2009 Kia Borrego 4×4 Limited Road Test Review

Borrego Photos

A nice bold look, the Borrego is a true traditional SUV... done very well. (Photo: American Auto Press)

Upright two-box design optimizes interior room. (Photo: American Auto Press)

Not much room behind the third row, but loads of space when its lowered flat into the floor. (Photo: American Auto Press)

An impressive cabin made of high-quality materials and loaded with top-tier features. (Photo: American Auto Press)

Comfortable seats, detailed in leather in this top-line example. (Photo: American Auto Press)

The details are nice, such as its rear seat controls. (Photo: American Auto Press)

Timing is everything in any business – or lifetime. Apparently, there are many automakers in the world that thought Sport Utility Vehicles would be desirable until the cows came home.

One of them is Kia, who managed to bring out the very likable Borrego midsize SUV just as the market was tanking. Ah, such is life! Kia is among many manufacturers that misjudged the marketplace and the need or desire for midsize SUVs. At one time, to be counted among leading edge manufacturers, it was necessary to produce medium and large sport utility vehicles. These days, buyers are moving away from those items in droves.

Still, the 2009 Kia Borrego is a good midsize SUV. Built with a body-on-frame design inherent to trucks of its nature, the Borrego is available as a rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive model, with either a 3.8-litre V6 or a 4.6-litre V8 as propellant.

For this review, Kia chose to equip us with a Midnight Blue (with medium gray interior) Borrego EX 4X4 with the all-aluminum 24-valve 3.8-litre V6 engine making 276 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 267 lb-ft of torque at 4,400.

There’s a five-speed shiftable automatic transmission mated to a 4-wheel-drive system with three-mode selection (auto/high/low). The 3.8L V6 is a willing power mill and has excellent towing capabilities of 5,000 pounds; the more powerful V8 (which comes with a 6-speed automatic) can tow a class-leading 7,500 pounds using an integrated tow hitch.

Front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspensions, with stabilizer bars at both ends keep the optional Hankook P265/60R 18-inch tires mounted on 6-spoke polished rims firmly planted to the road and trail. Kia places all-wheel ABS brakes on the up-market EX Borrego along with electronic stability and traction control, downhill brake and hill assist controls. There is a backup warning system and tilt-down mirrors to aid parking. Tire pressure monitoring is standard, together with dual front advanced airbags, seat-mounted side airbags for front seat occupants and side curtain airbags for all three rows of this seven-seater.

Ingress and egress is easy in the Borrego, which has 8.5 inches of ground clearance, thanks to the optional step-in running boards on either side of the cabin. It is fairly easy to access the third row by folding the middle row seats and moving them forward. Final row occupants have their own cupholders and access to the smallish, uncovered 12.4-cubic-foot cargo area behind the third row. And incidentally, there’s a 12-volt plug in the cargo hold.

By studying the competition before coming to market, Kia was able to build the right size Borrego SUV, standing 192.1 inches long, 75.4 inches wide, 71.3 inches tall (at the roof rails) with a 114-inch wheelbase. In V6 EX 4X4 guise, the Borrego packs in 4460 pounds, yet it has a rather small turning circle for its girth of 36.5 feet. Its excellent build quality and attention to detail has given the 2009 Kia Borrego 5-star crash ratings in all categories and made it the envy of many competitors.

Including destination, the Korean-built 2009 Kia Borrego EX 4X4 has a starting price of $30,745. Kia fits some excellent options that increase the price to $36,295. Kia charges $750 for the wheel/tire combination and offers a premium package of one-touch, two/way sunroof, Infinity AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio with 10 speakers and subwoofer and Sirius satellite radio with 3 months of service complimentary; there is rear air conditioning with full controls for the second seat and the exterior’s running boards too.

An excellent navigation system runs $1,500 and the same price applies for a luxury package of leather seat trim (first and second rows only), heated front seats, a power tilt and telescoping steering column, two memory settings for the driver’s seat, outside mirrors and the adjustable steering column. The power passenger seat also has dual memories.

In front of the driver lie a 150-mph speedometer and a tachometer that redlines at 6,500 rpm. All gauges are black, with white numbers and red pointers. With the five-speed automatic transmission, 80 mph equals 2,500 rpm, which helps the 2009 Kia Borrego EX 4X4 achieve 16/21 mpg in the EPA’s cycle from its 20.6-gallon tank (regular fuel is fine). Our fuel economy was right around that mark on this particular vehicle, ranging from a low of 17 in town to a high of 23 on the high road.

Temperature and fuel gauges are part of the cluster and the window controls are on the doors. Only the driver’s window is one-touch down. The transfer case controls are to the left of the steering wheel, together with the hill descent hold, and one can defeat the ESC via a button in the same location. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has audio controls on the left and cruise on the right of its hub.

The center stack comprises dual vents at the top and a large navigation screen, bordered by buttons to assist in nav and audio choices. An easy-to-see LED display gives dual temperature settings for driver and passenger, together with a clock. Heating, air conditioning and ventilation controls include buttons and toggle switches. There are dual rubber-floored closed storage areas and a 12-volt plug leading to an open storage at the center stack’s base.

The shiftable gearshift lever is on the floor, along with seat heating controls and dual cupholders. There are bottle holders in all four doors and at the rear for the trio of third row occupants. The carpeted center storage area is particularly clever with its two levels and pull-through opening for electronic device wires from the second 12-volt plug below. There are pockets in both front seatbacks and the second-third row temperature controls at the rear of the center console.

The medium gray with black accents of the interior is very calming and elegant, which bodes well for Kia as it enters this area of the automotive marketplace. All materials are of excellent quality and Kia has gone out of its way, with its new Borrego, to incorporate many niceties. There are signals in the mirrors and the easily accessible hood is on struts – handy with such a tall vehicle. One of the few items missing from this equation is a power liftgate; perhaps in 2010 Kia will place that item on the docket.

The 2009 Kia Borrego EX 4X4 has a traditional exterior, rather upright with cladding at the lower extremities. The roof rails are quiet at speed and Borrego’s chrome trim is elegant and complementary. Fog lamps are nicely integrated into the formal front fascia. The Borrego’s rear is upright and rearward vision is excellent for the category.

Over the road, there is the usual disconnect one expects with body-on-frame underpinnings, but the 2009 Kia Borrego EX 4X4 is quiet inside. Acceleration might not be exhilarating, but it is acceptable, accompanied by a mellow exhaust note. Brakes perform as expected without discernible fade. Power rack-and-pinion power steering is a bit over-boosted, but aids in parking situations. Manual shifts are crisp and the system will downshift for the driver (it won’t upshift, though). The manual settings should be good for off-road expeditions and in difficult weather conditions, neither of which we experienced during our week together.

As Kia moves up-market with the 2009 Borrego EX 4X4, it might be fitting a market where buyers are moving down a bit from larger, more expensive and fuel-deficient sport utility vehicles. This offering meets the middle ground. Let’s hope it’s not too late.

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