Kia acknowledges that for some potential customers the previous Sorento’s interior proved to be a sticking point. Yes, it was spacious, well assembled and comprehensively equipped but its tactility let it down with hard, unyielding plastics, many of which had shiny finishes.

To say the latest Sorento’s interior is an improvement is a masterstroke of understatement. Everywhere your fingers probe, there’s a noticeable lift in the materials employed, with soft touch plastics for the dashboard, improved damping on much of the buttons and switches and a satisfying clunk when you tap various surfaces. Tinny it isn’t.

Large 4x4s offer a commanding view of the road ahead and, combined with a large glass area, all-round visibility is impressive, save for the rear corners where the window line tapers away aggressively creating a blind spot.

Not that it leaves you feeling vulnerable though with large door mirrors and the fitment of up to four on-board cameras to provide a birds-eye view, useful when parking such a large car.

All the controls and instruments feel logically placed and are within easy reach. We’re pleased to note the sat-nav and infotainment screen graphics are improved over recent Kias we’ve driven and models fitted with the central digital instrument screen combine lots of information in a refreshingly unambiguous way.

You will struggle to find a large 4x4 that matches Kia Sorento comfort levels, regardless of the purchase price. This is a car that will transport you and six passengers with ease thanks to an arsenal of features.

Essentially, the Kia’s suspension is of primary importance, with improved dampers specifically for Europe, revised suspension geometry and a longer wheelbase than before too. Chunky tyres further cushion the blow of ruts and other road imperfections.

There’s now more head and legroom for each of the three rows of seats, most obvious in the third row where adults can now sit more comfortably than before. Dual-zone climate control is effective at maintaining the selected temperatures, while the seats themselves are very comfortable. The only passenger who might have something to grumble about is whoever’s in the centre seat in the middle row: it’s narrower than the outer ones but the floor is now completely flat and all middle row seats recline and slide too.

Depending upon the specification chosen, front and outer middle row passengers will find their seats are heated, while the front pair can also be ventilated with a gentle air conditioned breeze through the leather perforations.

Kia’s undertaken a lot of work to reduce outside noise to keep the cabin as tranquil as possible. Noise from the tyres and wind rush around the door mirrors has been significantly reduced; despite the Sorento’s imposingly upright front end it cleaves the air gracefully.

Further noise suppression is thanks to thicker and additional sound deadening materials and greater use of high strength steel in the Sorento’s construction, reducing body flex and subsequently squeaking trim panels too.