IF you are looking to buy a large luxury SUV which puts others in the shade when it comes to price you'll struggle to do better than Kia's new flagship Sorento, the GT-Line S.

At just under £43,000 it's hardly a budget priced car. But take a look at what you would need to pay to get the same features on a similar model from one of the premier German brands and you'll be in for a shock - and so will your bank balance if you opt for that alternative.

In recent years Kia has gone upmarket to compete with the best of the best while still retaining its concept of offering value for money vehicles, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the GT-Line S.

In this all-wheel-drive vehicle it's luxury all the way, with an interior which features black leather upholstery with smart grey stitching, electrically adjustable heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats with adjustable rake, a heated steering wheel and a vast tilt and slide panoramic sunroof.

And that's just for starters.

Run your eyes over the outside and you will spot smart 19-inch five spoke alloy wheels, a stainless steel side step on each side of the car (or running boards as they used to be called), LED headlights with a bending function, ice-cube-look front foglights, twin exhaust pipes and red brake callipers.

And while the lower spec models have six speed auto boxes the GT-Line S gets a new eight-speed, pushing the economy up to more than 46 miles per gallon while at the same time reducing the CO2 emissions.

The Sorento is a large vehicle and all models in the range have seating for seven people, with the two third row seats folding into the floor to give a very spacious luggage area of 605 litres beneath the powered tailgate.

Given its dimensions it should look bulky but clever designers have allowed the vehicle to grow in order to create more interior space while at the same time looking sleek from the outside.

As you approach the car the twin side mirrors automatically fold outwards and as you close the driver's door your seat moves to your chosen distance from the steering wheel.

On the road this big SUV whips quickly through the gearbox to keep the revs low and save fuel. Cruise along at 70 miles per hour on the motorway in top and the rev counter is barely hitting 1,800 revs so the inside of the cabin stays blissfully quiet.

But if you want to wind things up a little you can always select Sport on the driving mode switch to hang on to each gear for longer to ensure maximum, acceleration.

Alternatively you can use the paddles behind the steering wheel to eliminate the auto box altogether.

Most of the car's functions are activated via the central touch screen, including the colour reversing camera - with side and rear view options - and the Harmon Kardon premier sound system with 10 speakers.

And as you would expect this top line Kia is packed with a compendium of safety systems to protect all on board.