The Kia Sorento is the South Korean carmaker’s entry to the brimming local crossover SUV segment. Here it competes with other segment veterans including its fellow South Korean, the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Kia packed the Sorento with features that will allow owners to brave the paved streets of the concrete jungle and the rough roads of the provinces. Outside, you get a three-part headlamp with LED DRLs, halogen fog lamps, a redesigned front bumper, and the brand’s iconic Tiger Nose grille. At the rear is the same lighting setup with high-mount stop lamps and LED cluster taillights.

Inside the Sorento is a seven-inch infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as well as a multi-functional steering wheel and air-conditioning at the front-row, second-row, and third-row seats.

Powering the South Korean vehicle is a 2.2-liter CRDi diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that produces 197 horses and 441Nm of torque.

In terms of safety, Kia packed the Sorento with a suite of airbags, ABS with brake assist, electronic stability control (ESC), vehicle stability management, hill-start assist (HSA), and Isofix tethers.

Kia Philippines currently offers the Sorento in two variants: the 2.2 EX AT 4x2 and the 2.2 EX AT 4x4. Pricing is at P1,895,000 and P2,195,000, respectively.

If you’re not quite sold with what the Kia Sorento has to offer for its price, here are some SUV alternatives at the same price point that you might want to check out.

Toyota Fortuner (2.4 4X2 V AT and 2.8 4X2 Q AT)

The Toyota Fortuner is also a solid option for potential SUV buyers with P1.8 to P2.2 million to spare. The 2.4 4X2 V AT and 2.8 4X2 Q AT variants fall in the said price category and offer likewise solid features for aspiring Fortuner owners.

In terms of exterior amenities, these Toyota Fortuners give you bi-beam LED headlights with LED line guide DRLs. They also pack LED fog lamps at the front and a black and chrome front grille. At the rear are LED combination lamps with line guides.

The cabin also features amenities that do not disappoint. Included is a 4.2-inch instrument panel with a multi-information display, an eight-inch infotainment system, and a multi-functional steering wheel with paddle shifters.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter mill for the 2.4 4X2 V AT and a 2.8-liter powerplant for the 2.8 4X2 Q AT. Both diesel engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that gives the 2.4-liter variant 147hp with 400Nm of torque while the 2.8-liter variant offers 201hp with 500Nm of torque.

Both models share the same safety features which include SRS airbags, ABS with brake assist and EBD, vehicle stability control (VSC), hill-start assist control (HAC), downhill assist control (DAC), a panoramic view camera, clearance and back sonars, as well as Isofix tethers. The upscale 2.8-liter variant adds the Toyota Safety Sense, which includes a pre-collision warning system (PCS), lane departure alert (LDA), and adaptive cruise control (ACC).

Pricing for the said models are at P1,842,000 for the 2.4 4X2 V AT and P2,013,000 for the 2.8 4X2 Q AT.

Montero Sport (GT 2.4D 2WD A/T and GT 2.4D 4WD A/T)

Another good option, if your budget happens to be in the P1.8-to-P2.2-mil mark is the Mitsubishi Montero Sport. For the same price as the Kia Sorento, you get the brand’s Dynamic Shield front fascia flanked by LED headlamps and fog lamps with integrated turn signals. At the rear, you get LED combination lamps and a high-mount stop lamp.

Inside is an eight-inch color instrument cluster, a similarly sized infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a multi-functional steering wheel.

Under the hood is a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic with sports mode. This powertrain setup puts out 178 horses and 430Nm of torque.

Keeping its passengers safe is a slew of airbags and seatbelts with active stability and traction control, hill-start assist (HSA), trailer stability assist, and ABS with EBD.

These Mitsubishi Montero Sport variants are priced at P1,928,000 (Montero Sport GT 2.4D 2WD A/T) and P2,298,000 (Montero Sport GT 2.4D 4WD A/T).

Photos from Kia, Toyota, and Mitsubishi

Also read: 

Old against new: 2019 vs. 2020 Kia Sorento

2020 Kia Sorento: The pros and cons