Kia Sorento 2010 Review

In recent years, the SUV market in Malaysia has been heating up, and mid-sized family SUVs have become the preferred choice for many households — capable of accommodating luggage for family trips while also catering to daily commuting practicality. The 2010 Kia Sorento public is designed to target this niche market. Being the predecessor of the third-generation model, its biggest selling points are space optimization and enhanced features, while continuing Kia's signature high-cost performance strategy. This time, we got a hands-on experience with the actual vehicle, focusing on whether it meets the core needs of family SUV users in terms of static experience and dynamic performance.

Starting with the exterior, the 2010 Sorento public adopts Kia's family “tiger nose” front-end design of the time, featuring a vertical chrome grille paired with angular headlight clusters, offering high recognition. The body side lines are relatively robust, with a waistline extending from the front fender to the rear, preventing the side profile from appearing too bulky. The 17-inch alloy wheels are standard for this class, and the tire thickness takes comfort into account. At the rear, the LED taillight clusters adopt a horizontal layout, creating a clear visual effect when illuminated, while the silver skid plate under the rear bumper adds a touch of SUV off-road appeal. The overall design isn’t overly aggressive but is solid and timeless, well-suited for a family car's positioning.

Stepping into the interior, the design leans towards practicality, with a dual-tone upper dark and lower light color scheme for the dashboard. The top of the dashboard is covered with soft-touch materials, offering a decent tactile feel, while the inner door panels feature leather trim, and the chrome accents add a touch of refinement to the details. The center console has a clear layout, with an 8-inch touchscreen supporting CarPlay and Android Auto, providing a fluid operation experience that was above average at the time. Below the screen are physical buttons retained for easier blind operation while driving. The seats are wrapped in leather, with the front seats offering manual adjustments. The backrest and cushion padding are relatively thick, making long periods of sitting less tiring. The rear seats provide outstanding legroom in the same class — a 175cm tall passenger sitting in the rear has two fists' worth of knee room from the front seat, and the middle floor hump is not high, allowing the middle passenger to sit comfortably. In terms of storage, the front center armrest box offers a large capacity, door pockets can accommodate two bottles of water, and the trunk has a standard capacity of 550 liters, which can expand to 1,662 liters with the rear seats folded down, capable of holding a stroller or large luggage items.

As for performance, the 2010 Sorento public is equipped with a 2.4L naturally aspirated engine, delivering a maximum power of 175 horsepower and a peak torque of 225 Nm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. During daily driving, the power delivery is smooth at startup, and the throttle response is not overly aggressive, fully meeting family-use needs. In sport mode, the transmission delays shifts, and power output becomes more direct. When overtaking and pressing the throttle hard, the transmission downshifts promptly, with seamless power transitions. The suspension adopts a front MacPherson strut and rear multi-link independent setup, tuned for comfort. When going over speed bumps or uneven roads, the suspension absorbs most of the vibrations, preventing significant body bounce. The steering wheel has moderate weight and minimal slack and handles body roll well during turns. At highway speeds, the steering feels steady, inspiring confidence.

In terms of fuel consumption, we drove 100km each on urban roads and highways, and the combined fuel consumption was approximately 9.5L/100km. This performance is considered average among 2.4L models in the same class. Noise control performance is acceptable, with some wind noise and tire noise at high speeds, but it does not affect normal conversations inside the car. The seat offers good wrapping and support, making long drives comfortable without causing a sore back.

Overall, the core advantages of the 2010 Kia Sorento public lie in its spacious interior and practical configurations, with power performance that meets family needs, and chassis tuning that balances comfort and handling. Compared to competitors in the same class, such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, it has certain advantages in space and configurations, and it is also more budget-friendly. This car is suitable for families who value space and practicality, especially consumers who often travel with family. If you are looking for a family SUV with a spacious interior, comprehensive features, and high cost-effectiveness, the 2010 Sorento public is worth considering.