The all-new Kia Sorento has picked up more awards to add to its ever-expanding trophy cabinet, as both overall champion and winner of ‘best tow car’ in the 1,900kg+ (up to £50,000) category at the What Car? Tow Car Awards 2021.
Now in its fifth generation, the Sorento has always been a popular and capable tow car. The What Car? judges praised the Sorento 2.2 CRDi ‘3’ DCT for its breadth of abilities, with plenty of torque available from the engine, all-wheel drive and a smooth-shifting eight speed dual-clutch transmission, delivering a smooth and painless towing experience.
What Car? Editor Steve Huntingford said: “If you picture a Venn diagram with circles representing stability, performance, practicality and value, right in the middle, at the point where those circles overlap, sits the Sorento.
“It's a reassuring car to tow with, pulling a big tourer with composure. And the Sorento can handle whatever it’s faced with because it has powerful brakes, the stability to cope with a sudden lane change, and four-wheel drive to help you make the most of its performance whatever the weather.”
“The Sorento also has room for adults in all seven of its seats, and air vents for all three rows, while the many USB ports throughout its interior show that Kia understands how modern families keep themselves entertained on long journeys.”
The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Ian Hewlett, a tester judge on the programme, added: “Our panel of experts were really impressed by the towing credentials of this year’s entrants. It’s vital that motorists match the right car with their caravan, and our awards programme gives drivers excellent insight into the performance of the latest vehicles on the market.”
Testing was undertaken by matching eligible cars to caravans weighted to 85 per cent of the car's kerb weight or its legal towing limit, depending on which was lower. They were then ballasted to simulate driving with passengers and luggage.
Priced from £39,360 for the Hybrid, £41,770 for the Diesel and £45,245 for the Plug-in Hybrid, there’s a Sorento to suit everyone. Tow bars can be added from £436.50, with wiring priced from £120, both including VAT and fitting. Fixed, removable and retractable options can be fitted offering versatile setups to suit various towing requirements. The Sorento 2.2 CRDi ‘3’ DCT can tow a maximum 2,500kg, with a 100kg towball limit.
The all-new Sorento was launched in the latter part of 2020 and has accrued an enviable collection of awards to its name – earlier this year, it picked up ‘Large SUV of the Year’ at the 2021 What Car? Car of the Year Awards.