Borrego is good SUV, bad timing

Will Kia Borrego weather the current economy?

In my recent review of the Volvo XC60, I expounded on consumers and the economy closing the door on big, V-8 body-on-frame SUVs.

Timing is everything with vehicle launches. When the business case was presented for the Borrego, midsize SUVs with three-row seating were hot. Unfortunately for Kia, it had the Borrego already in production when the mid-to-large SUV segment entered its downturn.

The 2009 Kia Borrego is a good vehicle for circa 2006-2007. In 2009 the sweet SUV segment music has stopped, and the Borrego is looking hard to find a parking spot.

The 2009 Borrego is not uncompetitive in terms of pricing or quality; it's just that there are too many choices and not enough qualified buyers.

The Borrego is Kia's first-ever midsize, body-on-frame, seven-passenger V-6 and V-8 SUV, and as such it is the automaker's top SUV offering.

The Borrego's base engine is an all-aluminum 3.8-liter V-6 with 276 horsepower. My test vehicle came with the big 4.6-liter V-8, shared with the Genesis coupe and sedan, packing 337 horsepower. Those are some serious ponies and include 323 pound-feet of torque. A plus is that both V-6 and V-8 models run on regular unleaded. Both engines also are available in either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive like my test vehicle.

Kia brings a slick-shifting six-speed automatic transmission to the party. While buyers may yearn for more, the Environmental Protection Agency-rated fuel economy of the V-8 slides in at 15 city and 22 highway – not too bad for a midsize, AWD, V-8, seven-passenger SUV.

Towing of up to 7,500 pounds with the V-8 is possible if you can get away for the weekend to take the boat out.

Kia spent a few bucks developing an interior worthy of spending time in. The layout is contemporary, and the build quality of the test vehicle had only a few minor panel gaps and inexpensive looking bits. The seats were above average in comfort, and the quality of leather was good.

The interior of a Borrego sports 156.8 cubic-feet of interior volume. With all seats folded flat there is 97.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

A nice feature for second-row passengers is a sliding second row that increases second-row foot room and eases ingress/egress to the third row.

Borrego can be equipped with a slew of standard convenience features, including air conditioning; power door locks, windows and mirrors; keyless entry; cruise control; and an AM/FM/CD/MP3 six-speaker audio system. Complementing the audio system, Borrego comes standard with USB and auxiliary input jacks and is the first Kia vehicle to offer Sirius satellite radio.

The EX trim level includes an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, four-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat, floor mats, dual-zone automatic climate control, Homelink with compass, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, trip computer and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. There is even a rear seat entertainment package that includes an 8-inch wide-screen television.

The Borrego four-wheelers feature a second generation full-time torque-on-demand system, which uses electronic sensors to monitor road conditions and distribute power to the appropriate wheels.

Kia indicates that the Borrego is built on a front double-wishbone and rear multilink suspension matched with coil-over springs. The front suspension integrates shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar, while the rear incorporates a damper and stabilizer bar. Borrego is built on a hydro-formed frame structure that the company says increases durability and rigidity.

I spent several extended stretches behind the wheel and I can say that you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference in ride quality between the Borrego and some of the established competition.

Safety was also a prime consideration with this vehicle and the Borrego's standard equipment includes front advanced airbags, front-seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side-curtain airbags for all three rows and driver's knee airbag (V-8 models only), four-wheel disc brakes with an antilock brake system that includes an electronic stability control and traction control system, electronic brake distribution, brake assist system and a tire pressure monitoring system.

A standard back-up warning system provides an audible warning using ultrasonic sensors to detect and help prevent hitting hard-to-see objects. Borrego also includes premium features like hill start assist control, which helps prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when trying to pull away from an uphill gradient, as well as downhill brake control, which helps keep the vehicle moving straight and steady down steep grades.

The Borrego is trying to the crash the midsize SUV party that consists of the Toyota 4Runner, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, Chevrolet's Traverse, Trailblazer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Pricing starts at $26,250, but as the upgrades get ladled on the price rises appreciably. My tester was pretty well optioned and the final tally edged just north of $33,000.

So the verdict is good SUV, bad timing. The Borrego was launched in 2008 as a 2009 model. Will the Borrego make it to a second generation? Time (and buyers) will tell.

BY JEFF TAYLOR
Chicago Sun-Times