Joining a Parade That's Moved On
When Kia was busy designing its first midsize sport utility vehicle several years ago, few would have predicted that 2008 would turn out be a year of reckoning in the truck market.
At the time, building a 7-passenger S.U.V. like the Borrego seemed a logical way for Kia to cash in on consumers' appetite for big trucks, a plan that had worked so well for the Big Three over the years. But the arrival last year of the Borrego turned out to be spectacularly ill-timed. Kia joined the big-truck parade as the marching bands were disappearing over the horizon.
Designers for Kia, whose lineup had been filled with small cars and tidy little S.U.V.'s, got the basics for this vehicle class right, even sticking with classic tough-truck construction. Many of today's utility wagons are built like cars; called crossovers, they aim for a softer ride and better handling and usually weigh less. But the Borrego has the hardier body-on-frame construction and competes directly with vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner.
Prices start at $26,995 for the LX with rear drive, a 3.8-liter V-6 (276 horsepower) and 5-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive adds $2,050.
For those who want a V-8 (4.6 liters, 337 horsepower) and 6-speed automatic, the least expensive model is $31,745. That's for either a 4-wheel-drive LX or a fancier 2-wheel-drive EX.
The model I tested, the ultimate Borrego, was a 4-wheel-drive EX. A long list of options, including a sunroof, heated seats, leather upholstery, chrome wheels and a navigation system, brought the total to $39,295.
One of the strengths of the Korean automakers has been low prices, although those have been creeping up in recent years. Nonetheless, a similarly (but not quite identically) equipped Explorer or 4Runner would run several thousand dollars more.
All models come with important safety gear like electronic stability control to help reduce the chance of skids; air curtains that deploy from the ceiling to offer head protection for passengers in all three rows; antilock brakes; and air bags mounted in the front seats to protect the torso in a side-impact crash.
The Borrego has received the government's top ratings, five stars, for frontal and side-impact crash protection.
There is enough room in the first two rows to accommodate four 6-foot adults comfortably in practical and pleasant surroundings. In the third row, however, the seat cushion is so close to the floor that it is best suited for small children.
Kia says cargo space behind the third row is about 12 cubic feet; fold down the third row and cargo capacity increases to 43 cubic feet, making it competitive with the Explorer and 4Runner.
My test drive started on the challenging Kancamagus Highway, which wiggles through the White Mountains from Lincoln to Conway and is a favorite of tourists and driving enthusiasts. The Borrego handled what the locals call the Kanc reasonably well, although it could not conceal the fact that it is a 4,600-pound truck.
The steering seemed a bit inconsistent, turning the vehicle a bit more or less than one would expect. Often that required fiddly little corrections in the middle of a curve.
The Kanc's pavement is smooth. When I turned onto the rumpled, broken Bear Notch Road, the Borrego's big weakness emerged. Suddenly it became the great communicator, sending each impact -- without any apparent mitigation -- into the cabin.
Closer to Bartlett, it got worse; the combination of rough surface and challenging turns asked a lot from the suspension, and the Borrego had no acceptable response. Even at a prudent speed the vehicle felt jittery and ill at ease. The suspension lacked depth.
Power was never a problem. The 4.6-liter engine is Kia's first V-8 (though borrowed from the Hyundai Genesis entry-luxury sedan, made by Kia's corporate parent). This engine offers readily accessible torque for no-wait acceleration. But around 1,700 r.p.m. it sent a tremor up through the vehicle -- not what one expects from a large V-8. The real powertrain star is the impeccable 6-speed automatic that comes only with the V-8. It responds quickly and transitions slickly from gear to gear.
With either the V-6 or V-8, and with either 2- or 4-wheel drive, the Borrego's mileage is rated higher than that of the Explorer or 4Runner. In some versions it is only 1 m.p.g. but in others it is 2 or 3. But that's a nice achievement considering that the Borrego's engines are also more powerful than the V-6s or V-8s in the Ford and Toyota.
"Better" fuel economy is still relative; with a V-6 and rear drive, the Borrego is rated 17 m.p.g. city and 21 highway. My V-8 test truck was rated at 15 city and 20 highway. In 441 miles of law-abiding highway driving, often through the mountains, I averaged 17 m.p.g.
One advantage of body-on-frame construction is towing ability. Kia says the Borrego V-6 can tow 5,000 pounds. The V-8 is good for 7,500 pounds, which is more than the Explorer or 4Runner.
The Borrego has a 4-wheel drive system that is constantly engaged, although under normal driving virtually all the power goes to the rear. If the rear tires begin to slip, up to 35 percent of the power is automatically sent to the front wheels. A dashboard switch lets the driver select a high gear range setting, to direct at least 35 percent of the power to the front wheels. There is also a low-range setting for slow off-roading.
When Korean automakers entered the American market, they demonstrated that being Asian did not assure greatness. Both Kia and Hyundai had serious quality problems at first.
Studies by J. D. Power & Associates show that Hyundai quality has improved significantly and is now above the industry average. But Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, which evaluated how 2005 models held up for three years, put Kia third from the bottom.
On the other hand, Consumer Reports magazine recently ranked Kia as the 10th-best automaker over all. A spokesman for the magazine said that the far higher evaluation of Kia reflected improvements in newer models that are only one or two years old. Kia does offer a long warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain and 5 years or 60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper.
What to do? If one still wants a midsize body-on-frame S.U.V., the Borrego has a lot going for it. It beats the 4Runner and Explorer in towing, fuel economy and power. But Kia has flubbed a crucial element, the suspension. And consumers who are particularly wary may want to consider Kia's limited and inconclusive reliability record.
By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
New York Times
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