Introduction
If you go with the view that light CVs and passenger vehicles are broadly related in terms of dynamics, it follows that converting one to the other isn’t going to be the hardest of engineering feats. The formula is simple: ‘passenger vehicle minus rear seats plus load space equals commercial vehicle’.
But this does not necessarily guarantee that the conversion will be a success; the original set-up may have been a lemon in the first place, so calling it a van won’t disguise its deficiencies. And to gain attention it helps to have a selling point, such as off-road ability.
Kia has applied this formula to its Sorento, a 4x4 SUV that has already done well in the UK sales charts. It’s the first light CV to be launched by the Korean company since the Pride van, and Kia claims that the conversion was inspired by numerous requests from operators who wanted something a bit more utilitarian.
Product Profile
As with most Far Eastern vehicles, the price is a key selling point. Starting at £15,337, the XE-C includes air-con, 16-in alloy wheels, ABS with EBD, self-levelling suspension, electric windows, remote central locking and CD audio with an mp3 player – not a bad bit of kit.
Power comes from the 2.5-litre common-rail 343Nm between 1,850 and 2,500rpm. It is available with a manual or auto five-speed box.
In keeping with its rugged aspirations, the Kia is built on a ladder chassis complete with dual-frame body construction for stiffness. It comes with 4x4 transmission selectable via a switch on the driver’s side of the dash.
As for the competition, Nissan’s Terrano and Jeep’s Pioneer come close in terms of layout, the differences are more noticeable when price comes into the equation. Nissan charges £16,492 while the Jeep is £17,720.
Productivity
We didn’t have high expectations when it came to fuel consumption, even though the Sorento sports common-rail technology – at 2,600kg GVW it’s no lightweight. So a laden figure of 33.6mpg for a run around our Kent test route was commendable, just beating the 3.0-litre Nissan Terrano’s 32.9mpg and well ahead of the Jeep Pioneer’s 29.5mpg (although that was before its upgrade to common-rail technology last year).
Running unladen saw things improve to 36.6mpg, the plentiful low-end torque no doubt contributing to its reduced consumption.
Although it wasn’t originally designed for commercial purposes, the Sorento has useful carrying ability. With the rear seats removed it takes a payload of 554kg in a 1.9m3 loadspace, a figure that puts it ahead of its rivals.
The floor is flat except for the wheelarches, one of which features a small stowage tray. Combined with the near-flat side walls and ceiling, this allows maximum use of the space available.
Access is via a rear tailgate which incorporates a flip-up glass section if you need to get to the goods in a hurry or in an enclosed space. Kia has also kept the rear passenger doors usable, following a further degree of flexibility. What may be a concern is the lack of a real bulkhead to keep your goods in check. Unlike other vehicles in the class, there is no full-height setup – just a small metal lip approximately 10in in height.
Preconceptions about backup are unfounded thanks to a network of 154 UK dealers and a three-year warranty with no mileage limit.
Think cut-price Far Eastern commercial vehicle and you tend to think second-class cabin. But with its passenger roots, the Sorento offers an inviting set-up. Granted, grey is pervasive but it does come in varying shades which detracts from the dullness. There’s plenty of space for both driver and passenger, so that SUV feeling is very much in evidence.
Comfort is backed up by decent seats that are adjustable in most directions, though some of the manual adjusters are difficult to use. What knocks it down a peg is the mediocre plastics that are bettered by some vans, but you can’t have it all.
The instrument layout holes no surprises, though the right-sided indicator stalks did confuse to begin with…you’d think that most people would know that having your wipers on at full speed means you’re turning right.
Secondary controls are housed on the slab-like central console that extends between the seats and includes two cup holders and a decent-sized oddments tray. Further storage is located between the seat backs in the form of a double-layered CD bin and slim door bins.
On the move there were no significant noises to report, though the engine might have benefited from more soundproofing; it made itself known while accelerating, but cruising brought a marked improvement to the proceedings.
Unfortunately, after our first day in the Sorento the seat-belt buzzer started playing up, chiming occasionally when it was already connected. This irritant detracted from the good work the Kia designers had done in banishing our preconceptions of inferior design. In fact the build quality was also better than expected, but slightly off the pace when compared with the Nissan Terrano (which we recently had on long-term test).
