2016 Kia Sorento : 2.2L I4 Turbo Diesel (AWD) vs 3.3L V6 Petrol (FWD)

iwaku

Hello everyone, I joined the forum just to ask this particular question. I've been deciding between two engine and drivetrain choices for the Kia Sorento. I know there are better options for an SUV but my preference lies with the Sorento (price and styling) so bear with me here. I live in South East Asia and I've been surfing the web for awhile looking for a better answer.

My question is, Which of these choices is better?

2.2L Turbo I4 CRDi AWD - Saves money on fuel, AWD gives better confidence while driving but I wont be going offroad. Diesels lasts longer if they are carefully taken care of but maintenance costs are high, am I correct? Turbos and the drivetrain will still require maintenance after a long time, correct?

3.3L V6 Petrol FWD - Costs more to at the pump, FWD should be sufficient but is it safer than AWD? They do not require as much maintenance as the diesel counterpart and without the need to care for the AWD (fuel and wear)

Additional Notes:
In terms of the cost of the vehicle, they are similarly priced in my country and similarly spec'd. All gadgets are similar except for the engine and drivetrain.
Diesel in my country is cheaper than petrol but the quality of diesel is way poorer which might damage the engine in the long run.
This car would be used for a very long time so I'm really considering which is the better one. I would take road trips in it occasionally too.

Thanks for any feedback! I really do appreciate your answers!

Michaell

I think you have adequately summarized the differences between a gas engine and a diesel engine. Let me round up some other folks who are more knowledgeable on the subject to give their opinions as well.

iwaku

Thank you so much!