30 April 2021 · Kia Sorento

Drive Car of the Year Best Large SUV 2021

Drive Car of the Year Best Large SUV 2021

Winner: Kia Sorento

The all-new Kia Sorento takes the win. First and foremost, a good family SUV needs to be versatile.  

The Kia Sorento delivers on that brief. The inclusion of ISOFIX across both the second and third row means it configured in many ways. One would be to transport four kids in child seats, or another to transport three-generation of family without asking the elders to climb into the boot. 

The theme continues through acres of storage, the availability of third row air conditioning vents and controls, as well as clever, electrically assisted sliding second row. This last point makes a difference, as many cars in the segment rely on clumsy, heavy mechanisms that young adults cannot use. 

Another tick for versatility comes from the overall space found in the third row. Adults will find it comfortable enough on short to medium trips, and its fold-up seats have been designed with larger-sized limbs in mind. Whilst not as good as a dedicated people mover, its overall one of the best third rows on offer in the class. 

Next off the mark is ease of use. Large SUVs need not be daunting to drive, especially ones which will frequent compact, metro cities. The Kia Sorento offers great fore, side and aft visibility, and its controls are direct and accurate feeling.  

The suspension tune too assists in this field, as it has been tuned by Australians, in Australia, for our conditions. The Sorento manages its mass well, which does wonders to shake off the illusion of both heft and size.  The diesel driveline is equally as user friendly and does well to quell the fidgety nature too often found with dual-clutch transmissions. Read More