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Kia Sorento Takes Aim at Intermediate SUV Market

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Khatir Soltani
The bar was raised in the intermediate SUV segment today as Kia unveiled its eighth model for the Canadian market, the 2003 Kia Sorento. A larger, more powerful SUV than the popular Sportage, the Sorento is loaded with comfort and convenience features, provides capable off-road maneuvering and is backed by the industry?s best warranty.

?The Sorento will set a new standard for value in the intermediate SUV segment,? said Mark Ryhorski, Vice President, Marketing and Customer Experience. ?It is built in the same high-value tradition as all Kia vehicles ? packed with desirable features and luxury content ? offered at a price that consumers are looking for.?

The five-passenger Sorento features a powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates 195 horsepower and is coupled to an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. That combination will deliver smooth shifts and good acceleration. The new model will be available as a four-wheel drive configuration. The part-time four-wheel-drive system engages with the turn of a knob for convenient shift-on-the-fly driving. The transfer case is equipped with a low range to meet the needs of challenging off-road situations. The Sorento will be available with an automatic ?Torque on Demand? four-wheel-drive system that also has a low range. The system automatically transfers power, as needed, from the rear wheels to the front wheels with no input required by the driver. Additionally, the Sorento offers an available Eaton carbon limited-slip differential that quietly transfers up to 50 percent of torque between the rear wheels.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada