Despite it being my first experience driving such a large SUV in Singapore, it definitely UnToughened my expectations. Over a restful, long weekend, I took my family out in the Kia Sorento and explored the corners of the island I never thought I could conquer – especially not in a huge 7-seater SUV.
On the first night, the kids and I took a trip down to The Oval at Seletar Aerospace Park. Then we explored Safra Yishun, Yishun Dam, Rower’s Bay Park, and Seletar North Link. It was indeed a night of adventure in the North.
The panoramic sunroof of the Sorento allowed the kids an unrestricted view of the clear night sky and stars. Meanwhile, the large 7” touchscreen audio system allowed for hands-free calls and music from Spotify provided easy access to the latest music – especially Sorento’s own unToughened Tracks.
The high driving position also offered the ease of navigating and driving past tightly parked cars by the side of the road at the Oval. Plus, the driver position memory system for the driver’s seat will be very useful when sharing the Sorento with another driver.
In fact, the 20 minutes’ drive from SAFRA Yishun, past Yishun Dam, to Seletar North Link, was effortless – thanks to the torque and horsepower of the 2.2L turbo diesel engine. Cruising was simply too comfortable, with efficient dampers and a pliant chassis smoothening out any harshness on the roads.
On the second day, we took a short trip down Changi Village. The electric tail gate proved to be useful when we were trying to load the kids’ scooters and bags. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of boot space, even with the 3rd row seats up!
As we drove along Loyang Way and Upper Changi Road North, towards Changi Village, there were some slopes and winding roads that were a little less busy. I took it as an opportunity to test the driving dynamics of the Sorento (of course, within speed limit) and again – the Sorento proved highly competent with its suspension and steering ease. The 8-speed Automatic Transmission was really spot on, and always found the right balance of speed and rev.
Over the next couple of days, the Sorento took us to various destinations – Sentosa, Fort Canning, and even Choa Chu Kang.
The seating space of the 7-seater came in handy this time round, as it allowed me to bring my extended family of 7 to Fort Canning. Even the adults were pretty comfortable throughout the short trips, and I have no doubts that the Sorento would be well-suited even for a long trip up to KL. The 2nd and 3rd row air-conditioning was also highly appreciated under the sweltering hot sun on the way there. In this weather, the ventilated front seats were a very welcome feature, as they provided instant relief to both me and my front passengers.
Finally, on our last day, we took the Sorento down to Marina Barrage.
From Bedok to Marina Barrage, I once again fell in love with the power and the torque provided by the Sorento – certainly no huffing and puffing from the wonderful SUV while we were traversing the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.
There, we finally took full advantage of the flexible seats to arrange an impromptu picnic for the kids. The seats, laid fully flat, were definitely useful and doubled as a mobile bed or floor for us.
We liked the airiness and spaciousness of the Sorento. The weather was wonderful as well. We made use of the sunroof to enjoy the breeze and the sun, while enjoying our picnic along this rugged stretch of the Marina Barrage – all the way into sunset.
The Sorento’s high road clearance and efficient dampers also gave me a peace of mind, and a comfortable ride, while travelling along the gravel road. It was a great driving experience.
My first thought was that the Sorento is surprisingly spacious for the driver, with a clear layout of driving instruments and controls. I was delighted that the turning radius was manageable, and parking and handling was also much less of an issue than I thought it would be for an SUV of this size. It wasn’t tough at all to navigate even in tight spots and crowded roads – an UnToughened drive indeed!
