absolutely cavernous. At 1732l with the rear seats down and 660l with them up there is still plenty of space for even the largest of items.

Keeping in mind that this was indeed the entry level specification it was fitted with just the features you need, not the ones you’ll want , but want you’ll need.
At the price that this 2.4LS Sorento comes in at you would be hard pressed to find as nice a drive.

Pricing ,Warranty and Service Plans

2.4LS	– R 379 900
	- 5 year / 150 000km Warranty
	- 4 year / 90 000km Service Plan
	- 3 Year Unlimited Km Roadside Assistance
2.2 CRDi SX AWD	- R  619 995
2.2 CRDi EX AWD	- R  654 995
2.2CRDi LX	- R  519 995
	- 5 year / 150 000km Warranty
	- 3 Year Unlimited Km Roadside Assistance
	- 5 Year / 100 000km Service Plan