As an adult, I have endeavored to learn patience when it comes to the multifaceted art of tasting food (rather than devouring it like a ravenous bear). I use a comparable methodology to the one I use for evaluating vehicles. In this, I have failed with the food. I took the Korean super SUV (the KIA Borrego) to Diego Zhang's to eat a Korean style barbeque burger-thing.
Let me explain: Diego Zhang's is a yummy Burger Cafe located at 12073 East Arapahoe Road (next to an Einstein's Bagels and a few shops away from a Starbucks Coffee). They take the flavor of a region (like Korea) and compress it into a bite-sized burger. In this case, the burger of the month was a Korean BBQ burger that tasted EXACTLY like a scrumptious Korean BBQ! Instead of smelling, checking for consistency, evaluating each bite and allowing my taste buds and saliva to comingle with the food -- I gulped the food down in about 7.8 seconds. That matches the KIA Borrego's 0-60 time.
The KIA Borrego straddles the midsized and full sized segments (in truth it's a full size that handles like a midsize). Everything from the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Tahoe, Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota 4Runner are in the KIA Borrego's sights. Despite poor timing, (it's no fun to unveil a V8 SUV when gas prices hit 4 bucks a gallon) this is a good market compromise.
I've eaten at Diego Zhang's a few times and enjoyed every morsel. I highly recommend breakfast, along with their fantastic coffees. The food is real, even the morning fare is cooked rather than microwaved (like the aforementioned breakfast establishments). Prices are good too.
Okay, now read the allegory below.
I've driven the KIA Borrego a few times and enjoyed each ride. The 4.6 liter, 337 horsepower V8 I highly recommend along with the upper level leather package. The power is good, even the 3.8 liter, 250 horsepower V6 is useable and just as good as the competition. Prices are nice too.
Base price for the KIA Borrego starts at (fairly well equipped) $26,245 for the V6 rear-drive LX and a sneeze under $40,000 for the loaded-up-to-gills Borrego EX. I managed a respectable 18 mpg while driving many miles off-road like a squirrel with its tail on fire.
There are a few issues with both the Borrego and Diego Zhang's. Both are a little underwhelming in substance. Diego Zhang's portions are very small (I wasn't the only one who could gulp down one of their burgers in no-time-flat, they're tiny!), but you can supplement the burgers with outstanding soups and salads -- just don't expect French-fries as the closest thing they provide is Boulder Chips.
Sigh.
The KIA Borrego lacks in its self-proclaimed luxury. It is comfortable and the interior is well laid out, but Lexus and Mercedes have nothing to worry about. EVERY time I enter or exit, I have to leap past the outside step to prevent dirt from getting on my pants.
The KIA Borrego does okay on dirt and is great in snow, but the serious stuff is best left to something else (it's just too low). I must say, the traction control and auto 4WD with manual 4-hi/4-lo worked very well.
Still, there is something to this KIA Borrego that is compelling (it took me week to figure this out). This is a great tow vehicle. 7,500 lbs is a class leading tow rating. For any of you who tow small to medium trailers and need a long distance hauler, the KIA Borrego could be your rig.
Like Diego Zhang's -- there is a lot to like with the 2009 KIA Borrego. If you can overlook a few shortcomings, both restaurant and vehicle can satisfy.
by Nathan Adlen
Denver Autos Examiner
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