By Pablo Salapantan
WHEN YOU think about how Kia has survived the onslaught of challenges in the Philippine automotive scene, you have to give them credit.
In this day and age, consumers are spoiled for choice at every price point, feature package, and even powertrain type. It is an “adapt or die” industry, and Kia has just reminded us how its range of model choices is keeping it alive and kicking.
We go on a lot of media drives. I’d say we’ve covered most of Luzon at this point, but very few (almost none) have ever taken us to the “tippy top” of the island, which is why I was quite surprised when Kia Philippines said we’d be going from Manila all the way to Pagudpud — the so-called “Boracay of the North.”
Another differentiator for this drive is that, instead of just focusing on a single model, we got behind the wheel of four models representing various price points, sizes, and even propulsion types. We were given the Sonet, Sorento, Carnival, and EV9 to play with over hundreds of kilometers through most stunning scenery.
EDGE OF LUZONOur trip started early. After the customary meetup and drive briefing, we departed Metro Manila for an overnight stop in La Union. The first car I was assigned to is one of my favorite cars at the moment, the Sonet.
Since its launch, the Sonet has become the darling of Kia. It is, in my opinion, one of the best value vehicles out there. Kia has packaged the Sonet so well in terms of pricing, capability, and features. Driving the Sonet feels solid, despite the budget price and the small proportions. It is surefooted through almost all driving conditions. On the highway, it remains planted, smooth-driving, and even comfortable. On provincial roads, it has enough presence to earn respect, and proved it also has the “oomph” to easily keep up with the faster vehicles in the convoy.
After a hearty lunch at the end of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), we moved up to the bigger Sorento Hybrid for the final stretch to Awesome Hotel in La Union. I had already driven the Sorento to Baguio where we even did some moderate off-roading, so I was already familiar with what it can do. It’s just refreshing to be reminded of just how good the Sorento is overall: The smoothness, the frugality of the hybrid powertrain, and just the model as a whole ticks all the right boxes for the segment. My favorite thing about the Sorento has to be its design. It’s probably one of the best-looking crossovers in its segment.
Day Two of the drive was a “slog” between two drivers over a six-hour drive from La Union to our final stop in Pagudpud. On this leg of the journey, I drove the Carnival Hybrid and the new flagship model of the brand, the EV9.
I consider the Kia Carnival as one of the underrated models in the segment. Its past few generations have provided a complete minivan or luxury van experience without breaking the bank. The current model takes things further by providing not just an excellent passenger experience, but an engaging drive as well. Kia likes to point out that the Carnival is no longer a “minivan” per se, but may be considered an SUV. It honestly does feel good to drive. There’s no sense of heft and size that most van bodies have.
I honestly would be hard-pressed to choose between the Carnival and the Sorento if I were on the lookout for space and practicality. That’s how good the Carnival is; it blurs the SUV/minivan divide.
NOT JUST ANOTHER EVToward the latter part of the journey, we finally got our hands on the EV9. Now, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed. At this point, I’ve driven all kinds of EVs already, and was expecting to chalk up the EV9 as another one in a long line.
Boy, was I wrong. The EV9 is impressive in all aspects. It’s probably one of the most advanced and technologically sound EVs sold locally. It has all the creature comforts anyone can think of, but the highlight would be the lounge-type seats, which boast optimal support with extreme comfort. It was also surprising when it came to driving. Despite the size and weight, it easily carved up the beautiful coastal roads and technical mountain passes. The EV9 was stable and capable all throughout.
It’s so easy for car brands to fall into the trap of trying to keep up with all industry trends. We’ve seen how it can ruin and harm. Kia has chosen to cherry-pick what it thinks the market needs and wants, and has applied it to a very diverse but well-thought-out lineup. There are no weird outliers in the lineup. Look through the offerings; each model fits a specific need and purpose.
There have been a lot of ups and downs throughout Kia’s (long) history, but today it boasts a great product lineup — which is not something that can be said for most of the competition.
