Car reviews

Introduction

The Sorento is a large 4x4 that is extremely spacious inside and is more than capable off road. It's a pity it's not as capable on road with vague steering and stiff suspension that provides a firm ride transferring large bumps through to the cabin and feels unsettled on most roads. It is a good cruiser as long as the motorways are fairly smooth. There are good engines available, especially the newer engines that offer plenty of power and are extremely good at towing vehicles.

Exterior & Interior

The Sorento is a good looking 4x4 and with the facelift in 2006 updating the bumpers and lights this only improved. The Cabin is extremely spacious seating five people with ease with there being plenty of head and legroom in the back for the passengers. The seats are supportive and well padded which adds to the comfort of the car. The boot space is massive with 849 litres of space which can be increased by folding flat the 60/40 split folding seats and there are neat storage nets as well for smaller items to be put in. The rear window tailgate opens independently making the loading and removing of light items easier especially in tight spaces.

The interior is full of grey dull plastics, but it feels well constructed even if it isn't very up market. The layout of the centre console is easy to use and is logically laid out. The driver gets a good commanding view of the road thanks to its height, but its height does make loading luggage into the boot a little difficult. There are four trim levels available starting with the standard XE trim which comes with 16 inch alloys, CD stereo, remote central locking, self leveling suspension, air-con and electric windows all round. The XS comes with added heated front seats, climate control, cruise control and electric mirrors. The T adds 18 inch alloys, sat-nav and rear parking sensors whilst the top of the range Titan comes with its own unique 18 inch alloys.

Drive

The Sorento is built more as an off roader than a around town 4x4 with its separate chassis and the rugged suspension making the ride a little firm and uncomfortable. Its vague steering doesn't help matters either and the amount of body roll is excessive making cornering a worrying affair. However, it's off road where the Sorento shows its true colours with excellent capabilities handling most situations with ease. The XE models come with a dash mounted switch which enables the driver to select between two and four wheel drive whilst all the other models come with a 'torque on demand' setup which varies the amount of power to each wheel depending on where it's needed most. It is also a decent towing vehicle especially the diesel engines with producing a lot of torque. The majority of wind and road noise is blocked effectively, but the older diesel engine can be loud when pushed.

Faults & Repairs

The Sorento has proven to be very reliable with there only being a few problems cropping up over the years. There have been a few complaints about rattles in the dash but most of these are on new models and are repaired whilst still under warranty. Other than that there have been only minor niggles but be sure to check everything including the suspension and undercarriage as it may have been used as an off roader and may have sustained a few bumps and scrapes. The repair and service costs are fairly cheap too with only the Nissan X-trail being as low.