In the fall of 2014, the European version of the third generation of the KIA Sorento was presented at an exhibition in Paris, which almost in the same form hit our market. The differences are in the line of engines, the availability of winter options and the prefix Prime in the name. It is needed only so that inexperienced people do not get confused between the old and new versions of the machine. Sorento Prime has become much more solid than its predecessor. It is designed for middle-aged and older male men.
Exterior
The solid appearance of this car is given primarily by its increased dimensions, more about which will be discussed a little below. A massive corporate-style radiator grill, a voluminous bumper, a strict off-road body kit, new body contours and less aggressive optics create a very attractive image compared to the previous version. With all this, the KIA Sorento Prime does not give the impression of a bulky, clumsy car. In its appearance there are notes of sportiness and dynamism. An abundance of chrome inserts and attractive optics separate the car from the general stream and leave it in memory for a long time. Thus, the car looks very modern and fresh. She looks much more interesting than the past generation.
Dimensions
The new Sorento Prime has the following dimensions: 4780/1890/1685 mm. The car has become 95 mm longer, 5 mm wider and 15 mm lower than the second generation model. The wheelbase of the car has increased from 2700 to 2780 mm. The ground clearance of this car is 185 mm. There is an off-road vehicle potential. But it is not needed for storming off-road, but for greater driver confidence when conquering icy slides and driving along country roads. It is unlikely that someone will buy such a car for fishing trips or hunting. Nevertheless, the car can easily cope with light and medium impassability.
Open space
Salon Sorento Prime has a five- and seven-seater performance. Due to the increase in size, the designers were able to increase the interior. The novelty has become more spacious, and not only in width, but also in height, despite the decrease in body height. The abundance of space above the head is achieved due to the low seating position.
Interior design and equipment
It's time to see what interesting things have been prepared by the developers of Sorento Prime. A review of the interior showed that the interior of the car is made in accordance with all modern trends and is fully consistent with the class of the car. Soft plastic together with genuine leather makes the interior very pleasant to the touch. It is noteworthy that this plastic is used both in front and in the rear of the car. Some competitors use cheaper materials at the back.
The ergonomics of the Sorento Prime are also highly praised. Everything is in place here. With all the abundance of appliances and all kinds of assistants, nothing prevents comfortable placement in the cabin. On all rows (and even on the third) there are comfortable armrests and cup holders. The climate control is regulated separately for the first and second row. All seats, except the third row, adjust to the preferences of passengers. The comfortable Salon Sorento Prime, whose photos are capable of winning more than one heart, and the panoramic roof with a rather large sunroof set the atmosphere for long-distance family trips, for which the car is just perfect.
To list all the abundance of electronics used in this car, you can for a very long time. There is everything to please fastidious customers who are willing to pay dearly for convenience. Modern systems allow the driver to ride as relaxed as possible. Four cameras (one on each side of the car), a dead-zone monitoring system, automatic parking and much more will take care of the safety of the owner and his family.
Luggage compartment Sorento Prime
In the 5-seater version of the car, the trunk has a volume of 660 liters. Of course, a 7-seater car can not boast of such numbers, its trunk puts only 142 liters. However, having folded the third row of seats, you can already get 605 liters of space. Well, with the second row folded down, the trunk has a volume of as much as 1762 liters. In general, you can easily go to the forest behind a Christmas tree. A spacious lounge allows you to do this even in a suit of Santa Claus.
Technical specifications
For the European market, the car comes with three engine options: two diesel and one gasoline.
The in-line four-cylinder gasoline engine has a volume of 2.4 liters. He is able to develop 188 horsepower and give 241 Nm of torque. In tandem with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the gasoline unit accelerates the Korean crossover to a maximum of 210 km / h. At the same time, it reaches hundreds in 10.4 seconds.
The Junior Diesel received the same cylinder configuration as the gasoline engine, but its volume is 2.0 liters. This engine has a capacity of 185 horsepower and gives out 402 Nm of torque. Unlike a gasoline engine, a diesel engine can be equipped with two gearboxes: mechanics and automatic. Both boxes have six steps. Mechanics accelerates cars to hundreds in 10.4 seconds. The machine will need a little more time for this.
The top diesel engine looks much more interesting. The same cylinder configuration, but the volume is 2.2 liters. The maximum power for it is 200 “horses”, and the torque is 441 Nm. This motor has become the flagship for the new Sorento. It is aggregated by the same gearbox as the "younger" diesel. The engine has a speed of 203 km / h. Acceleration to hundreds with a manual transmission takes 9 seconds, with an automatic machine - a little less than 10 seconds.
In the future, another engine should appear - a 6-cylinder V-shaped gasoline engine with a volume of 3.3 liters. It will reach a capacity of 250 liters. from.
The crossover, which, by the way, still belongs to the mid-size, is going on a new all-wheel drive platform. However, the suspension layout has not changed since the last generation: MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear. Innovations include new engine mounts and a rear subframe, enlarged shock absorbers and a retuned electric power steering. All this made the car stroke softer, improved its handling and increased comfort in the cabin.
KIA Sorento Prime: complete sets
So, the basic version of the car gets: leather seats, threshold lighting, dual-zone climate control, a multimedia system with a touch screen and navigation, athermal windshield and front side windows, power driver’s seat, warm options (seat and steering wheel heating), LED running lights and xenon headlamps.
In addition to the usual safety systems (airbags and curtains), the machine has the following systems installed: active steering and traction control in a bend, warnings about sudden braking, and a trailer stabilization system . There is also an extensive set of options, the highlight of which was an interesting system for automatically opening and closing the fifth door. To open the trunk, you do not need to wave your legs under the rear bumper, press buttons and even more so get your hands dirty on the body, you just have to stand for about three seconds with the key fob in your pocket. The cost of our hero ranges from 2 130 000 to 2 450 000 rubles. Naturally, it all depends on the level of equipment.
Sorento Prime: reviews
This car fully met the expectations of the manufacturer and managed to win a wide audience of fans. Among the shortcomings, the owners of the car note only its slightly overestimated price and a small clearance. The rest of the car causes only positive emotions. An interesting design, decent equipment and excellent management of the new Sorento model were a pleasant surprise for those who were familiar with the second generation.