Kia Sorento tackles Hells Gate

THE SLICK red rock of Moab in Utah, USA, is considered by many to be a Mecca for off-road driving and mountain biking. It has unique terrain that attracts disciples of each discipline from around the world to take on its many challenges.

For off-roaders, Moab is usually tackled by modified 4x4 vehicles with big tyres, lifted suspension, extra low gearing and plenty of body armour.

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Social media has thousands of videos of vehicles on the rocks at Moab and plenty of instances where things go wrong, and when they go wrong here it happens in a big way. The rocks are so steep in places, vehicles flip over backwards as they ascend and roll dramatically back to where they started.

One of the most iconic and often videoed obstacles at Moab is Hells Gate, a steep V in the rock on the Hells Revenge Trail. Steep and daunting to say the least, Hells Gate is the stuff of locked diffs, sticky tyres and plenty of driver skill. This is not the place to be bringing your single-range family SUV on a weekend outing. Or is it?

Kia USA reckoned its Sorento SUV was up to the challenge and set out to prove it. Equipped with just some all-terrain tyres and underbody protection, the Sorento was otherwise stock standard as it took to the tracks.

When the team arrived at Hells Gate, they disconnected the factory swaybars to try and give the car some more wheel travel. These SUVs don’t have much travel to start with and, as you can see in the video, the Sorento still doesn’t have a lot with the bars disconnected.

How did the Kia go? Watch the full video to find out.