If anyone were to ask yours truly on the favourite car of 2022, it would be the Kia Carnival. Expectations had to do with a part of it, but mostly it was because the Carnival is such a compelling product.

Naturally, when the 2023 Kia Sorento was launched, I had expected great things from it based on prior experience with the Carnival. After all, they share many similarities on paper from the engine to the platform.

The internet, meanwhile, was getting up its nose on the pricing. It starts from RM 211k to RM 255k for the range-topping 2.2D AWD, which is what we have here. They were quick to point out that the Mazda CX-8, which occupies the same segment, tops out at RM 220k.

So, is the 2023 Kia Sorento worth the premium over the Mazda CX-8, and does it live up to this writer’s expectation? Let’s dive in.

Also read: From RM 211k, 2023 Kia Sorento launched in Malaysia - CKD, 2.5L NA, 2.2L turbodiesel

Exterior – Looks more expensive than it is

“For a second there, I thought you pulled up in a Cullinan from glancing at the taillights,” said a friend. Admittedly, it was during the night but that speaks volume on the presence the 2023 Kia Sorento commands. It does look more opulent than its price suggests, even at RM 255k.

Personally, I’m a fan of how the 2023 Kia Sorento looks with sharp lines, a bold grille, and distinctive LED headlights. Contributing to its commanding presence is the larger overall dimensions over its predecessor.

Higher rung variants of the 2023 Kia Sorento wear 19-inch wheels with 235/55 R19 tyres, which I think is perfectly sized. Though speaking of size, the rear doors are on the longer side, plus its width of 1,900 mm mean opening the rear door could get tricky in narrow parking spaces.

On the topic of doors, the keyless entry system still uses a button-activated mechanism instead of the touch-sensitive type. It’s nit-picking at this point, but I would prefer the super-efficient way of simply placing my hand on the door handle and unlocking it simultaneously.

One thing to note is that the boot release button isn't intuitively placed. Those who are unfamiliar will likely faff around the panel above the number plate, only to disover that it's actually located at the bottom edge of the tailgate, underneath the 'SORENTO' emblem.

Interior – All sunshine and roses until the 3rd row seats

The cabin is a lovely place to be in; modern, spacious, with a good view out. Build quality is nothing short of excellent. Nothing squeaks, no matter how hard you try to squeeze the grab handles on the door. Material selection is decent, with soft touch plastics on the upper part of the cabin and hard plastics on the lower half.

Overall design is clean with excellent ergonomics, every button, switch, or knob is placed logically. There’s minimal learning period in figuring out what all the controls do.

The 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system is crisp and easy-to-use, though if I were to nit-pick, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto would’ve been a nice touch to complement the Qi wireless charger. That, and USB-C ports to bring it into the 2020s.

The digital instrument cluster is equally as crisp with an impressive refresh rate for the animation graphics when switching between driving modes, though there is not much in the way of customisation.

Elsewhere, storage solution in the centre console is impressive, with plenty of cubby spaces and a generously-size centre storage. The door bins, however, are rather small, especially at the rear with only a bottle-sized cut-out.

My biggest gripe would be the 2+2+2 seating configuration. The captain seats lacks sculpture, which feels flat and the cushions are firm. Essentially, the middle-row seats are regular seat bench with the middle section lopped off.

The middle seat would’ve been useful if there were five individuals on board but with this configuration, the fifth person will be forced to sit in the third row, which – to put bluntly – is uncomfortable.

Kids may be fine back there, and perhaps short trips are acceptable. In this regard, the Mazda CX-8 executes this configuration far better than the Sorento.

Driving Experience – One of the most hustle-able large SUV

This area is where the 2023 Kia Sorento defied my expectations. Having driven the Carnival, I had expected a similar relaxing driving experience from the Sorento, but it turned out to be more athletic than I initially gave it credit for.

Let’s start with the powertrain, the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine is a familiar unit, paired to a not-so-familiar 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The result is a powertrain that feels responsive and direct with ultra-incisive upshifts.

The transmission is tuned to exploit the wallop of torque from the engine. Put your foot down and it will jump through the gears to give you maximum acceleration. The all-wheel drive system simply puts all the torque down from a standstill and catapults you.

Though if the revs are too low, there’s a noticeable delay upon throttle depression and the turbo spooling up to deliver peak torque. Setting the drive mode in Sport helps alleviate the delay.

In that mode, you can hustle the Sorento along at startling pace. Steering becomes weightier to instil more confidence in the bends and the powertrain becomes even keener to get going.

Body control is impressive and body roll is well-contained for an SUV. It reacts in sync with your steering inputs, allowing you to place it on the road exactly as intended. Believe me, these are not what I had expected from the 2023 Kia Sorento.

It feels lighter on its feet than the Carnival and its smaller footprint means there’s less anxiety when navigating through tight spaces. It’s still on the larger side, but certainly more maneageble than the Carnival. The 360-degree camera proved to be rather useful when in doubt.

If there’s a negative on the driving experience, it would be in stop-and-go traffic conditions. Most, if not all, dual-clutch transmissions suffer a degree of clunkiness in such conditions, it’s just nature of the transmission. VW’s current DSG exhibits the least jitteriness and unfortunately, the Sorento’s unit isn’t quite at that level of refinement.

This is especially evident in uphill traffic jam situations. You can tell by the programming of the clutch actuation and throttle input that the transmission is not in its element. And the best resort is to drive it like a manual – don’t let it consume the clutch and leave bigger gaps with the vehicle in front for literal stop-and-go.

Alternatively, there’s adaptive cruise control which you can set at any speed to assist in traffic jams.

Speaking of ADAS, I wish the system would remember the last setting – whether the lane keep assist was left on or off – instead of having it enabled by default every time the car restarts.

Ride Comfort – Well-judged on highways, but a little busy in town

Once again, unlike the Carnival, the Sorento’s ride is not as supple, with a slight firm edge to its damping. Whereas the Carnival irons out all the lumps and bumps, the Sorento transmits some of them to the cabin.

Sharp edges can be felt and occasionally send a slight shimmer but it’s far from being harsh. The ride gets better with speed and once on the highway, things become calmer.

So while its secondary ride can be a little busy, primary ride is perfectly-judged as it settles quickly over larger undulations. This makes it a first-class cruiser with its long-legged powertrain.

In terms of seat comfort, the cushions for all seats are rather firm, almost continental-like. Firm seats aside, the sculpture and support for the front seats are quite alright with an evenly distributed pressure across the back.

The rear seats, especially being called as captain seats, could do with better bolstering to hold the passengers in place. This is an SUV after all, which means there are more lateral movements and that calls for better support.

As for cabin insulation, noise level in the 2023 Kia Sorento is kept low. The diesel clatter is only noticable when accelerating but quickly fades into the background at a cruise, becoming virtually inaudible.

Tyre noise can get apparent at higher speeds on rougher pavements but it’s never intrusive, while wind noise is impressively hushed for an SUV.

Fuel Consumption

In a 60/40 mix of highway and city driving, the 2023 Kia Sorento 2.2D AWD’s fuel consumption is tested at 8.1-litre/100 km. The trip computer displayed an average of 8.2-litre/100 km, which is rather accurate.

It’s an impressive real-world figure considering its size and performance. Comparatively, the Mazda CX-8 2.2D AWD achieved 9.1-litre/100 km in similar conditions.

Conclusion

At RM 255k, the 2023 Kia Sorento 2.2D AWD is not on the affordable spectrum of family SUVs. The similarly-large Mazda CX-8 is less expensive but there are things that the Sorento do better and vice versa.

Surprisingly, the CX-8 is the more relaxing steer, while the Sorento proved to be the one in which you can hustle. This has certainly exceeded my expectations. But is the Sorento worth paying more over the CX-8? I'd say yes but that boils down to personal preferences. 

I prefer the more up-to-date as well as the wider, more spacious interior of the Sorento. The CX-8’s interior does feel dated in comparison, especially with its older infotainment system. I also prefer the more butch exterior of the Sorento, as opposed to the “stretched CX-5 look”.

These are subjective and great thing is that there is room for both and you get to choose the one you like.

Objectively however, the execution of the 6-seater configuration is far better accomplished in the CX-8, with proper third-row seats. It seats six adults comfortably.

Meanwhile, the third-row seats in the Sorento makes more compromise in its seating position than I find to be acceptable for adults.

So, how do you choose between the two, or even the Carnival which is at the same price range? That would be down to how many passengers you ferry on a regular basis.

More than six? It has to be the Carnival. Five or six, perhaps with the in-laws and you’re close with them, the CX-8. But if there’s tension, get the Sorento and chuck them in the third-row seats.

Also read: Pros and Cons: 2022 Mazda CX-8 2.5 Turbo - Complete package but thirsty

Jokes aside, the Sorento is for those who like the Carnival but think it’s too large. It’s a more compact, athletic version of the Carnival. And for smaller families, that might just tick all the right boxes.

Also read: Hybrid and PHEV variants of 2023 Kia Sorento ruled out for Malaysia