2009 Kia Borrego EX V6. Click image to enlarge

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2009 Kia Borrego

Oshawa, Ontario – In any industry, timing is important. But it’s especially crucial in the automotive sector, where the huge chunk of household budget involved can be swayed in a heartbeat by external market forces. This time around, bad timing will probably be bad news for Kia, as it releases its new Borrego SUV into uncertain fuel prices and an economic cesspool. And while the Borrego does most things right, its biggest problem is that it doesn’t do enough to outshine the competition in this rapidly-declining segment.

The most noticeable item on the Borrego’s list is Kia’s first North American V8 engine, a 4.6-litre that’s a version of the powerplant used in the Hyundai Genesis, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. But there’s another choice: my tester’s 3.8-litre V6, which comes solely with a five-speed automatic. Save for a driver’s knee airbag reserved for the V8 model only, all other features are similar, and the engine choice represents a $2,500 difference: the V6 starts at $36,995, the V8 at $39,495.

That gets you the LX model in both, but each engine choice can be optioned up to the EX trim line, as mine was, at $40,995 in V6 and $43,495 in V8. All models seat seven passengers.

2009 Kia Borrego EX V6. Click image to enlarge

Along with a step up in interior features, the major difference between the LX and EX is in the standard four-wheel drive (a two-wheel version sold in the U.S. is not available in Canada). On the LX, it’s a part-time system: rear-wheel for dry roads, with 4WD reserved specifically for loose or slippery surfaces only. The EX uses a full-time all-wheel system that distributes torque when needed, and can be locked into 4High or 4Low if necessary, via a dial on the dash. Both systems include hill start assist and downhill brake control.

Its body-on-frame means tough truck, and with the V6, it’ll tow up to 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs), which is about mid-pack among its equivalently-engined competitors. Moving up to the V8 increases the vehicle’s towing capacity to maximum of 3,402 kg (7,500 lbs).

At 276 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque, the V6 is stronger overall than any of its competitors except for the Chevrolet Trailblazer – which gets an impressive 285 horsepower and 276 torque from a 4.2-litre inline-six – and is topped in torque otherwise only by the Nissan Pathfinder, at 288 lb-ft (but 266 horsepower). It’s a good engine and enough to haul around this heavy metal – the V6 model weighs in at 2,023 kg, or 4,460 lbs – and unless you need the V8’s towing ability, you’ll probably find that the smaller engine is more than enough. Against a published rate of 13.0 L/100 km in the city and 9.4 on the highway, I averaged 15.2 L/100 km in very cold weather. Among the V6 competition, only the 230-horsepower Suzuki Grand Vitara gets better overall EnerGuide fuel numbers.

2009 Kia Borrego EX V6. Click image to enlarge

Handling is good for the segment, given that this isn’t the type of vehicle where you’d expect sporty-car feel; it’s light enough that it isn’t tiring, and it’s nicely centered on the highway, without the need for constant correction. What isn’t up to snuff is the ride: the last SUV I drove that rode this rough also had sheet metal for its interior door trim panels. It feels big and trucky on smooth roads, which is to be expected, but once you hit the least bit of broken pavement, the Borrego skitters and bounces, and every smack and wallop transmits directly into the cabin. Other manufacturers have managed to combine a “firmly comfortable” ride with tough-truck ability, and I can’t see Kia making major inroads into this segment until it catches up. My other complaint was with the brakes, which did their job, but with a spongy pedal that didn’t inspire much confidence.

The base LX comes with the usual amenities: air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, roof rails, trailer hitch, tire pressure monitoring system, ABS and electronic stability control, heated seats, satellite radio, keyless remote and cruise control. The EX adds several features, including a few not expected at this price: 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, power sunroof, power tilt and telescopic wheel, leather upholstery, driver’s side memory, and auto-dimming rearview mirror. The package also adds side steps that really do their job, unlike most that prove too narrow to be useful as steps, but are wide enough that they impede exit and entry. There are no add-ons beyond the features in each trim line, and a rear-seat DVD and navigation are unavailable.

2009 Kia Borrego EX V6. Click image to enlarge

The front seats are roomy, and surprisingly, so are the third-row seats, although their cushions are flat and hard, and the position over the rear axle means that passengers’ knees will be high in the air. Still, it’s adequate for most adults in cross-town jaunts, which is more than in some three-row SUVs. The second row is adequate, although more clearance under the low-slung front seats would allow long-legged passengers to slip their feet under to obtain more legroom.

Both the second and third rows fold flat, with plastic backing on each for easier cleaning (although the floor from liftgate to third row is carpeted). With everything in place, the cargo length is 40 cm; drop the third-row seats and it’s 117 cm, while settling all the seats gives you a length of 192 cm. Oddly, there’s a bit of work involved: in order to get the third row down, you must first fold the second row halfway, so that the rear seats clear them.

2009 Kia Borrego EX V6. Click image to enlarge

Kia has been gradually improving its interiors throughout its newer models, and the Borrego continues the tradition: the panels fit well, most plastic is textured, and the design is clean, if a bit plain. The controls are easy to use, the cupholders do their job while staying out of the way, and small items can end up in several spots, including a large open cubby below the centre stack, a covered box in the console, and a large glovebox. Rear-seat passengers can rest their java in a fold-down armrest with twin cupholders, while those in the third row get a cubby or a cupholder, depending on which side of the vehicle they chose.

Overall, the Borrego fits neatly into Kia’s market strategy: competent, fuel-efficient against the competition, and relatively full-featured given its price. Its major drawback is that it’s offering all that in a mid- to full-size segment that isn’t easily weathering the double whammy of consumer buying power at the gas pumps and in the economy overall. Only time will tell if the Borrego will prove to be Kia’s powerhouse, or a costly victim of market values that simply couldn’t keep pace.

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