Kia Sorento vs Land Rover Discovery Sport - pictures

Kia's new Sorento is bigger and better (and more expensive) than ever and it's aiming to steal Discovery Sport sales by mixing off-road ability with a premium feel. Can it beat our 2015 Compact SUV award-winner? 

Here we test the Sorento in 2.2-litre CRDi KX-3 trim. It's the only engine available and produces 197bhp and costs £35,845. 

The Kia Sorento is very much an old-school SUV. From its large dimensions and boxy looks to its torquey diesel engine, it fits the bill as a family 4x4 that can take the punishment of daily life. 

Inside, Kia has tried to make the cabin upmarket, but there's still lots of black plastic present. It's all solidly put together, though, and there's plenty of equipment on offer. 

Rear seats are comfortable with lots of head and legroom available. 

The rearmost seats are more spacious than the Disco Sport's thanks to the Kia's longer body and wheelbase. They're simple to unfold thanks to fabric straps on the seatbacks, plus they stow away easily. 

Sorento's maximum capacity of 1,662 litres is 36 litres down on the Discovery's, but with the middle seats raised it gets 119 litres more room, at 605 litres. 

KX-3 models and above get a 10-speaker Infinity sound system as standard, while this touchscreen is standard across the range. 

Load cover for the boot can be stowed beneath the boot floor when the rearmost seats are being used. 

Steering is vague in the Sorento, but it's a refined cruiser everywhere else. 

While Kia has made a concerted effort to move the Sorento upmarket, it doesn't quite have the premium feel of other models in this price range. 

Still, plenty of buyers will be drawn in by its long kit list and spacious, seven-seat layout. 

If you often carry seven adults, the Sorento will be your best bet thanks to more space in the rearmost seats. Access is easier than in the Land Rover, too. 

Land Rover Discovery Sport - World Car of the Year & World Car Design of the Year nominee

Nine-speed auto in the Disco is sluggish when pushed, but on the road it doesn't feel as large and unwieldy as the Kia. 

Familiar Land Rover cabin is full of high-quality materials. 

Rear is airy and feels much larger thanks to panoramic sunroof. 

Stadium-style seating means the rearmost seats aren't as roomy as those in the Sorento. 

A powered tailgate is standard and opens to reveal a 981-litre capacity to the roof when the rear seats are stowed. 

With all seats folded, space increases to 1,698 litres. 

There's plenty of equipment on offer in the Disco Sport, including JLR's latest touchscreen infotainment system.

Terrain Response system adapts the traction control, engine and gearbox to suit road conditions, while hill descent control is standard. 

Rotary gear selector in the LR is slick. 

Panoramic sunroof is a £950 option and bathes the spacious cabin with light. 

Light steering makes the Discovery Sport easy to manoeuvre in spite of its size, while body roll isn't as bad as in the Kia. 

There's plenty of design cues from the Range Rover Evoque, with a slightly more utilitarian look in a nod to the Freelander it replaced.