2009 Kia Borrego Review

Specifications

I have a wise friend who believes a great deal in the saying that timing is everything. If you think about it, a lot in life revolves around just the right timing. The last slapshot before the buzzer, buying and selling stocks, and even dropping that perfect pickup line all revolve around getting the timing just right. And the launch of vehicles? They’re pretty time sensitive too. The reason I bring this up is because Kia is ramping up to launch the new Borrego in 2009, Kia’s latest, largest sport utility vehicle to date.

The thing is that Kia seems about five years too late to the party. At the very same show, Ford proudly showed off its Explorer America, the “future” of the Explorer franchise rests on smaller engines and lighter components, ditching body-on-frame construction and big thirsty engines. Likewise, GM seems to be shifting emphasis away from its GMT360 (Envoy, TrailBlazer) SUVs, as they lumber towards the chopping block, to its newer, fresher crossover lineup, and Nissan’s Pathfinder looks to be joining the crossover ranks for its next generation. It’s also the complete opposite of what parent company Hyundai has done with its Veracruz luxury crossover vehicle.

Kia does hard-working sport utility vehicles well. The compact SUV which really helped to elevate its sales status when the brand first launched was the Sportage, a tiny, Suzuki Vitara-like body-on-frame vehicle with live axles and a proper transfer case with a low-range mode. Though the second-generation Sportage is a clone of the Hyundai Tucson, which is a car-based utility vehicle, this isn’t the situation with the accomplished Sorento. The Borrego will follow in the footsteps of the larger ute using a fully boxed body-on-frame chassis, but it won’t have live axles. They’re all fully independent and coil sprung, much like the rest of its competitors in the segment. The Borrego’s four wheel drive system should make short work of trail-hopping, mind you, especially since it will come with downhill assist control and hill assist control, features tied in with the ABS and traction/stability control systems.

Kia based the styling of the Borrego around the Mesa concept which was shown in Detroit back in ‘05, although quite a few changes have been made from concept to production. While the front of the Borrego looks very close in appearance to the Mesa, with a large, flat chrome-topped grille and wide, chunky headlamps, the concept’s glass-backed tail end and swooping C-pillar have been replaced by a more conventional rear-end structure, with a belt line that kinks upwards at the very rear of the vehicle, much like on the Kia Rondo. Being that this is a true off-road capable sport utility vehicle, Kia has heaped on the body cladding, giving it a rugged appearance. And if there’s one thing that Kia has preserved from the Mesa concept vehicle, it’s the painted 18-inch wheels, whose six-spoke design continue forward practically unchanged.

Physically, the Borrego is right in the thick of the midsize sport utility vehicle segment, being slightly bigger than the Explorer, but smaller than the Pathfinder. Compare the Borrego to the Sorento and you’ll see that there’s a big difference between the two; the Sorento is about a foot shorter and is narrower too.

Suitable to its increase in size, this will be the first Kia ever to be powered by a V8 engine; a 4.6-liter unit which incidentally was developed by parent company Hyundai for use in its flagship Genesis sedan. Kia hasn’t finalized the numbers, which will most likely be tuned to provide more torque and less power than its application in the Hyundai, the latter figure resulting in something around 330 horsepower, and it comes paired to a standard six-speed automatic. This puts it smack in the middle of the midsize V8 power war, surrounded by the Explorer, 4Runner and the non-Hemi powered Grand Cherokee and Commander. That’s not bad at all, especially since a V8-powered Borrego is likely to cost as much as its V6-powered rivals, although it’s worth noting that the Pathfinder, Commander and others have much bigger and more powerful V8s.

In addition to the V8, Kia will also be offering the Borrego with the brand’s biggest and most powerful V6 engine. The 3.8-liter DOHC “Lambda” series unit comes from the Sorento V6, and makes 264 horsepower plus is mated to a five-speed automatic. In its home market of Korea, the Borrego is sold as the Kia Mojave and can be had with a 3.0-liter VGT turbodiesel V6. Currently there are no plans to offer this engine in North America.

Combining the big V8 engine with body-on-frame architecture gives the Borrego a strong backbone on which to tow stuff. Here, you’ll find it running with the best in the segment, being able to tow a very impressive 7,500 pounds, more than the V8-powered Pathfinder and Explorer, but not quite as much as the Dodge Durango (8,750 lbs). Even if you don’t go for the big eight, you’ll be able to tow a lot, as the V6 can lug around 5,000 pounds.

The thing about most North American-bound Kias is that their interiors, while well built and very well equipped, have normal, conservative designs. The Borrego’s interior is really nothing special even as far as Kias are concerned, with a simple, functional albeit hardly glamorous looking console that’s very well labeled. This aside, the Borrego is the first Kia sport utility vehicle to have more than two rows of seats (it’ll seat seven, though rear legroom looks tight), and both the second and third rows of seats fold flat for those plywood and drywall trips to Home Depot.

Because Kia is pitching the Borrego into a segment that contains some fairly well equipped vehicles, the Korean brand has upped the options list to include a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, their first DVD navigation system, a reverse camera and power operated pedals. The Borrego will be Kia’s first vehicle to come equipped with satellite radio (Sirius) too, which can be played through the brand’s upgraded 600-watt Infinity sound system (oddly Kia’s parent company chose to go with XM). Safety equipment, as with most Kias, is high, and includes front, side and curtain airbags all standard. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, plus traction control and electronic stability control will be standard too.

So, perhaps Kia isn’t completely out to lunch when it comes to timing. With everyone switching away from traditional SUVs, where will the boat-towing, off-roading and children-carrying folks take their business? Their solution might just be this affordable new family carry-all from Kia.