| Week at the Wheel | Kia Sorento |

Inside & Out:

The Sorento is neither a looker, nor is it offensive. The big 4x4 lacks the futuristic styling of the smaller, newer Sportage. The front wears Kia's new face, but otherwise it's all a bit generic. The lines are clean for sure, but they're pretty forgettable.

Inside it's much the same, the big Kia being pretty workmanlike. It all feels nicely built though, even if some of the plastics are a little hard and shiny. Where it excels though is in providing space. The Sorento offers plenty of room for five, and if you pop up the additional rear seats in the boot you'll squeeze another pair of adults in - for short journeys at least. With the seats stowed there's a massive boot (it's still respectable with additional passengers on board) so if you value space in your value-laden SUV the Sorento is worth a look.

Engine & Transmission:

The 2.2-litre turbodiesel is a bit noisy when you start it but once warm it's pleasantly hushed. That's assuming you steer clear of the upper portion of the rev counter - something that's easy to do given the low-rev urgency of the engine. Mated in our test car to a six-speed automatic that's smooth shifting, the Sorento is an easy driving companion, whether trickling down country roads or cruising on the motorway.

Ride & Handling:

Expectations of pin-sharp handling and bump-smothering suspension are a little much in something so rugged, but the Sorento steers and stops decently enough given its size. There's plenty of body roll in tighter bends so approach with caution - the Sorento is not a car you're likely to be hustling anyway. Keep within its boundaries and it's a nicely rounded drive, though rougher roads do result in some knocks being felt through the cabin.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

With prices starting at around £20,000 the Kia Sorento offers a lot of car for your money. Specification levels are generous across the board, and the seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty is plenty incentive for many a private buyer. Seven seats come in all but the entry-level front-wheel drive models, but Kia states that this top-of-the line near-£30,000 KX-3 model - with four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission - is the one customers are choosing. Economy of 38.2mpg on the official combined cycle is respectable, as is its 194g/km CO₂ figure.

Overall:

Kia's Sorento is a strange machine; you'll not fall in love with it in any one particular area, but you can't help but admire its no-nonsense approach and enormous practicality. Rugged, well specified, sensibly priced and decent enough to drive, the Sorento might be a tool, but it's a mighty useful one.