Kia Sorento 2021 Review

Over the past two years, competition in Malaysia's seven-seater SUV market has become increasingly fierce, and many family users are looking for a vehicle with ample space, practical configurations, and reasonable pricing. The 2021 Kia Sorento public, as a midsize SUV under the brand, directly targets this market segment. Its biggest selling point lies in the upgraded intelligent features and more balanced spatial performance. During this test drive, we focused on whether it could meet the daily needs of local family users and whether its dynamic performance met expectations.

From a distance, the overall style of the 2021 Sorento public leans towards stability with a touch of sportiness. The front face adopts Kia’s iconic tiger-nose grille, filled with a black mesh structure, paired with sharply designed LED headlights on both sides, giving it high recognizability. The side profile of the vehicle features smooth lines, with a waistline extending from the front fender to the rear, making the body appear longer. The size of the 18-inch alloy wheels is just right and does not look overly exaggerated. At the rear, the through-type LED taillights are a design highlight, providing a clear visual effect when illuminated, and the chrome trim below the trunk door enhances its refinement. In terms of lighting systems, all trims are equipped with LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights, with brightness and range that meet daily usage needs when illuminated at night.

Sitting inside the car, the overall interior layout is simple and well-organized, with the center console designed to tilt slightly towards the driver for easier operation. As for materials, the upper part of the center console and the inner sides of the door panels are wrapped in soft-touch materials, which feel good. Although it doesn't deliver a luxurious feeling, it ranks above average in its class. The central screen measures 10.25 inches and is equipped with Kia’s UVO smart connectivity system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a relatively responsive interface. The seats are leather-wrapped, with the driver’s seat offering electric adjustment and the passenger seat manual adjustment. The front seats provide decent support and comfort, making long rides less tiresome.

In terms of dimensions, the 2021 Sorento public measures 4810mm in length, 1900mm in width, and 1700mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2815mm. These dimensions result in a satisfactory spatial performance. The front row offers ample space, with a passenger of 175cm height still having a headroom surplus of roughly one and a half fists after adjusting their seating posture. The rear row is equally spacious, with legroom exceeding two fists. The floor’s middle bulge is not high, so the middle passenger’s foot space is not too cramped. The third-row seats are more suitable for children or adults on short trips; legroom is relatively limited, but this performance meets expectations for a seven-seater SUV. In terms of storage capacity, the front door panel storage compartments can accommodate two water bottles, and the central armrest box is quite voluminous. The trunk, when all seven seats are in use, can fit two carry-on suitcases. Folding down the third-row seats significantly expands the cargo area, meeting family travel storage needs. The rear row is also equipped with independent air-conditioning vents and USB charging ports, enhancing practicality.

The test-driven 2021 Sorento public is powered by a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine, with a maximum power output of 191 horsepower and a peak torque of 245N·m, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. These specifications are considered standard among naturally aspirated models of the same class. In actual driving, the power response at the start is relatively gentle, without a significant thrust-back sensation but adequate for daily urban commutes. During acceleration, the transmission’s gearshifts are smooth, with no noticeable jolts. Switching to sport mode makes the throttle response more sensitive, delivering more direct power output during overtaking.

The steering wheel's turning force is moderate, and the steering accuracy is quite precise, making daily driving not too tiring. The chassis uses a combination of front MacPherson independent suspension and rear multi-link independent suspension, tuned towards comfort. It thoroughly absorbs small bumps on the road, ensuring passengers inside the car do not feel significant vibrations. When encountering larger speed bumps, the suspension system provides sufficient support, and the body does not exhibit excessive fluctuations. While cornering, the body roll is well controlled, not giving a loose feeling, and the overall stability is quite good.

In terms of fuel consumption, we drove 50 kilometers each on urban roads and highways, with a combined fuel consumption of approximately 9.5L/100km. This result falls into the middle range among same-class seven-seater SUVs and meets expectations. Regarding noise control, while driving at high speed, there is some wind and tire noise, but it does not impact normal conversations among the passengers inside, and the overall performance is acceptable. The seats are quite comfortable, and passengers do not feel too fatigued during long rides. However, the backrest angle of the third-row seats is relatively upright, which might cause some discomfort during long trips.

Overall, the core highlights of the 2021 Kia Sorento public lie in its balanced space performance, practical intelligent features, and comfort-oriented dynamic tuning. Compared to its competitor, the Toyota Fortuner, its third-row space is more spacious, and its intelligent features are more abundant. However, the Fortuner excels in off-road performance. When compared to the Honda CR-V seven-seater version, the Sorento public has a larger body size and offers better space performance, but the CR-V has lower fuel consumption.

In conclusion, the 2021 Sorento public is a seven-seater SUV that is suitable for family users. It can meet the demands of various scenarios such as daily commuting and family outings. If you value space practicality and intelligent configuration as a family user, this car is worth considering. However, if you frequently need to go off-road, it may not be the best choice.

The 2021 Kia Sorento public is a well-balanced seven-seater SUV that performs well in terms of space, configuration, and comfort, making it suitable for the daily needs of most family users.