Efficiency, practicality, and style come together to make the Kia Sorento one of the best selling mid-sized SUVs on sale today. The Korean automaker undertook a massive redesign effort in 2006 that resulted in more coherent interior and exterior design across their lineup. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed, with KIA Motors consistently posting sales numbers that rival Japanese automakers and downright beat domestic ones.
In my two weeks with the Sorento I've noticed that it's more than just a cheap alternative to the established brands from Japan and the United States; it's actually a respectable well-built, and capable car. Maybe it's a bit too suburban mom/dad-ish for my taste, but that doesn't keep it from doing an excellent job at a wide array of tasks.
We can start with the performance. Since I first drove the Sorento, I've admired the 3.5 V6's overall peppiness as mated to the six-speed auto box. You get the sense that the engine has more than enough power to handle the job of moving the car and any combination of passengers and luggage around without any trouble at all. However, with the LX trim's front-wheel drive configuration, torque steer becomes a slight issue. On occasions where I had to really mash the pedal to the floor (of which there were relatively few), the whole car shimmied as power was being shuffled frantically between the two front wheels. I highly doubt that this would become an issue during a normal daily commute, but it's something you should definitely be ready to deal with when it happens.
Fuel economy is somewhat below-average, but the KIA still returns more than acceptable numbers. The 240 mile trip to school took me a little over half a tank of gas to cover, and around town the Sorento has returned an acceptable 20 miles to the gallon. Another thing to note is the green ECO light that appears in the bottom of a speedometer gauge. Apart from reminding you that, yes, keeping your foot off the throttle pedal is good for gas mileage, there are no "Eco mode functions" like cylinder deactivation or varied throttle mapping in place to save you fuel.
The Sorento may be clasified as a mid-sized SUV, but that doesn't mean you'll be wanting for space. The third row seats are so easy to deploy once your friends have discovered that you now drive the biggest car of the group. Cargo space with the seats down is brilliant as well. Plenty of space for as much flat-packed Ikea furniture as your heart desires. Apart from moving a new entertainment center (some assembly required), I found the abundance of space a bit unnecessary for my needs, but, again, I'm a student living alone on a student's budget. The grocery load is never going to be overwhelming.
Apart from its suburban mother and sorority girl appeal, the Sorento has proven itself to me. I can almost trust KIA Motors now. Well, almost, anyways.
In my two weeks with the Sorento I've noticed that it's more than just a cheap alternative to the established brands from Japan and the United States; it's actually a respectable well-built, and capable car. Maybe it's a bit too suburban mom/dad-ish for my taste, but that doesn't keep it from doing an excellent job at a wide array of tasks.
We can start with the performance. Since I first drove the Sorento, I've admired the 3.5 V6's overall peppiness as mated to the six-speed auto box. You get the sense that the engine has more than enough power to handle the job of moving the car and any combination of passengers and luggage around without any trouble at all. However, with the LX trim's front-wheel drive configuration, torque steer becomes a slight issue. On occasions where I had to really mash the pedal to the floor (of which there were relatively few), the whole car shimmied as power was being shuffled frantically between the two front wheels. I highly doubt that this would become an issue during a normal daily commute, but it's something you should definitely be ready to deal with when it happens.
Fuel economy is somewhat below-average, but the KIA still returns more than acceptable numbers. The 240 mile trip to school took me a little over half a tank of gas to cover, and around town the Sorento has returned an acceptable 20 miles to the gallon. Another thing to note is the green ECO light that appears in the bottom of a speedometer gauge. Apart from reminding you that, yes, keeping your foot off the throttle pedal is good for gas mileage, there are no "Eco mode functions" like cylinder deactivation or varied throttle mapping in place to save you fuel.
The Sorento may be clasified as a mid-sized SUV, but that doesn't mean you'll be wanting for space. The third row seats are so easy to deploy once your friends have discovered that you now drive the biggest car of the group. Cargo space with the seats down is brilliant as well. Plenty of space for as much flat-packed Ikea furniture as your heart desires. Apart from moving a new entertainment center (some assembly required), I found the abundance of space a bit unnecessary for my needs, but, again, I'm a student living alone on a student's budget. The grocery load is never going to be overwhelming.
Apart from its suburban mother and sorority girl appeal, the Sorento has proven itself to me. I can almost trust KIA Motors now. Well, almost, anyways.