ROAD TESTS BY MOTORING JOURNALIST TIM SAUNDERS
Advanced motorist Tim Saunders regularly reviews vehicles from the leading manufacturers. Videos on his youtube channel have been watched more than 350,000 times.
His first report on a BMW 520i was published in the Dorset Echo when he was 17 (just after passing his driving test) in 1995. He went on to become business and motoring editor at the Bournemouth Echo. Now, his engaging and informative reviews are published in magazines across the UK. "Your pieces are a great addition to our magazines," says Chanel Hosfield, Editor of Life Publications.
Kia Sorento 1.6 HEV T-GDi AWD
By Tim Saunders
A seven-seater SUV that seems to travel at speeds of up to 50mph in EV mode. That’s what I experience while driving the Kia Sorento on the motorway.
I’ve driven numerous hybrids and many will only travel at up to 30mph on EV mode. So, you can imagine my amazement when I’m on the M27 and see the EV sign flash up on the dash and I’m not free-wheeling at the time either. This is the 1.6-litre petrol version and a full tank will travel over 500 miles returning around 42mpg during the test.
My time with the Kia takes place when there’s persistent rain for days on end (what’s new in England?). This results in surface water on virtually every road we travel down. It becomes particularly worrying on the country lanes where there aren’t just puddles but the entire road surfaces seem to be covered in water and on occasions it’s hard to gauge the depth. I’d be worried if I was in a standard everyday car especially when there are so many potholes about but I’m in the Sorento so excess water and poor roads are no challenge whatsoever. Nevertheless, caution is called for. I remember in 2023 during the autumn floods, a driver who often passed through a usually low Yorkshire river, attempted to do the same but with some passengers, and they all died as their off-roader was overcome by treacherous water. Never be complacent on or off road.
During torrential downpours the Kia’s wipers are sufficiently fast to keep the windscreen clear.
It’s my eldest daughter’s birthday and she wants to go for a walk in the South Downs regardless of the weather so after our picnic - inside the vehicle - we brave the elements and have a great time. However, when we return we are dripping – a great test for those heated seats in the front and second row (but not the third row where Henry is sitting). These seats are also cooled when that blistering summer heat arrives. They’re effective although “not as hot as in other cars” says my wife, Caroline. Well, that can’t be a bad thing as far as I can tell.
In common with all modern vehicles there are lots of warning sounds and beeps and when turning the engine off there’s an au revoir note like on some washing machines. All of these bells and whistles are not for me, I like simple – so does my wife – that’s why she married me!
If you dare to listen to the radio when the engine is off, a warning message soon appears on the dash stating that the battery is running out. This is always very frustrating. In older, smaller cars it’s possible to listen to the radio for quarter of an hour or more without fear of draining the battery. That’s progress for you.
It’s a large vehicle and easily accommodates the five of us. We think it will be a nice gesture to offer to take Grandma for a drive because we haven’t normally got room. But she’s too tired. Then when we visit Grandpa, he’s not fit enough, so in the end we’re unable to carry more than the usual five of us, which is a pity but never mind. Such is life.
The full-length panoramic glass roof incorporating an electric tilt/slide sunroof certainly makes the dark cabin lighter. What a great addition for a hot summer’s day. I can only dream.
Being such a large vehicle it is a little awkward to reverse at times but generally the camera helps, unless heavy rain obscures the vision.
An easy-to-use six-speed automatic unit is fitted to this vehicle and to engage it’s simply a matter of turning the dial and selecting D for drive or R for reverse. There’s little skill required in driving such a vehicle although its size can make negotiating parked cars a little challenging when driving down a B-road. In economy mode it is prone to lethargy when leaving traffic lights but if more stealth is required then select a different mode. There are paddleshifts either side of the steering wheel for more engaging driving, too.
Overall, we all like the Sorento.
Facts at a glance
Honda Civic eHev
Strong build quality has always been associated with Honda and the same is certainly true of the new Civic, which I really do enjoy driving. Low to the ground the two-litre injection eHev sports hatchback is nicely responsive. Although nought to sixty is achieved in a shade under eight seconds it feels so much faster thanks to being so close to the road, and while it will only reach 111mph top speed, it feels as if it could go on and on.
This model is a hybrid so at speeds of 31mph or lower electric vehicle mode automatically kicks in and it crawls down the road noiselessly. No matter how demanding the driver of this car is, it seems to return at least 48mpg.
The test model is finished in white and the black wheels are a pleasing contrast. This new Civic differs from its predecessor by having rounded off edges - an improvement and particularly effective on the boot, I feel. That boot would certainly take a lot of luggage, too.
My parents had a new Civic back in 1978 when I was born and it’s interesting to see how the design has evolved. Back then it was a small attractively designed hatchback. Today, like everything else in this world it has grown and is now probably almost twice as large, the engine still taking up a similar chunk of space to the original in terms of design ratio. Inside there’s a good amount of space for all occupants and it’s comfortable.
We all appreciate the way the honeycomb design from the grille is incorporated on the dashboard for the air vents. There are appealing joystick type levers to operate these air vents as well. I like the windscreen wipers and the way the water jets are attached to the wipers rather than being fixed on the bonnet as is often the case. The leather steering wheel is luxurious and the radio picks up those '80s tunes we all like so much. My only concern is the external door handles. They look too complicated and when you pull one to open a door you can see the greased mechanism, which isn’t great. I also question how safe this design is for children or indeed tired adults’ fingers.
I take the Civic on trips to Salisbury and Basingstoke and it never fails to please. There’s been severe flooding from the previous night’s downpour and as I approach a roundabout it's necessary to go into the fast lane to manoeuvre around a deep puddle. Wet roads do mean that this front wheel drive Honda suffers from wheel spin if the driver is too heavy on that accelerator, which can be unsettling when entering a busy main road.
On a dry, straight, traffic free road, the Honda really comes into its own and the driver cannot help but smile as the engine works effortlessly away delivering a slight roar as it travels smoothly through the gears. Like so many cars these days it is automatic but there are paddle shifts. My preference would be a five or six speed manual, which would deliver an excellent driving experience I am sure.
So much about life at the moment reminds me of traipsing through treacle and driving on Britain’s roads is no less challenging, especially when the weather’s bad. We’re due at the theatre for a matinee performance and I just can’t get my unhelpful family out of the door much before one, which I know is cutting it really fine. Slow traffic hampers us and a couple of junctions being shut on the M3 don’t help either. We arrive at just after quarter to two and then have to run like billy-o, arriving with only a couple of minutes to spare. That’s a surprise I can tell you.