Kia's Bargain Borrego

With gas prices dropping and the economy softening, there's never been a better time to buy a midsize, inexpensive SUV like the Kia Borrego

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Standard features, seven-passenger capacity, rebates

The Bad: Bland styling, SUV fuel economy

The Bottom Line: A classic midsize SUV at a bargain price

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

There are some great deals around right now on midsize sport utility vehicles, with one of the best bargains being the new '09 Kia Borrego. The Korean company's timing isn't great bringing out a classic SUV in the midst of a financial crisis and continuing gasoline price jitters. But if you really need the seven-passenger capacity, available V8-power, and the four-wheel drive of an SUV, the new Borrego offers excellent value.

Almost exactly the same size as a Ford Explorer, the Borrego is the heaviest and most powerful vehicle Kia (KIMTY) has ever sold in the U.S. It comes with a choice of two engines, a 3.8-liter, 276-horsepower V6 coupled with a five-speed automatic transmission or a powerful 4.6-liter, 337-horsepower V8 coupled with a six-speed automatic. With the bigger engine, the Borrego weighs 4,600 lb. and can tow as much as 7,500 lb., best in its class. Its 8.5-inch ground clearance even gives it limited off-road capability.

It's hard to beat the Borrego's price. The model starts out at $26,995 for a two-wheel-drive, V6-powered LX, rising to $33,745 for a fancy EX with four-wheel-drive and a V8 engine.

However, rival SUVs are being heavily discounted (a $2,000 Borrego rebate ended Dec. 1). Through Jan. 5, Ford (F) is offering rebates of up to $4,000 and $2,000 on the '08 and '09 Explorer, respectively. General Motors' (GM) rebates total more than $4,000 on the '08 Saturn Outlook for some customers, and more than $3,000 on the '09, also through Jan. 5. .

Considering the amount of standard equipment it comes with, however, the Borrego is highly competitive. Even the most basic LX comes with full power accessories, air conditioning, cruise control, a tilting and telescoping steering-wheel, a backup alarm, a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio, and a USB port, an integrated trailer hitch, electronic brake-force distribution, side-mirror turn signal indicators, hill-start assist, and an automatic downhill braking control system. The EX adds power adjustable front seats, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, fog lights, and heated outside mirrors. Four-wheel-drive versions also have a windshield de-icer,

The main option on the entry-level LX is a $1,200 convenience package that adds leather seat trim and an eight-way power driver's seat. However, you can jazz up the EX with all sorts of add-ons: The $1,800 premium package adds a sunroof, a backup camera, a premium sound system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and running boards, while the $1,500 luxury package adds leather heated seats, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, and memory for driver's seat settings. Navigation and rear-seat entertainment systems cost an extra $1,500 apiece, chrome wheels another $750, and Bluetooth capability $350.

Belying its size, the Borrego's fuel economy is better than average for this class of vehicle. With rear-wheel drive, the V6 version of the Borrego is rated to get 17 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway. Rated mileage drops to 15 city and 20 highway for the V8-powered four-wheel-drive version. In 185 miles of mixed driving in a V6-powered Borrego, I got 17.2 mpg.

The Borrego earned the top Five-Star crash test rating in frontal and side collisions from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It comes standard with front, side, and head-protecting side curtain airbags, as well as antilock brakes and stability and traction control. There's even an airbag to protect the driver's knees in the V8 models. Kia's excellent warranty includes comprehensive five-year/60,000 mile coverage with free roadside assistance.