Who would have thought? A V8-powered, midsize, truck-based, body-on-frame SUV that seats seven, can tow up to 7,500 pounds, and competes hard against the Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Pilot, and Toyota 4Runner -- from Kia. That's the story on the all-new 2009 Kia Borrego.
The Borrego is offered in both 2-wheel drive and true 4-wheel drive (the latest generation built by BorgWarner, which features high and low ranges), in two trim levels: LX and EX. There's a choice of the standard 3.8-liter V6 with a five-speed automatic transmission and 17-inch alloy wheels, or an optional 4.6-liter V8 with six-speed automatic with 18-inch alloy wheels.
The LX, which stickers at $26,245 offers cloth upholstery, eight-way driver's seat, manual A/C, and six-speaker AM/FM/CD with MP3 audio. The LX V6 is available with four-wheel drive for $28,295. The V8 LX is priced at $30,995, and features standard 4-wheel drive, with an available navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system.
MSRP on the Borrego EX is $27,995 in the 2-wheel drive V6 configuration, and $29,995 for the V8, while $30,995 buys the 4-wheel drive V6 and $32,995 will get you the V8 version. It comes with leather seating, dual-zone climate controls, and upgrades such as heated mirrors, trip computer, power front passenger seat, steering wheel controls.
Walkaround: Like Toyota, Kia isn't known as a styling leader, so the Borrego looks just about like every other SUV -- your basic box. The hood is rectangular, with two large, contoured bulges that from behind the wheel, make the Borrego feel bigger than it is. There's abundant glass on all sides, with three pillars forming a third rear window for good rear visibility. The large rear window is part of the one-piece liftgate, so it doesn't open separately.
The headlights are trapezoidal and symmetrical, with taillights spread over the liftgate and wrapping around the fenders. There's also some plastic cladding apparently to protect the sheetmetal when driving off-road. Underbody skid plates and tow hooks are standard, and one exclusive feature is a standard tow hitch hidden behind the rear bumper. And while the LED turn signals on the sideview mirrors are pretty cool, overall, it's still pretty vanilla-looking.
Interior: The interior is clean and well laid out, with white on black instrumentation, and easy to use controls. The four-spoke steering wheel features cruise control on the right, sound system on the left. There's big rectangular vents on the dash, and the center stack houses the climate controls and optional navigation system. The front console features twin cupholders in front of an armrest positioned far enough back that, depending on your physical size, may really be just an elbow rest.
The seats are comfortable, with leather that's surprisingly soft, and comparable to more upscale vehicles like Mercedes and Lexus. The Borrego seats seven, in three rows. With overall interior volume greater than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, and the new Honda Pilot, the ample third-row legroom subtracts from the cargo area behind the third seat. However, with the 50/50 third seat folded flat, there's still ample cargo room, and a hidden storage compartment under the cargo floor. The 60/40 second row also drops down and slides forward for easy access to the third row. The new Ford Flex crossover and Saturn Outlook, are each about 10 inches longer than the Borrego, yet offer less than half an inch more third-row legroom.
Safety equipment on all models include frontal airbags, side-impact front seat airbags, and full-length airbag curtains. Also standard are ABS with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, downhill brake control, electronic stability control, traction control, backup warning, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The V8 models add a driver's knee airbag.
Under The Hood: The Borrego comes with either a 3.8-liter V6 engine mated with a five-speed automatic transmission, or a 4.6-liter, 337-horse, V8 coupled to the same six-speed automatic found in the BMW X5 luxury SUV. It delivers 323 pound-feet of torque at a fairly low 3500 rpm, making it strong on acceleration as well as towing. Both powerplants are all aluminum with dual overhead cams -- and built by Kia. The V8 delivers more horses than the Hemi in the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The V8 Borrego will tow 7,500 pounds, and the V6, 5,000.
Behind The Wheel: The Kia Borrego is a truck-based, body-on-frame SUV -- meaning the ride isn't as soft as a crossover (car-based SUV) like the Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot for example. Insulated rubber mountings between the body and frame smooth out the ride, which I found solid and comfortable. On some less-maintained roads, thanks to the double-wishbone front suspension, multi-link rear, the Borrego bounced some, but not much.
The Borrego offers two standard safety features for on and off-road: Hill Descent Control and Hill Ascent Control. With an automatic, Hill Ascent Control isn't really necessary but Hill Descent Control can make going down a steep, muddy or icy incline a whole lot less scary. The ABS activates and throttle is controlled, so the vehicle maintains a steady, safe and slow speed. Braking by the way, is excellent, and the rack-and-pinion power steering, is light, with a 36.5-foot turning circle -- tighter than some smaller SUVs.
V8 fuel economy is rated at 15/22 City/Highway with 2-wheel drive and 15/20 mpg with 4-wheel drive. The V6 is slightly better, at 17/21.
Whines: There's not much to find fault with in the Borrego. I found the defroster somewhat slow to clear the windshield, and slight wind noise at highway speeds. The V6 engine may be a modern DOHC aluminum powerplant, but if it only gets one more mpg than the V8, with 60 less horses and 55 less pound-feet of torque, well, what's the point?
Bottom Line: When benchmarked against almost any other midsize luxury SUV, the new 2009 Kia Borrego is a major standout. It's solid and comfortable, with terrific acceleration and towing power, and all the goodies -- at a price point that delivers value well beyond what you'll expect. Kia. Who would have thought it?
By Lary Coppola
Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal
No comments:
Post a Comment