CLE ELUM, Wash. - Kia probably wishes they had a time machine. Five years ago, the Kia Borrego would have made Detroit very nervous. Here's a seven-passenger SUV with a 337-hp V8 that can tow 7,500 pounds. It has an independent suspension at each corner and a nicer interior than most in the class. Explorer? Trailblazer? No thanks. I'll take this Borrego.
But it's not 2003. Cheap gas prices and the bullish SUV market that went along with them are, well, history. And with Ford expecting to make a key shift today from trucks to small cars, the bigger-is-better trends may be officially headed for the graveyard. And despite the rise of the crossover, Kia says there's still a portion of the market that wants SUVs for its hauling and trailer towing capability. We tend to agree. After all, not every American has Ebay'd his fishing boat, horse trailer or SCCA track car just because gas prices have gone up.
The timing of the 2009 Kia Borrego's introduction may be off, but there's still plenty to like about this capable, roomy sport utility vehicle. -Ben Stewart
The Specs
Think the Borrego is simply a stretched Sorrento? Not so, says Kia. The longer new Borrego rides on a unique body-on-frame chassis with a double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link arrangement in the rear. The frame rails are hydroformed to increase rigidity and shed a few pounds, too. And 64 percent of the steel in this chassis is of the high strength variety, according to Kia. The Borrego looks nearly identical to the Mesa concept vehicle that Kia debuted in 2005. And with a wheelbase of 114 in., a length of 192.3 in. and a width of 75.4 in., the Borrego lies slightly larger than a Trailblazer, Grand Cherokee or a 4Runner. Yet it's slightly narrower--and about 4 in. shorter--than a Dodge Durango.
The big news? The Borrego is the first Kia to get a V8 engine. The Borrego's optional 337-hp, 4.6-liter "Tau" V8 generates 320 lb.-ft. of torque. This is a detuned version of the same V8 that comes in Hyundai's Genesis luxury sedan. Here it comes paired to a ZF six-speed automatic and, on 4WD models, joins forces with a revised version of Borg Warner's capable Torque On Demand (TOD) four-wheel-drive system with a 2.48:1 low range. With that V8, Kia says the Borrego can tow a whopping 7,500 pounds. Don't need the V8? The base Borrego is equipped with a 278-hp 3.8-liter V6 with 267 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a five-speed automatic. That model can tow 5,000 pounds. All Borregos get 12.9-in. front and 12.8-in. rear discs backed by ABS, traction control and stability control.
Inside, the Borrego offers standard seven-passenger seating and has 156.8 cu-ft. of total interior volume. The 12.4 cu-ft. of cargo space behind the third row of seats is less than some large crossovers like the Mazda CX-9 (17.2 cu.-ft.) and the new Honda Pilot (at 18 cu.-ft.). So that big beach cooler might not fit with all seven seats deployed. But with every seat (except the front ones) folded flat, the Borrego can swallow an impressive 97.6 cu.-ft. of gear.
The Drive
We spent the majority of our drive behind the wheel of the full-time 4WD V8 Borrego model. We had expected the 300-hp-plus V8 to have serious off-the-line thrust. But instead, the power builds slowly off idle, until the engine winds out to 3,000 or 4,000 rpm. It feels more like a high-revving car engine than a torque-rich truck V8. But once that V8 starts making the power, acceleration is quite brisk. If drag-race chops are what you're after, the 2WD V8 model is the pick--it was noticeably quicker. In either case, this is a very quiet, smooth and refined motor.
Opting for the V8 doesn't mean you have to pay a huge fuel-economy penalty either. Six-cylinder 4WD models deliver 16 mpg city and 21 mpg on the highway, while V8 4WD models return 15 in the city and 20 on the highway. We saw about 16 mpg throughout our drive in the 4WD V8 trucks, comprised mostly of hard driving on two-lane switchbacks. That's not great if you're comparing the Borrego to a four-cylinder family sedan, but it's on par with most V8 entries in this class.
Hustle the Borrego through a mountain pass, and it feels not unlike a better damped and more refined Ford Explorer. The handling certainly won't embarrass a crossover, but it takes more speed and tighter twisties than we thought it might to finally activate that stability control system. And the steering is actually quite precise for an SUV. On rougher roads, however, the Borrego's truckish chassis shows its roots. The suspension is bouncy over rough terrain and doesn't have the crossover smoothness of, say, a Hyundai Veracruz.
From behind the wheel, the Kia's tall seating position and relatively low dashboard provide excellent visibility. And speaking of the dash, the materials used in this cabin-no matter the trim level-are better than most domestic SUVs, and the best we've seen in any Kia product thus far. Next to the console shifter is a small, flip-open door for USB ports-a nice touch. Pack the Kia with seven people, and each is likely to find comfort. The rear seats provide enough legroom for a six-footer without crowding the driver. And that reclining second row is certainly not a bad place to spend time. We particularly liked the intuitive controls for the optional rear air-conditioning system and the nicely padded center armrest. We folded ourselves into the third row, too. But to gain proper knee clearance, we needed to click the second row seatback forward by one notch.
The Borrego can be had with a long list of optional equipment, from a rear-seat entertainment package to a rear-camera display and nav system. And we like that a backup warning system comes standard--a solid safety feature for those with kids. But our inner tech geek wonders why Bluetooth is merely an option. More and more states are requiring hands-free devices for on-road cellphone conversations. Shouldn't Bluetooth be standard?
The Bottom Line
Base 2WD Borregos will start at $26,245. But add the V8, 4WD and check every option box, and that pricetag can swell to more than $38,000. The Kia Borrego may, indeed, be late to the truck party. But it does offer a compelling case for those considering one of the traditional midsize SUV nameplates. The towing capacity, seven passenger seating and V8 power makes this a good choice for those wanting to move out of their full-size SUV and into a more manageable package.
Source: Popular Mechanics
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