24 Wednesday <strong>October</strong> 3 <strong>2018</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi SELWYN TIMES New season, new looks. SPRING SALE NOW ON. ENDS 15.10.18 Woodwall Take a peak at what’s new... King Single Bed NOW $ 299 Louvre Divider NOW $ 299 Hall Table NOW $ 249 Shop Online Nationwide Delivery Finance Options targetfurniture.co.nz Cnr Blenheim & Curletts Rds, Christchurch Ph: 0800 TARGET (0800 827438) Offers and product prices advertised here expire 15/10/18. Sale excludes Manchester and Accessories.
SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Wednesday <strong>October</strong> [Edition 3 datE] <strong>2018</strong> 253 Motoring Tackle off-road tracks in Kia Sorento • By Ross Kiddie I OFFERED to take some photos for the <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong>. One of them meant getting down onto the rocks below the Rakaia Gorge bridge. I knew if I had a four-wheel-drive vehicle I could do it and get the shots I needed. Fortuitously, the evaluation car I was driving that weekend was fourwheel-drive capable – Kia’s upgraded Sorento sport utility vehicle – and it easily manoeuvered the slippery access slope and provided a comfortable ride over the uneven surface of the riverbank. That is one of the reasons today’s sport utility vehicles are so popular, they are adaptable, and while they may not be a total crosscountry charger they do provide practicality when sealed roads run out. Add to that its seven-seat capability and it’s easy to see why the Sorento is one of the front-runners in the large SUV market. As mentioned, it has just undergone a bit of a facelift. Major changes include new frontal treatment – bumpers, lights, grille and wheels. On-board, there’s a bit more kit including new display graphics. Most importantly, the new Sorento gets an engineering upgrade in the form of an eight-speed automatic transmission. It is a beauty which offers the benefits of improving fuel economy and lowering emission discharge. The driveline is also smoother, and with the short gaps between ratios the whole drive transition process is more fluid. In design terms, the Sorento is the SUV we have come to know and support. It is a true seven-seater and if you don’t need the rear row of seats upright, the rear wagon section is cavernous, Kia claiming a 1662-litre load space. The Sorento is also affordable. At the time of evaluation, a Fieldays’ special had the EX model, as tested, sitting at $48,990. It normally lists at $59,990. There are also Premium and Limited models which will stretch to $73,990, bearing in mind that if you are only interested in petrol power you’ll have to indent order the 3.3-litre V6. KIA SORENTO: Family-friendly sport utility vehicle. However, the EX model comes with a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine, and that would most certainly be my pick. The engine is the R-series unit which is shared with Hyundai. Even though it isn’t new, it has been constantly been refined to the point where it can well be regarded as one of the automotive world’s great power plants. It is strong, smooth and delivers with remarkable fuel usage figures. • Price – Kia Sorento EX, $59,990 • Dimensions – Length, 4800mm; width, 1890mm; height, 1690mm • Configuration – Four-cylinder, four-wheel-drive, 2199cc, 147kW, 441Nm, eight-speed automatic. • Performance – 0-100km/h, 8.6sec • Fuel usage – 6.5l/100km Kia rates the 2199cc unit with a 6.5-litre per 100km (44mpg) combined cycle rating, which fits well with the trip computer’s readout. It was constantly sitting at 8l/100km (35mpg) along with a 5l/100km (56mpg) instantaneous figure at 100km/h, the rev counter pointing to a lazy 1500rpm at that speed. The engine is also listed with power and torque figures of 147kW and 441Nm respectively. Both are realised low in the rev band at 3800rpm and 1750rpm- 2750rpm respectively, and with its delivery through the new eight-speeder there is a solid flow of energy, all done in a whisper quiet manner. If you also take into account the areas where maximum torque is produced, the Sorento in this form is quite swift, it will lunge to 100km/h from a standstill in 8.6sec. Acceleration aside, the engine will also work away tirelessly at city or urban speeds, hauling through the transmission with economical shift patterns and positive response to throttle request. On those great cruising roads of the Canterbury high country, the Sorento moves with quiet motion and handles well. With the option of four drive modes – comfort, eco, sport and individual – the driver can use the best setting for each driving experience. On the twists and turns leading in and out of the Rakaia Gorge I used the sport mode, and it deliberately firms the steering and provides a more involving feel along with greater engine urgency. For a vehicle that weighs in quite tubby at around 1900kg, the big Sorento steers beautifully and stays well balanced, there is a positive firming within the suspension, but it rides without harshness. Grit had been spread on part of the road as a way of keeping ice at bay mid-winter, where grip was low, drive being distributed to the rear could be noticed, and that adds a secure feel. One of my work colleagues has just bought a new Kia, and while it wasn’t an SUV, it is a car which stands out with its quality of build and modern engineering practices. That could be said of Kia’s entire range, the big Korean-conglomerate is producing some fine vehicles and, as in the Sorento’s case, the company has adopted an extensive development process, each model is constantly being refined and those benefits are being passed down to consumers. continuing education Night classes at Papanui High School As the weather gets warmer and the evenings get longer it is the ideal time to get out of the house and learn something new and meet some new people by taking part in one of the wide range of nightclasses on offer at Papanui High School for Term 4 beginning from Tuesday 23 <strong>October</strong>. From Art to Yoga and everything in between we are sure regardless of your age or interest you will find something to tempt you. Classes at Papanui High School are held in a warm, friendly relaxed environment and our tutors are supportive and well qualified in their chosen fields. From Art to Yoga and everything in between One of our new courses on offer for Term 4 is an introductory course in Traditional Chinese Massage (Tui-na). Traditional Chinese Massage is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and this course will cover Therapeutic Acupressure Massage using Traditional Chinese Medicine and practice. You will learn the efficacy of acupuncture points, how to find the correct acupuncture points and how to use these points to relieve and treat pain along with learning different massage techniques. This course is being taught by Chuhua Gao and will be held at Papanui High School on a Tuesday night 7-8 pm for 6 weeks starting on 23 <strong>October</strong> at a cost of $80. For further information and enrolment in this or any of our Term 4 courses please visit our website on www.papanui.school. nz or email rpb@papanui.school.nz or telephone our office on 3520701
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