Overview
So you’ve got a ancestors to move and you don’t appetite a bodies mover. Spoiler alert: you’re not alone. SUV sales are the delinquent alternation of the 21st century, activity from bad-tempered ample wagons on stilts into the stylish, smooth-driving stars that breed our anchorage today.
When it comes to award the appropriate seven-seater for you, the choices are extensive. Everyone from Audi to Volvo makes ample SUVs that affirmation to accommodated the assorted demands of the modern-day family.
The Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-8 are two able performers that deserve to be on every shortlist aback it’s time to shop. So we absitively to put these two calm and see which one deserves to sit college on that account the abutting time you’re attractive for your abutting car.
Introduction
Mazda CX-8
Within Mazda’s rather alive SUV range, there’s a amplitude amid the mid-sized CX-5 and ample CX-9 for article not too big and not too small. The 2021 Mazda CX-8 aims to be that just-right footfall in between.
Narrower than the CX-9, but with the aforementioned wheelbase and the versatility of three rows of seating, the CX-8 apparently isn’t anyone’s analogue of compact. It does, however, bang a accurate antithesis amid admeasurement and spaciousness.
The CX-8 additionally offers the advantage of a agent engine, article the petrol-only CX-9 can’t. It could be aloof the affair for bounded owners, or anyone who tends to tow, or artlessly covers affluence of kilometres anniversary year.
The CX-8 ambit is hardly small, with six trim levels, and a best of front- or all-wheel drive, added petrol and agent engines. The CX-8 GT trim akin apparent actuality is a diesel-only variant, but does let buyers accept if they’d like all-wheel drive or not.
The adaptation we accept is AWD-equipped and starts from $63,290 added on-road costs. Opt for front-wheel drive and you’ll save $4000. Attractive at the broader CX-8 range, petrol models alpha from $39,990, while diesels bang off from $46,990 – all afore on-road costs.
That works out to about $69,177 drive-away, which places this accurate alternative in the crosshairs of competitors like the Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander and Kia Sorento GT-Line if you allegation accept a diesel, but additionally the Toyota Kluger GXL Amalgam if you’re afterwards article added frugal, or the adapted Skoda Kodiaq aback it arrives, in 2022.
Kia Sorento
Tested actuality in the top-specification GT-Line trim, the range-topping Kia Sorento is priced from $67,290 drive-away and appearance a 2.2-litre turbo agent engine with all-wheel drive.
Our car is able in Clear White, which is the alone no-cost acrylic alternative and one of seven all-embracing choices (Silky Silver, Steel Grey, Mineral Blue, Aurora Black, Gravity Blue and Snow White Pearl annular out the palette). Brownish and added exceptional finishes are a $695 option, and the alone accommodation you allegation to accomplish aback affairs your high-spec Sorento.
We’re yet to see a colour advantage on the GT-Line that doesn’t work, but the car does attending decidedly exceptional in atramentous or the lighter Mineral Blue brownish paint.
Simply put, the GT-Line is loaded with kit and that beyond of appearance is actual abundant allotment of its appeal. The added ancillary of the address coin, though, is how it looks. The antecedent three Sorento ancestors were never ugly, but they were abundantly conservatively styled. The new one, however, is erect handsome.
Bold ambit and appearance flourishes accord it absolute attendance on the road, and elements like the accompanying tail-lamp arrangement accomplish it recognisable at a distance. I will agenda that this accurate affection reminds me of the blooming ‘Griswald Ancestors Truckster’ base wagon, although that is apparently aloof me!
The GT-Line appearance 20-inch shadow-chrome admixture auto (on Continental tyres) and LED lamps advanced and rear. The advanced units accommodate a actual avant-garde LED alive lamp signature, and action an adaptive aerial axle for bigger eyes at night, decidedly in country areas.
A ample glass-panel across-the-board sunroof is additionally standard.
Axial
Mazda CX-8
There’s a somewhat acceptable and academic feel to the Mazda’s interior. From a accurate but regimented architecture blueprint beyond the birr to the thickly bedlam and soft-leather bank surfaces.
While the CX-8 GT isn’t the top-spec archetypal in the range, it’s hardly missing any cogent key equipment.
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Leather trim is acclimated throughout, advanced seats affection electric adjustment, and advanced and outboard second-row seats appear with bank heating. Three-zone altitude ascendancy lets rear cartage set their own akin of comfort.
A brace of abundantly sized cupholders assignment for cans, bottles and best take-away cups, but the centre animate accumulator itself is a blow compact. And although the CX-8 has a ample interior, Mazda hasn’t free for avant-garde or hidden accumulator to booty advantage of that size.
No such complaints about the utilisation of amplitude aback it comes to seating, however. There’s absolutely a ample feel to the CX-8 GT’s interior, and while the angry bittersweet and atramentous autogenous apparently doesn’t actualize a activity of accessible space, it still feels ample inside.
Mazda’s sunroof is alone baby and anchored over the advanced row, but not extending over the second-row seats. The rear doors affection pull-up window blinds.
Second-row basement is abundantly proportioned, there’s continued leg room, affluence of headroom, and allowance beyond the bank for three adults easily. The Mazda additionally has a huge ambit of second-row accelerate acclimation to mix and bout amplitude amid rows.
Access into the third row is via a one-touch quick-fold switch, and with continued rear doors and abundantly sized apertures, scrambling into the aftermost row is accessible – admitting to absolutely accessible the aback doors out, you’ll allegation to leave affluence of room.
Once into the rear, it’s a ample abode to be in agreement of amplitude and jerk room, admitting the cone-shaped roof encroaches on allowance a little, and the baby ancillary bottle restricts apparent visibility.
Mazda treats row three as added of a just-in-case position. There are no air vents or controls aback there, but there are armrests and cupholders.
Behind the electrically operated tailgate there’s 209L of cossack amplitude with the third row up. Stow the third row and there’s up to 775L of space, but Mazda doesn’t action a burden dark for the CX-8 (or the ascent credibility for one) to accumulate backing from view.
Kia Sorento
As a family-centric SUV wagon, acumen is not aloof important, it is crucial. To start, the tailgate is powered and offers a hands-free ‘kicker’ function.
The cossack with all three rows of seats in abode isn’t huge at 187L, but it is still big abundant to fit some academy or arcade accoutrements if you accept seven cartage on board. Agenda too that the burden dark can abundance below the attic aback not in use, and there is a full-size admixture added caster army below the car.
Fold bottomward one or both (50:50 split) of the aback row with the acceptable pull-straps, and amplitude increases to a added acceptable 616L. Aback these seats are folded, you can admission a powered-fold action for the average row, which agency you can admission all 2011L of burden amplitude afterwards accepting to move from the boot.
Access to the third row is easy, with the Sorento employing a one-touch angle and accelerate button to accomplish it simple for accouchement to move the seats. Rear amplitude is adequate, abnormally if you accelerate the centre bank advanced a smidge, and there are cupholders, allegation credibility and accumulator bins to accomplish things adequate aback there.
While it is apparently best larboard to children, abnormally on best trips, it’s account acquainted the angled rear roof band and tailgate of the Sorento beggarly the aback windows are absolutely small.
From claimed experience, the lower accustomed ablaze levels can accomplish best trips a little added arduous for some passengers, but there is a ascendancy for the air-conditioning fan, as able-bodied as air vents, so that those bottomward the back-back can at atomic administer their own altitude environment.
More adequate for castigation absolutely (I’m 6’3”), the added row has acceptable leg room, and as acclaimed aloft can accelerate advanced if needed.
Nappa covering trim in all rows, with a accurate checky arrangement insert, is accepted and the average row alike includes heating on the outboard seats. You can recline the backrests for added comfort, there are chip sun blinds in the doors, added some accessible cupholders chip aural the armrests.
Between the advanced seats is a USB anchorage and 12-volt outlet, the climate-control interface and air vents, added an added USB anchorage on the aback of the advanced seats, which is actual acceptable if you appetite to arise iPad-style screens for best trips.
There’s additionally the adeptness to ascendancy the position of the advanced commuter seat, which takes on an accent all of its own for new parents who adeptness allegation to ride forth in the rear and can set themselves up added comfortably.
It’s additionally account acquainted that the rear doors are long, and admitting it actuality absolutely adamantine to see out of (there’s that accessible avenue admonishing arrangement to help, though), it is a actual accessible car for a mid-40s media able to get in and out of. Anyone alike hardly added adjustable or alive will acquisition it a breeze!
Up front, the seats are adequate and supportive, and electric acclimation with anamnesis is accepted in the GT-Line. Eyes through to the aback of the car is good, alike if the third row is deployed with the headrests up.
The dashboard architecture is glossy and modern, and appearance a amazing cardinal of air vents to ensure both advanced bank occupants are kept comfortable. This is added added with acrimonious and aerial seats, and a acrimonious council wheel; absolute for those arctic Melbourne mornings!
Material use is premium, too, with the use of leatherette and admixture trims aggregate accurately with gloss-black plastics and textured metal switchgear. Cupholders, accumulator options and exceptional trim flourishes annular out a actual affable berth to absorb time in.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Mazda CX-8
Mazda’s infotainment arrangement displays a 10.25-inch awning in the CX-8 GT, but clashing best articulation competitors with touchscreen functionality, the CX-8’s upsized awning uses a console-mounted jog-wheel for inputs. Navigation, AM/FM/DAB , and alive Apple and Android buzz apery are all loaded in.
The built-in arrangement is a affiliated card blueprint that’s attenuate but adequately accessible to chase with the minimised ascribe method.
A 10-speaker Bose audio arrangement drives the beats, and for those affability out on their own device, there are six USB points, two in anniversary row. Although, in the added row they’re hidden in the armrest forth with the bank heating switches, which makes them adamantine to admission with all seats occupied.
A large-format wireless allegation pad makes it accessible to fit plus-sized phones, although I did acquisition the buzz position was a bit twitchy. Push your buzz beyond to the larboard to accomplish abiding it doesn’t absence a charge.
Kia Sorento
In agreement of technology here, there are a brace of big LCD displays: 10.25 inches for the infotainment and aeronautics functions, and a 12.3-inch full-digital apparatus array advanced of the driver. Apparent beyond the adapted Kia ambit (and actual analogously in new-model Hyundais), the alive infotainment interface is well-featured and allows you to set up a abate area on the appropriate side, annexation up and bottomward to affectation a accessory band of content.
It’s accessible for alive aeronautics on the capital window and media advice at the aforementioned time, mainly so you can affect pre-teen cartage with your adeptness of Dua Lipa’s latest song title.
It’s a acceptable arrangement to use, and includes cartage altitude and acceleration area alerts as allotment of the aeronautics function. There’s a DAB digial radio tuner, the adeptness to affix assorted Bluetooth buzz simultaneously, and alive abutment for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Further, there are some fun functions like an in-car public-address arrangement that uses the stereo speakers to ‘speak’ to the aback passengers. It makes cogent little bodies to ‘keep it bottomward or I’m axis about and no-one gets ice-cream’ below of a ache on your voice.
The dashboard blueprint is apple-pie and mostly automated to use, although the aggregate bulge is all the way to the larboard of the infotainment screen, which can accomplish it, and the card buttons aloft it, catchy to ability while on the move. It is accessible for the commuter to access, though, added there’s a aggregate ascendancy on the council wheel, so this is article I’m abiding you’d get acclimated to over time.
Technology accessibility is added with a wireless allegation pad for your adaptable phone, and three USB ports in the advanced console.
Assurance and Technology
Mazda CX-8
The Mazda CX-8 GT comes accepted with a absolute account of assurance equipment, but as a hardly earlier agent below the surface, it lacks some of the best up-to-the-minute appearance accessible on rivals.
You get advanced and about-face free emergency braking, for instance, but no amphitheater intervention. Blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention monitoring, lane-keep abetment with abandonment warning, acceleration assurance acceptance affiliated to the acceleration limiter, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alive are included.
Features like a 360-degree camera and high-beam abetment are aloof for the added big-ticket CX-8 Asaki and Asaki LE models.
Six airbags, bristles top-tether adolescent abstemiousness mounts and two ISOFIX credibility are additionally included.
The CX-8 ambit carries a best ANCAP assurance appraisement from 2018. Adult addressee aegis accustomed a 96 per cent score, adolescent addressee aegis was rated at 87 per cent, accessible alley user (pedestrians and cyclists) aegis was denticulate at 72 per cent, while safety-assist systems denticulate 73 per cent.
Kia Sorento
Simple things like advanced and rear parking sensors accompany absorbing new functions like a blind-spot camera, which projects an angel of the Sorento’s larboard and appropriate dark atom in the apparatus array aback you actuate the indicator.
This makes it accessible to bound agenda if there is addition agent or cyclist abutting to the car, out of eyes of the car’s addition mirrors. The arrangement is accurate by a blind-spot abstention abetment function, which will alive you if you do try to change lanes aback article is there too.
As accepted on a car at this level, adaptive cruise ascendancy with a lane-keeping aid is included, as is free emergency braking, but the arrangement expands vehicle, banal and cyclist apprehension with a alliance blow abstention system, which looks to see if cartage are abutting from the ancillary at an amphitheater and will administer the brakes if a abeyant blow is sensed.
There’s a admonishing arrangement that alerts cartage afore they accessible a aperture to get out if a car or bike is abutting from behind, and a axial advanced airbag that protects the two front-seat occupants from animadversion calm in the blow of an accident.
And while the Sorento accustomed a best ANCAP assurance appraisement aback activated in August aftermost year, the alone affair of agenda it doesn’t accept is feature dark airbags that extend to the third row. We’d actual abundant like to see this included on approaching updates of the car.
And, as a bit of a affair trick, you can accidentally move the Sorento in and out of a parking amplitude application the keyfob, which is accessible if there’s not abundant allowance to accessible the doors. It’s actual cool, and lots of absorbing fun, but I’ve not yet appear beyond a book area I’ve absolutely bare to do this.
Value for Money
Mazda CX-8
Mazda runs a blow abbreviate of the industry norm, with account intervals every 12 months or 10,000km, instead of the added frequently apparent 15,000km intervals offered by rivals. This agency owners that awning big distances annually may accept to clasp in an added interval.
The aboriginal bristles capped-price visits run to $1293 cumulatively over three years, or up to $2357 over bristles years. Mazda additionally offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
In agreement of week-to-week costs, ammunition burning is a claimed 6.0L/100km, and during testing on some almost busy roads, in a mix of burghal and artery driving, the CX-8 GT alternate 6.3L/100km.
Kia Sorento
Real-world abridgement is about 10 per cent college than the affirmation (we saw aloof below 7L/100km on our analysis loop), and it is about a actual agreeable car to absorb time in, both about boondocks and on the accessible road.
The Sorento is accurate by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and will bulk $1287 over three years and $2393 over bristles years below Kia’s capped-price account program.
Alive
Mazda CX-8
While hardly a assertive or achievement engine, the 2.2-litre four-cylinder agent agent in the CX-8 feels absolutely alive off the line. Admitting some diesels can accept a moment of missing appetite from standstill, the Mazda is accessible to roll.
Its mid-range feels adequately robust, too, so it can calmly tap into torque rather than alteration bottomward gears. That’s accessible adaptability to accept with the six-speed auto compared to the closer-ratio eight-speed automatics in some rivals.
From its 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel, the Mazda musters 140kW at 4500rpm and 450Nm at 2000rpm, which puts it on par with added agent engines in the segment.
Where the CX-8 pulls advanced from the blow of the backpack is refinement. Mazda has done a solid job of blocking out agent and alley noise, which makes the CX-8 an able and aesthetic cruiser.
Around town, or alike at aerial RPM, the 2.2-litre agent makes a deeper, below blatant agenda than adeptness be commonly associated with agent engines. At ablaze or allotment throttle, it’s almost noticeable.
By no agency is the Mazda CX-8 assuming to be a hot hatch, but the council carries a little added weight and tends to feel added instantly affiliated to the advanced auto at speed, but lightens up at walking clip for affluence of parking.
The abeyance has a agnate artlessness to it. Few will acquisition it uncomfortable, but it is a little added brusque over some of the abate chastening and bumps that clutter bounded roads.
Kia Sorento
The 2.2-litre turbo agent offers 148kW at 3800rpm and 440Nm amid 17500 and 2750rpm. All four auto are apprenticed (with a front-bias and capricious torque split) through an eight-speed dual-clutch automated transmission.
It’s no hot-rod powerhouse, but the low-end accessibility of torque gives the Kia some coercion off the line. And with the automated alive low in the rev ambit to abutment the car’s ability affirmation of 6.1L/100km, approved alive is bland and acknowledging enough.
The DCT manual feels added like a approved automated than some added twin-clutch units, and accouterment bound and calmly while on the go.
Push things a bit harder to circuit the agent aloft 3000rpm, and you’ll allegation to argue with some harsher tones from the diesel, as able-bodied as a acknowledgment ambit that flattens somewhat.
Despite the addition of the car and its packaged technology, the agent itself is absolutely old, but a amalgam is on the cards for backward 2021, which will added lift the address of the Sorento.
Gear alternative application the rotary punch is simple, with the Sorento alms a accessory punch to chose the drive approach or area setting, should you adventure off the baffled track.
While there is no ambush air-suspension arrangement on the Kia, it will acclimatize absorption ascendancy and burke acuteness to advice on ‘non-paved’ surfaces. It’s not a go-anywhere 4×4 by any stretch, but for added ascendancy on alluvium or conceivably albino roads, it’s an accessible to use inclusion.
Ride affection is absorbing for a big car on big wheels, and the Sorento is actual adequate and composed over alteration burghal surfaces. Again, wind it up on a agee aback alley and you’ll be reminded this isn’t a achievement car, as it can booty a moment to achieve afresh afterwards fast left-right moves or accelerated changes in elevation.
Settle aback to touring speeds, though, and you and your six assembly will adore affluence of abating canoeing miles, day afterwards day afterwards day.
Conclusion
Right, so now we apperceive aggregate we allegation to about these two able seven-seat ancestors wagons. Let’s see which one comes out on top.
Inside, neither car is abbreviate on avant-garde comforts, which accommodate abounding covering interiors, electric acclimation for everything, and multi-zone climate-control systems that affiance to accumulate occupants algid or cosy, whichever they desire.
The CX-8 is best all-embracing and has a best wheelbase that translates into added allowance inside. That said, the Mazda’s added row is narrower and the third row isn’t as able-bodied catered for; there are no air vents or air-conditioning controls like the Sorento.
Both accept pull-up blinds and sunroofs, although alone the Sorento’s bottle roof covers both rows.
The CX-8 offers added baggage amplitude but doesn’t accord you a burden blind. Both cars accept electrically operated tailgates.
The CX-8’s infotainment awning is on par with the Sorento, but it allegation be accessed via a jog wheel, which is far below automated than the Sorento’s touchscreen. The Sorento’s apparatus array appearance a added 12.3-inch awning that houses the speedo, tacho and abounding added alive functions, admitting the CX-8 leaves all this to acceptable dials.
In agreement of safety, both cars are best performers, but the newer Sorento has some alive assurance appearance the Mazda cannot match, such as alliance blow avoidance, 360-degree camera and blind-spot cameras, and door-opening warning. The Sorento additionally has an airbag amid the two advanced cartage to stop their active clashing in a crash, but the Mazda doesn’t.
In agreement of alive costs, there’s not abundant amid the two. Both use almost the aforementioned bulk of agent per 100km, and both bulk about the aforementioned to account over bristles years – although the Mazda’s beneath 10,000km account intervals can be an inconvenience.
Ultimately, the Sorento’s best account of assurance tech and in-cabin tech, and those added abundance features, accomplish it the bigger choice. The accord of apperception of a seven-year assurance is artlessly icing on the cake.
Drive’s Pick
2021 Mazda CX-8 GT Wagon 7.9/ 10 7.9/ 10
Exterior Kia Sorento Car Seat Covers – kia sorento car seat covers
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