Thinking that it had been left in the wrong place, I went out with her and pointed at our test model.
‘What’s that then?’ I asked her.
‘That’s not a van – it’s an SUV,’ she replied.And there you have it in a nutshell – if you want to buy a van and claim back the VAT, but you don’t want anyone to know you are driving a commercial vehicle, the Sorento XE-C is the boy for you.
It looks like a 4x4, drives like a 4x4 and by golly it is a 4x4. The only thing missing is a row of seats in the back.
Kia has joined the growing band of manufacturers which have realised they don’t have to spend millions of pounds developing LCVs but instead can take out the rear set of seats from an existing car, fit a load floor and save themselves the time and effort.
And I’d have to admit that, after spending a week with the Sorento XE-C, it isn’t half bad.
It weighs in at a diminutive £14,341 ex-VAT and comes with a 2.5-litre common rail diesel powerplant offering 138bhp at 3,800rpm and 252lb-ft of torque at 1,850-2,500rpm.
Our test model came with a five-speed manual gearbox but an automatic can be ordered at £15,277.
The cargo area measures 1,610mm in length, 1,370mm in width and 930mm in height and payload is 544kg. Fuel consumption on the combined cycle is 36.7mpg.
Director of sales operations Howard Slade, told Fleet Van: ‘The Sorento is already a firm favourite with large SUV buyers and we have been asked about a commercial conversion by many operators who recognise its abilities but want a more utilitarian alternative. This vehicle will allow us to enter the CV market for the first time in a decade in the UK and provide a realistic alternative that combines Kia’s high-level specification with the workability that these vehicles need in the commercial marketplace.’
Slade aims to sell just 300 units in the first year.
On the road
THE Sorento may be a bargain-basement model but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. In the looks department, this vehicle can hold its head up with the rest of them – it’s macho, chunky and stylish, especially clad in the silver paint of our test model.
Meanwhile the bottom end of the van is completely swathed in plastic, which means annoying bumps and scrapes can be dealt with cheaply.
Entry to the cab is via remote plip-locking and once inside, the seating area is pleasant and functional, with hard seats that feature plenty of side and back support. Being a car at heart, there isn’t a great deal of space for the average van driver’s detritus, but the centre console has two can/cup holders and there is a nice big double-compartment lidded storage bin.
And - lordy, lordy - there are two sunglasses holders in the roof as well. That’s a new one on me in the world of vans.
In-van entertainment is provided by a very good quality JVC radio/CD player, which will pump out a massive amount of noise if required. The bad news is that it features masses of tiny little buttons on the front and is quite awkward to attend to safely while on the move.
The rear loadspace is nice and square and as there is no lip at the rear end, loads can be easily slid in and out. Thanks to the addition of the two rear doors along with the rear tailgate, there should be no access problems.
There are also four load-lashing eyes and a handy hidden compartment which is revealed by lifting up a flap in the floor.
Firing up the powerplant reveals a smooth unit with none of the old diesel death rattle and there is certainly no lack of pulling power either loaded or empty.
The gearchange is extremely slick for a 4x4 vehicle, although the power steering is so light that there is very little ‘feel’ for what’s going on between steering wheel and road.
Four-wheel drive high and low gear ratios are selected by turning a switch on the dashboard.
Verdict
WE are extremely impressed with this vehicle. It obviously won’t suit all tastes but for fleets which need a vehicle that isn’t afraid to get its feet dirty and won’t cost the earth, the Sorento makes a convincing case for itself.
And it fights a good corner on costs too. The rival Jeep Cherokee Pioneer is more than £3,000 more expensive, but is predicted to retain just 36% of its value after three years/60,000 miles according to used value expert CAP, as opposed to 38% for the Sorento. The ageing Nissan Terrano van, meanwhile, is predicted to retain 35%.
Model tested: Kia Sorento XE-C
Gross vehicle weight (kg): 2,600
Payload (kg): 544
Max power (bhp/rpm): 138/3,800
Max torque (lb ft/rpm): 252/1,850-2,500
Price (£ ex-VAT): 14,341
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