Kia Sportage or Sorento

[Shona_374572612]

Hello

I'm new to caravanning, just about to buy a new car before searching for a van. Looked at lots of forums, could anyone tell me if there would be much difference with either the sportage or sorento (the sportage is cheaper to buy but would it be able to tow a good size 5/6 berth?)

Any advice would be really helpful.

Shona

 

[Mikey_74]

Hi Shona, I haven't towed with either of the cars you mention but I do have a Hyundai Santa Fe which has the same 2 litre diesel engine as the sportage, it seems to pull well, especially when a diesel tuning module is used, niether car would struggle with a 5 or 6 berth, it all depends on the weight of the caravan you're looking to buy, you can tow most 5 berths with large estate cars, and some 6 berths too, I used to tow our 6 berth with a Rover 75 Diesel estate and it towed very well. Everyone loves the Sorento, and that would have been my 1st choice but I do alot of solo miles with just me in the car and couldn't justify such a large car being used with just me in it, it really does depend on what type of caravan you're looking to tow before this question can be answered, caravans like the Bailey Ranger 540/6 is only 1300kg's loaded and that can be pulled safely behind anything Mondeo kinda size upwards.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Shona,

Sorry to have to point out that as you say you are new to caravanning, I do wonder if you are subject to the limitations imposed by the change of driving licence categories that were made for drivers passing their tests after Jan 1997

If the driver passed their test after 1997, then they will only have cat B (for normal cars and towing) This limits you to a combined Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) not exceeding 3500Kg. If you passed your test before Jan 1997 then you will have Cat BE which allows a much greater combined MAM that will cover all UK cars and caravans. In essence the combined figure is the sum of the car and caravan MAM's

The Maximum Authorised Mass or MAM of a vehicle is highest mass (Weight) the manufacture allows it to be, i.e. fully loaded. It is a fixed figure. The same applies to the caravan so the MAM is virtually the same as the caravans MTPLM figure.

As you are considering the Sorrento, most of these have a kerbweight of about 2000Kg, so the MAM for the car may well be nearer 2800Kg. You would need to check the exact figures for the model you are considering, but that would mean you could only look for a caravan with a MTPLM of about 700Kg - Not a realistic proposition for a 4/5 berth.

The Sportage seems to have a kerbweight of about 1500Kg which means its MAM will be about 2200Kg (again you would need to check the exact figures for car you are considering) so that would leave you with about 1300Kg for the caravan's MTPLM. That is a more realistic but still tight proposition.

Don't forget that this limitation is based on the MAM's for the vehicles not what they actually weigh.

If you only have the Cat B licence, you can take the towing test and convert your cat B to B+E which gives you the wider range of mass limits of the pre 1997 Cat BE.

 

[drsorento]

Hi, I tow with a mk1 sorento the latest sorento has not the towing capacity of the earlier one. Both the sorento and sportage are very good cars, the sorento has a greater towing capacity than the sportage, although fuel consumption with the sportage is more favourable, this is due to a smaller engine and physical size ie lighter body.

A new version of the sportage is due out very soon not sure of the spec nor when it goes on general release, but if buying new now there could be some bargains around as they clear out the out going sportage.

 

[howiet]

hi i have owned my 08 crdi xs manual sportage 2 years just coming up to the second service this week,have had no problems at all the current sportage has a 1800kg towing capacity it tows my pegasus well, and with the seven year warrenty i have no intensions of changing it yet,could have opted for the sorrento but day to use of the car the sportage suited me better.h.

 

[Philspadders]

i tow with an 07 xe sportage crdi . I currentyl tow a swift charisma 565 with a miro of ( 1280kg i think) and a mtplm of 1500 kgs. It tows very well, hill starts are fine ( better than ther santa fe interestingly), it plods alng at 60mph in 6th ontnhe flat quiet well. The brakes could be better and the steering on the sportage is a bit vague but that just the sportage.

 

[greengairs]

Hello Shona,

Sorry to have to point out that as you say you are new to caravanning, I do wonder if you are subject to the limitations imposed by the change of driving licence categories that were made for drivers passing their tests after Jan 1997

If the driver passed their test after 1997, then they will only have cat B (for normal cars and towing) This limits you to a combined Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) not exceeding 3500Kg. If you passed your test before Jan 1997 then you will have Cat BE which allows a much greater combined MAM that will cover all UK cars and caravans. In essence the combined figure is the sum of the car and caravan MAM's

The Maximum Authorised Mass or MAM of a vehicle is highest mass (Weight) the manufacture allows it to be, i.e. fully loaded. It is a fixed figure. The same applies to the caravan so the MAM is virtually the same as the caravans MTPLM figure.

As you are considering the Sorrento, most of these have a kerbweight of about 2000Kg, so the MAM for the car may well be nearer 2800Kg. You would need to check the exact figures for the model you are considering, but that would mean you could only look for a caravan with a MTPLM of about 700Kg - Not a realistic proposition for a 4/5 berth.

The Sportage seems to have a kerbweight of about 1500Kg which means its MAM will be about 2200Kg (again you would need to check the exact figures for car you are considering) so that would leave you with about 1300Kg for the caravan's MTPLM. That is a more realistic but still tight proposition.

Don't forget that this limitation is based on the MAM's for the vehicles not what they actually weigh.

If you only have the Cat B licence, you can take the towing test and convert your cat B to B+E which gives you the wider range of mass limits of the pre 1997 Cat BE.

I have just taken delivery of a new Sportage.The official kerb weight is listed as 1725 kg.This would make an 85% match somewhere in excess of 1400 kg.

 

[HenryB1]

We have just returned from a few days away with our Sorento 58 plate and Pegasus 524. We were on a small

 

[Dustydog]

Shona

I've had a Sorento for 5 years now, one of the best towcars I've owned.

Why not decide what caravan you want then choose the tug. There's virtually nothing on the UK market the Sorie can't tow. The Sportage will limit your choice.

Don't buy brand new; there are some good 2nd hand bargains to be had.

Look at uksorento.com for more info on the Sorie.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Douglas_374404558]

HI! Shona i have a 08 plate Sportage SX Diesel towing a Swift 550 1500KG and get around 40/42mpg solo and 24/26 mpg(others will disagree but thats what i get ) great vehicle and 7 years warenty . great in the snow also selectable 4WD when needed .would recomend one to anyone beats your landrovers/Freelanders ,Xtrails hands down anytime for the money and warenty you cant beat them for reliability also .

Cheers Duggie

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I have an automatic Sorento and I can think of lots of positives but the tops for me is that I feel a lot more relaxed while towing. They are also comfortable and after towing a couple of hundred miles you don't get numb bum.

The only negative for me is checking the coolant levels, you can't see the coolant.

 

[nigel.sparrow]

Hi, I tow with a mk1 sorento the latest sorento has not the towing capacity of the earlier one. Both the sorento and sportage are very good cars, the sorento has a greater towing capacity than the sportage, although fuel consumption with the sportage is more favourable, this is due to a smaller engine and physical size ie lighter body.

A new version of the sportage is due out very soon not sure of the spec nor when it goes on general release, but if buying new now there could be some bargains around as they clear out the out going sportage.

I have been towing for 29 years and have the new sorento kx1 auto which tows a comfortable 2 tons no problem at all