The front seats provide sufficient support and comfort although the seat cushions could benefit from being a few inches longer. The rear 60/40 split folding bench seat is comfortable enough for a nice trek to the country house. The leather that covers the seats is of a fair quality and should last.
Legroom is quite good for front seat passengers and minorly tighter for the rear. Headroom's aplenty and the trunk size is generous. There are plenty of small storage bins to empty the contents of your pockets into including a bin located under the passenger seat. Visibility in general is very respectable in every direction.
Technical
There is only one engine on the list of the Sorento's standard features
and it is a DOHC 3.5L V6 that puts out 192 hp at 5 500 rpm and 217 lb/ft of torque at 3 000 rpm. There are two transmissions. The LX model offers the choice between a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode called Steptronic. Both EX versions are available only with the 5-speed automatic. The Sorento LX receives a shift-on-the-fly electronically controlled 2-speed transfer case. The EXs get a torque-on-demand all-wheel-drive system also with an electronically controlled 2-speed transfer case. They also benefit from a limited-slip differential. All Sorentos have 4-wheel disk brakes and a 3 500 lb towing capacity.
On the road
The 3.5L engine is torquey and hauls the 1 990 kg truck nicely. Acceleration is reasonable however as the weight of the load increases, the extra strain on the powerplant is felt immediately. In these days of the $1/litre of fuel, it is frustrating to fill up at a cost of $70 after having
driven slightly more than 400 km. This works out to an average of 17.25 L per 100 km travelled. Painful indeed.
The new for 2005 5-speed automatic transmission is an improvement over the 2004's 4-speed. According to Natural Resources Canada, average fuel intake is down 0.5 L per 100 km. The 0-100 km/h times are down by about a half second. The transmission shifts without causing a fuss and will kickdown willingly. I found that the Steptronic manual shift mode was more useful for slowing the truck down than as a tool to improve driving dynamics.
The 4-wheel disc braking system works fine although the pedal provides little or not feedback. Steering is satisfactorily weighted though precision could be improved. It does get light as speeds cross north of the 100 km/h border.
The Sorento's ladder frame does nothing to hide its existence. The ride is choppy, typical of this type of platform. As long as the roads are smooth, the Sorento is agreeably civilised. Though, as soon the surface deteriorates, hold on to your fillings. If you factor in the truck's height, high centre of gravity and narrowness, the tremendous tendency to roll in corners is to be expected. The rollover warnings are not decorations. Here is the compromise. What the Sorento can do is go on a trek off the beaten path without breaking into a sweat. It has real off-road
capabilities thanks to its 2-speed transfer case, underbody skid plates and reasonable approach and departure angles.
The Sorento is surprisingly quiet on the highway. There is little tire and wind noise compared to the Jeep Liberty for example.
Legroom is quite good for front seat passengers and minorly tighter for the rear. Headroom's aplenty and the trunk size is generous. There are plenty of small storage bins to empty the contents of your pockets into including a bin located under the passenger seat. Visibility in general is very respectable in every direction.
Technical
There is only one engine on the list of the Sorento's standard features
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On the road
The 3.5L engine is torquey and hauls the 1 990 kg truck nicely. Acceleration is reasonable however as the weight of the load increases, the extra strain on the powerplant is felt immediately. In these days of the $1/litre of fuel, it is frustrating to fill up at a cost of $70 after having
 |
The new for 2005 5-speed automatic transmission is an improvement over the 2004's 4-speed. According to Natural Resources Canada, average fuel intake is down 0.5 L per 100 km. The 0-100 km/h times are down by about a half second. The transmission shifts without causing a fuss and will kickdown willingly. I found that the Steptronic manual shift mode was more useful for slowing the truck down than as a tool to improve driving dynamics.
The 4-wheel disc braking system works fine although the pedal provides little or not feedback. Steering is satisfactorily weighted though precision could be improved. It does get light as speeds cross north of the 100 km/h border.
The Sorento's ladder frame does nothing to hide its existence. The ride is choppy, typical of this type of platform. As long as the roads are smooth, the Sorento is agreeably civilised. Though, as soon the surface deteriorates, hold on to your fillings. If you factor in the truck's height, high centre of gravity and narrowness, the tremendous tendency to roll in corners is to be expected. The rollover warnings are not decorations. Here is the compromise. What the Sorento can do is go on a trek off the beaten path without breaking into a sweat. It has real off-road
 |
The Sorento is surprisingly quiet on the highway. There is little tire and wind noise compared to the Jeep Liberty for example.