Kia SUV goes large

Kia has launched a full fat, full-size SUV at the North American International Auto Show to take a slice of the large SUV pie that still dominates US car sales. Although not as big as many American SUVs, the Borrego is big enough to compare with the Land Rover Discovery and Jeep Commander.

The Borrego uses a slightly old fashioned separate chassis, the body, engine and suspension all mounted onto this frame like a giant Meccano kit. Kia says this gives the Borrego better off-road potential, while a full range of safety kit is standard, including full length curtain airbags, tyre pressure monitoring and electronic stability control. There's also downhill assist to help the car descend slippery off-road slopes.

Power for the Borrego comes from either a 3.8-litre V6 engine or a 4.6 V8, which is Kia's first ever V8 engine. The V8 engine is also the first to receive Kia's new six-speed automatic gearbox.

There are no plans for a diesel version of the Borrego at present, which means this large SUV will not be sold in the UK. Kia Motors UK managing director Paul Philpott said: "This is a fantastic vehicle in terms of technical capability, but without a diesel option it would not make sense for the UK market as the segment demands it."

Alisdair Suttie