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Posted by Alex Bale
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
The new 2013 Kia Sorento goes on sale in Ireland this week .Powered by an improved and more economical 2.2 197bhp diesel engine both trim levels available Ireland will be fitted with All Wheel Drive as standard. The Sorento is a 7-seater with the EX model priced at €37,990 and the Platinum model at € 41,790. Astonishingly, given the similar looks to the model that came out in 2010, it's all-new from the ground up.
The EX entry level model features AWD as standard and also comes with a generous level of comfort and safety equipment .Standard on the EX are 17” Alloys, roof rack, parking sensors, climate control front, manual heating/air con in the rear and Bluetooth .
The major spec differences on Platinum are Panoramic Sunroof, Leather Upholstery with Heated front seats, driver’s seat with 6 way power adjustment, rain sensor, rear privacy glass, reversing camera and HID headlights.
The upgraded Kia Sorento SUV incorporates significant changes, including a re-engineered body shell, an improved R2.2.diesel engine for better fuel economy with lower emissions, improved ride, handling and refinement, additional high-tech convenience and safety features, plus a fresh, new look for the exterior.
“During the last decade, Sorento has earned widespread regard with Irish and European drivers . Kia has listened to customers all over Europe and our engineering and design teams have responded in creating the upgraded Sorento, The result is a new Kia model which is not just a cosmetic exercise but represents a major step forwards for our popular SUV which is sure to bring back existing Sorento customers and competitive owners who are becoming increasingly aware of the design ,engineering and quality that Kia offers “ , commented James Brooks Managing Director of Kia Motors Ireland.
“On a more practical level we are delighted to be offering a D segment 7 seater SUV that comes with AWD drive as standard at a very competitive price, unlike our major competitor in this segment where AWD is only available on higher trim models “ added Mr.Brooks .
To give the upgraded Sorento a fresh look that reflected the new model’s stronger structure, premium quality and enhanced specification, Kia’s design team restyled the upgraded vehicle’s front and rear, creating larger areas of body-colour surface. Careful attention to surface detailing cut aerodynamic drag to Cd 0.34.
Kia’s designers developed new front and rear bumpers with unconventional upright fog lights, a new front grille and headlamps with LED positioning lights, and a new tailgate with reshaped LED combination lamps. Depending on model, the Sorento’s updated styling can be completed with 17-inch, 18-inch or new, optional 19-inch alloy wheels.
A new two-part glass panoramic sunroof with a single powered roller-blind shade will be available.
Inside the upgraded Sorento’s cabin, numerous enhancements create a refreshed ambience, with premium high-tech equipment available on some models and an extended choice of options
Access to the cabin is improved by the lower ride height (down by 10 mm), and the cabin floor has also been lowered, increasing legroom by 30 mm (second row) and 9 mm (third row).
Kia’s engineers have implemented a host of measures to reduce NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) to ensure that the upgraded Sorento boasts even greater refinement than the previous model, making it one of the quietest vehicles in its class.
In the upgraded Sorento, the 2.2-litre, 197bhp TCI (turbo charged inter-cooler) engine features a new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system which reduces CO2 emissions by 14% – down to as little as 155 g/km. Maximum torque is 436 Nm (automatic models) and 421 Nm (manual). The reduction in CO2 emissions from 171 to 155 brings the new Sorento into the C band for Irish customers with road tax of just €390 per year .
Every upgraded Sorento model will feature a manual or automatic six-speed transmission carried over from the previous model
The 4WD drivetrain is an ‘on demand’ system that delivers 100% of engine torque to the front wheels during all routine city and highway driving. Whenever a front wheel loses grip a percentage of torque (up to 50%) is automatically transferred to the rear wheels. In severely slippery conditions the driver can select ‘Lock Mode’ which delivers 50% of torque to both the front and rear axles.
Kia chassis engineers worked hard to ensure that while the upgraded Sorento gives rewarding responses to driver inputs, it also delivers a sophisticated ride/handling balance to rival the best vehicles in its class.
While the basic specification of the suspension is unchanged – front MacPherson struts and a multi-link set up at the rear – the subframes which support the suspension are completely new, stronger designs. They give more precise location of the suspension components and have revised mounting bushes to dampen vibrations. Larger suspension bushes, longer trailing arms at the rear and HPD (High Performance Dampers) work together to improve ride comfort and stability.
For precise vehicle control and good ‘feel’ the upgraded Sorento’s steering is now more direct, with 2.95 turns of the wheel lock-to-lock. Kia’s new FlexSteer™ system is an option, providing Normal, Sport and Comfort modes with three different weights to match customer preference.
When it was introduced in 2009, the second-generation Sorento was awarded a 5-Star Euro NCAP safety rating. Today, official crash test standards in Europe are much tougher and Kia engineers re-visited the upgraded Sorento’s structure and safety equipment to ensure that the new model will also win the accolade of a top safety score in Europe’s Euro NCAP and the USA’s official NHTSA crash tests.
Extensive revisions to the body shell, which already incorporates a higher percentage (70.4%) of high-tensile strength steel than most vehicles in its class, have improved front, side and rear impact protection. Hot stamping is used to heat steel to 900º C and press immensely strong components for the front bumper, centre floor member and rear floor side members – improving crashworthiness.
A bracing bar between the top of the front suspension towers is fitted and the bodyshell’s torsional rigidity has been raised by 18%, enhancing refinement and creating a stronger foundation for the suspension and steering, which benefits ride comfort and directional stability.
Inside, the upgraded Sorento are fitted with up to six front, side and curtain airbags, while for maximum stopping power, all upgraded Sorento models are equipped with larger diameter (320 mm) ventilated front disc brakes.
All upgraded Sorentos will be fitted with an AHS (active hood system) which raises the trailing edge of the hood during a collision to reduce the severity of pedestrian injury. Also standard on the new Sorento are active safety technologies including ESC (electronic stability control), VSM (vehicle stability management), and HAC (hill-start assist control), which prevents slip-back during stop-start driving on inclines.
Posted by Alex Bale
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Kia could be about to launch a new range-topping 4x4 that would rival the likes of the VW Touareg, Land Rover Discovery and even the mighty Range Rover. The Cross GT (pictured above) is a concept car for the moment, but it will be shown at the Chicago Motor Show and Kia has a habit of putting its concept cars into production.
According to Kia, the Cross GT is “Inspired by nature, driven by technology” and is designed to sit in the range above the recently-updated seven-seat Sorento SUV. Nothing is known yet about the car's powertrain or interior, but according to Kia insiders its a definite nod in the direction of Kia's planned upmarket push. Flushed with success, the Korean car maker believes it should be able to compete with Volkswagen and Ford with models such as the Rio and Cee'd and take on the likes of BMW and Mercedes with high-end models like this.
A workable plan? We'll find out more in the coming months.
Posted by Alex Bale
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Price as tested: €24,295+ Spacious, practical, comfy, well made, economical, handsome– Cabin could do with a touch more flair= As sensible as it getsSensible gets a bit of a bad rap. It’s never the sensible guy who gets the girl in the movies. It’s always the maverick hero, swinging in on a bullwhip, with his hard-drinking, hard-living ways who walks off with the heroine at the end. The sensible guy is left behind, with nothing but his nice suit and steady job to keep him happy. C’mon Hollywood, can’t we do a movie where, just once, sensible comes out on top?
Certainly when it comes to buying a car, sensible is what should (and largely does) take priority. We Irish tend to buy our cars on the basis of longevity and practicality, not style and sex appeal. It’s why Toyota was a top-selling brand in Ireland long before it was a big hit in the rest of Europe.
And it explains, partly anwyay, the meteoric rise of Hyundai. Solid, Korean-built reliability, backed up by a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty and usually with a sensible, practical body shape. What’s not to love? OK, not love, perhaps, but certainly sensibly appreciate.
The good thing is that, on top of that solid layer of sensible engineering and reliability, Hyundai has of late been adding just a touch more visual and tactile appeal to its cars and the i30 Tourer we’re testing here is a good example of that.
For a start, it’s better looking than the hatchback on which it’s based, with those flowing, sharply defined lines given a little more real estate on which to strut their stuff. And yes, I know, many of you still think of estates as commercial traveller’s cars, but come on; it’s time to wake up to the appeal of an estate, and this i30 is more appealing than most.
Out back, where it counts, there’s a 528-litre boot, which is more than big enough for most growing families’ needs, and easily the equal or better of most of the more fashionable compact SUVs on the market. We’d avoid the option aluminium boot divider though. It has its uses, but it eats us a crucial inch or two of loading space, which could cause some fraught scenes in the IKEA car park...
Up front, the cabin is identical to that of the i30 hatchback, so you get cleanly designed, clear instruments, comfy seats and plenty of space. Rear seat space is good too, certainly enough for any lanky teenage offspring and, as ever with Hyundai, the build quality is exceptionally good. Just one criticism; the layout and style could do with a touch more visual flair, if it’s to match the appeal of the exterior.
No arguing with the engine though, which is the latest version of Hyundai’s 1.6 diesel. With 110bhp, it’s right on the money for the class, and a combination of 109 g/km of Co2 and claimed average fuel economy of 4.1-litres per 100km (we managed around 5.5 overall) means that it’s suitably efficient for 2013 Ireland. A little more torque would be nice, as it never feels quite so fleet of foot as, say, a Focus or a Golf, but you’ll pay just €180 a year to tax it, which isn’t bad for a car this versatile.
Versatile? In a world of MPVs and SUVs? Yes, really. The trouble with SUVs and MPVs is that they’re all great ideas and very little substance. The great thing about estates is that what they lack in whizz-bang concepts, they make up for in genuine usefulness. Fold down the back seats in the i30 and you have yourself a well-upholstered van, complete with 500kg payload. Get it up on the motorway and set the cruise control and you have as refined and comfortable a car as you could wish for. Head out on a favourite back road and you have a chassis that’s both capable and entertaining, but also one which is sadly held back by Hyundai’s three-mode steering set-up. Being able to choose between Sport, Comfort and Normal steering settings looks good in the showroom, but we’d have preferred it if Hyundai just went for one setting that satisfies, rather than three that don’t.
Still, when the €24,295 price tag for our Deluxe model test car includes air conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth phone connection, iPod connection and every safety system you could think of, it might be rather churlish to complain about the steering setup.
What the i30 is, in the final reckoning, is a really solid and fine family car. Spacious, comfortable, reliable and useful, it pushes all the right buttons for an all-rounder that can please both kids and parents. Sensible? Yup, and this time, sensible wins.
Facts & Figures
Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.6 Diesel Deluxe
Price as tested: €24,295
Range price: €21,995 to €27,745
Capacity: 1,582cc
Power: 110bhp
Torque: 260Nm
Top speed: 185kmh
0-100kmh: 11.8sec
Economy: 4.1l-100km (68.8mpg)
CO2 emissions: 100g/km
VRT Band: A2. €180 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star; 90% adult, 90% child, 67% pedestrian, 86% safety assist
Posted by Alex Bale
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
It's the Detroit Motor Show next week, and you can expect to be seeing all sorts of gorgeous machinery that we just can't have on this side of the Atlantic over the next few days.
Chief amongst them will be this; the Hyundai HCD-14 concept car, which Hyundai is teasing us with this blacked-out image of. It's a preview of the replacement for Hyundai's Genesis saloon, a US-only model that combines a rear-drive chassis with a 4.6-litre V8 engine and BMW-rivalling interior and dynamics. What a shame we don't get them here...
No word yet on drivetrains or anything else, but the Not Wanted Here sticker could be peeled off at some stage. Hyundai in Europe is keen to grab some of the US's premium halo models for itself and there's a faint chance that this big, sexy saloon could make it to this side of the water at some stage in its lifetime. Here's hoping.
Meanwhile, Hyundai's growth in the UK market looks to be stalling, not because of any problems with the cars or the sales network, but because the UK head office can't get enough cars to meet demand. According to Autocar magazine this morning, extra demand from the US, China and Asia has Hyundai's Korean and European factories working flat out and there's just not enough capacity in the system to make cars to expand sales in the UK. There are more than a few European car makers who'd love to have that problem...
