Kia Sorento 2021 review: GT-Line petrol

Priced from $61,070, plus on-road costs, the GT-Line petrol sits second from the top of the Sorento range, with only its diesel counterpart going $3000 higher.

Priced from $61,070, plus on-road costs, the GT-Line petrol sits second from the top of the Sorento range.

The GT-Line's generous standard equipment list includes, four drive modes ('Eco', 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'Smart'), dusk-sensing LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 'Dark Chrome' 20-inch alloy wheels (with a full-size spare), auto-folding side mirrors with heating, roof rails, keyless entry, rear privacy glass, and a hands-free power-operated tailgate.

Inside, add push-button start, a 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system, satellite navigation, (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, digital radio, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a windshield-projected head-up display, a wireless smartphone charger and a panoramic sunroof feature.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

And then there’s the heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard middle seats, 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, 10-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror, black quilted Nappa leather-appointed upholstery, ambient lighting and second-row sunshade blinds.

Seven paintwork options are available, with our test vehicle finished in 'Snow White Pearl', which costs $695 extra, bringing the price as tested to $61,765.

For reference, the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s direct rival is the related Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander petrol ($61,700), while it also faces competition from the Mazda CX-9 Azami FWD ($66,190) and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 162TSI Highline ($53,190).

Measuring 4.8mm long (with a 2815mm wheelbase), 1.9m wide, and 1.7m tall, the Sorento GT-Line petrol is on the smaller side for a large SUV, but that doesn’t mean bad things for practicality.

For example, the boot’s cargo capacity is a useful 187L (VDA), but stow the 50/50 split-fold third row (via handy pull tabs) and it increases to a competitive 616L, while shelving the 60/40 split-fold second row (via two latches) will grow it to a cavernous 2011L.

There's a wireless smartphone charger, three USB ports and a 12V power outlet in the first row.

Better yet, four tie-down points and two bag hooks are on hand to secure loose items, while the load lip is tiny and the floor flat, making bulkier loads easier to deal with.

And yes, a 12V power outlet is also in tow, while the load cover can be stowed underfloor when not in use.

The third row is accessed via one-touch buttons, which mercifully tumble the second row forward. With the latter in its rearmost position, a 184cm (6'0") frame like mine needs to split its legs, with knees pressed against the backrest in front, but a centimetre of legroom is on offer.

The central tunnel is small, so three adults can sit in the middle row with no complaints.

Amenities-wise, each of the two seats gets its own USB-A port, cupholder and rectangular cubby, which are located to the sides. Not too shabby.

Things get even better in the second row, where the bench manually slides and reclines. Behind my driving position, I have a massive eight centimetres of legroom as well as roughly four centimetres of headroom. And the central tunnel is small, so three adults can sit abreast with no complaints.

The third row is accessed via one-touch buttons, which mercifully tumble the second row forward.

Better yet, there are two USB-A ports are in the front seat backrests, plus another at the rear of the centre console, right next to a 12V power outlet. Map pockets are also on hand alongside storage nets. You don’t see that every day.

Then there’s the second-row cupholder overload, with the fold-down armrest featuring two, while another two are incorporated into the door armrests. And yes, the rear door bins can also accommodate two regular bottles.

The boot’s cargo capacity is a useful 187L (VDA).

And when it comes to fitting child seats, five top-tether and four ISOFIX anchorage points are split between the second and third rows. Yep, it’s pretty easy being a parent here.

In the first row, a wireless smartphone charger, three USB ports and a 12V power outlet take up most of the centre stack’s cubby, while two cupholders and a small cubby are located behind.

Stow the 50/50 split-fold third row (via handy pull tabs) and the boot increases to a competitive 616L.

And the central bin is not only large, but features a removeable tray, while the glove box is also on the larger side.

Finally, the front door bins can also take one regular bottle each and still have enough space for other paraphernalia.

As its name suggests, the Sorento GT-Line petrol is motivated by a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 petrol engine.

This 'new' 'Smartstream' unit produces a hearty 200kW of power at 6300rpm and 332Nm of torque at 5000rpm.

And in tow is a dependable eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (with paddle-shifters) and a basic front-wheel-drive system.

The Sorento GT-Line petrol is motivated by a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 petrol engine.

But if you’d prefer a 148kW/440Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive instead, the GT-Line diesel will do the trick for $3000 more.

The Sorento line-up will add eco-friendly Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid petrol-electric powertrain options later this year, but it remains to be seen if they will be available in the GT-Line grade.

For reference, both versions of the Sorento GT-Line have a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked).

The Sorento GT-Line petrol’s fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test (ADR 81/02) is 9.7L/100km, while its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are 222g/km.

Reasonable numbers, but in the real world we averaged a higher 11.7L/100km over 209km of driving, and I'm not sure how much better anyone else could do in mixed conditions.

For that reason alone, the Sorento’s upcoming ‘self-charging’ hybrid version is shaping up as the go-to option for family buyers, particularly in and around the city.

In good news, though, the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s 67L fuel tank takes more affordable 91RON petrol at minimum, which is always a win for the budget-conscious.

And for what it’s worth, the alternative Sorento GT-Line diesel uses 6.1L/100km and emits 159g/km, although it will take years to recoup the $3000 difference in cost and make the initial investment worthwhile.

As with all Kia models, the Sorento GT-Line petrol comes with an industry-leading seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with no strings attached. It also gets seven years of roadside assistance.

And the Sorento GT-Line petrol’s service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Capped-price servicing is available for the first seven visits, costing $3449 in total, for an average of about $493, which isn’t too bad.