This car won 'Towcar of the Year' 2006 as well as the '£16,501 - £20,000' class and the 'All Wheel Drive over 1800kg' class in the same year.
Our new Towcar of the Year got consistently high marks from the driving judges, but the observations of our caravanability judges really tipped the balance: a 112kg noseweight limit with only a small drop when the caravan was attached, low running costs compared with other 4x4s, a proper attachment point for the breakaway cable and full marks for load space.
Out on the test track, the Sorento won friends for its faultless stability and the way it handled. Coil-spring suspension soaks up the bumps so you get a comfortable ride, even on a broken surface, but not to the extent that the handling is compromised; and the rack and pinion steering is precise. Braking performance was good, too, and the conventional handbrake held the outfit without much effort.
Maximum torque from the recently reworked 2.5-litre engine is 253lb ft, available from just 1850rpm, and the five-speed gearbox (with switchable high/low ratio) is well mated. More power would be useful – this 2.5 CRDi is no fireball – but there’s a 3.5-litre V6 petrol version if you are looking for speed.
Not surprisingly, the Sorento also took first place in the All Wheel Drive category for vehicles over 1800kg kerbweight.
| Make/Model |
Caravan weight |
Drive |
Cyls/CC |
bhp/lb ft@rpm |
Price |
Tested |
| Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE |
1,826kg |
R/4WD |
4/2497 |
138/253@1850 - 2500 |
£19,225 |
2006 |
Kia Sorento 2.5 CRDi XE
