It’s a brave car maker who can afford to turn to its core audience and say “we don’t need you any more”.

But that’s precisely what Kia appears to have done with its Sorento 4x4. The original model could pull up to 3.5 tonnes as an automatic and three tonnes with a manual gearbox. Now, the second generation manual pulls 2.5 tonnes and the auto just two tonnes.

You may wonder why that matters, but the stark truth is that the Sorento of old was loved by caravanners in particular because it was such a workhorse, much the same as the Isuzu Trooper used to be before imports stopped.

The Sorento has become nothing more than, or maybe not as much as, a Hyundai Santa Fe clone in a different suit. That may be because the world market sees the car rather differently from us in the UK. Perhaps the rest of the world doesn’t pull caravans or horseboxes for a pastime but that’s beside the point. In the UK there will be many disappointed Sorento fans, I’m sure.

Two reasons lie behind the change, the move to a small capacity engine and the introduction of a monocoque body rather than the separate body on chassis arrangement the Sorento used before. That was heavier and more complicated to build but the downside is a 4x4 that’s less of a 4x4 than it used to be. I can’t quite see the logic of taking the Sorento’s better formula away just to turn it into the same as all its competitors.

It seems the Caravan and Camping Club couldn’t see that logic either. In its latest round of towcar tests it rates the Hyundai Santa Fe as better than the Sorento, and it’s considerably cheaper, too. In fact the Kia that impressed the judges was the Sedona 2.2 litre diesel auto MPV, which they said felt and drove better than the 4x4.

Of course, it’s not all bad news with this car. For a start, if caravanners start to turn their backs on it then dealers will have to find keen buyers elsewhere. That could be you if you want a roomy 4x4 and are prepared to haggle.

I’m sure that most Kia dealers will be more than happy to talk about discounts as they all have targets to meet. So get yourself down there and act as tough as you think a true 4x4 should be.

The other big argument in favour of the Kia, which has nothing to do with whether or not it will pull heavy trailers, is the seven year, 100,000 mile warranty. Sister brand Hyundai offers unlimited miles, five year cover which is great for those who drive tremendous distances. But who in their right mind would want to buy a Hyundai that has done more than 100,000 miles and still has a bit of warranty to run? High mileages frighten buyers (and makers, which is why their approved used car schemes won’t support high miles cars).

If you are offered a four or five year old Kia with 75,000 to 80,000 miles on the clock and know there’s a potential to have another two or three years’ manufacturer-backed warranty then it makes more sense than another brand with an insurance-backed warranty scheme with more small print escape routes than Houdini’s strait jacket.

As a car, the Sorento does reasonably well. It has more wallow than mainstream European rivals, or even the Santa Fe, so is not quite so comfortable over roads with long, pitching undulations. On the other hand, it absorbs severe and sudden bumps with aplomb – maybe a crashing sound emanates from the suspension but the physical shock is well absorbed.

I have tried both the manual and automatic versions of this latest Sorento and reckon the auto wins hands down for non-trailer users. It is so much better in every respect.

The list prices are frightening, though, as they take the car up among some highly revered opposition. But its ability to offer 37 mpg, combined with your ability to haggle, could still turn it into a bargain.

Maurice Hardy

There seems to be quite a crossover these days between 4x4s and MPVs, so the Kia Sorento is one of the breed that comes with seven seats.

The third row folds away neatly into the boot floor when not in use but there’s still plenty of luggage capacity, a commodity most 4x4 buyers value extremely highly.

Having tried both the auto and manual versions of Kia’s latest big 4x4, the auto wins hands down. One of the reasons is that Kia uses an American style foot operated parking brake which is fine when there’s no clutch pedal to control. But the need to release the parking brake by pressing its pedal again means you always need what most males profess to owning when asked to dance – two left feet.

Pulling away, especially on a slope, or parking becomes just too complicated. It would be better if Kia fitted a hand lever release for the brake, as other makers do when employing similar systems that are often regarded as essential on cars aimed at a world market rather than merely a British one. To be honest, electric handbrakes, if properly set up, are far preferable.

The Kia is big but not unwieldy and it can be parked with relative ease. There’s masses of interior space, with a centre row that accommodates three adults, making it good for all the essentials. Except a sensible price, of course.

Annette Hardy

Car: Kia Sorento KCX-3 2.2 CRDi automatic

Does it fit your ego...?

0-60 mph: 9.6 secs
Top speed: 118 mph
Bhp: 194 @ 3800 rpm
Torque: 311 lb ft @ 1800 - 2500 rpm

...and your wallet...?

Price: £30,970
Urban: 30.4 mpg
Extra urban: 45.6 mpg
Combined: 38.2 mpg
CO2 emissions: 194 g/km
Insurance Group (20 / 50 groups): 13 / 30

Best bits: big; roomy; everlasting warranty