This next-generation Kia Sorento is a world apart from the previous effort.
The five-door Sorento crossover debuted in 2003 with a body-on-frame structure sporting rear drive and a not-so-subtle truck-like ride. The all-new 2011 effort is longer, lower, lighter, roomier and built on a unibody, car-like frame with standard front-wheel drive for smoother on-road characteristics teamed with enhanced handling.
So excited was Kia to get this 2011 vehicle on the road, no 2010 model was offered. The 2009 model gave way to the spanking new 2011. Why all the fuss? This marks the first vehicle the South Korean automaker is assembling in the United States at an all-new facility in West Point, Georgia, near the Georgia-Alabama boarder.
Tim Chaney, Director of Marketing and Communications at Kia North America visited with the Midwest Automotive Media Association this past April and spoke enthusiastically about the investment.
"It only took three years from ground breaking to grand opening which was a very aggressive schedule. We've got 1,200 workers there right now and plan to double that in the near future," Chaney said. The plant can produce up to 300,000 vehicles annually. For now, Sorento is the sole vehicle at the plant, but expect more offerings in the not-so-distant future.
Sorento is a mid-size offering, but with Kia's aggressive pricing, think of it as a mid-size with a compact price. In recent years, once compact SUV crossovers like Toyota's RAV4 and segment leading Honda CR-V have grown, sporting mid-size dimensions. Sorento competes with these as well as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Chevrolet Equinox and Ford Escape. As with a handful of competitors including the Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota RAV4, Sorento comes with the choice of five or seven-passenger seating.
Sorento comes in three volume trims: LX, EX and SX. Two engine selections are offered: a 2.4-liter, four cylinder delivering 175 horsepower and a 3.5-liter V-6 cranking out 276. The fuel-efficient four cylinder is new. Previously, only six-cylinder powertrains were offered. Both LX and EX offer both powertrains.
The up level SX is strictly a six banger. The three volume trims come with a standard six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive comes standard while all-wheel drive is optional. All V-6 powered Sorentos come with a standard third row while four-cylinder models opt for two rows with the third row optional. A low-volume base model with manual transmission is available, but scarce.
An LX with six-speed automatic transmission and four cylinder engine slips in at $22,395. Kia supplied a pre-production creamed-colored version of the mid-level EX with four-wheel drive, V-6 engine and three seating rows starting at $28,895. The EX trim is available with two option packages: limited (in-dash navigation, chrome roof rails) and premium (leather seats, auto diming mirror and panoramic sunroof in V-6 models). The sunroof is a stand-alone option in SX. A second-row flip-down ceiling screen/DVD player is a $1,000 option in EX V-6 editions. A dashboard screen working in tandum with a rear-view backup camera is standard in both EX and SX. Heated front seats are optional in all trims except SX where it's standard.
Our all-wheel-drive V-6 tester averaged 21 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. None of the Sorentos break the 30 mpg barrier in city or highway mileage.
The tester sported two-tone, supportive front bucket seats. Fabric seats are standard in LX, leatherette in EX and leather in SX. Drivers have a higher seating position than conventional family sedans, but entering requires only a step in, not step up motion. If row three is unoccupied, drivers may find it advantageous to fold the 50/50 seat backs flat as the headrests show up prominently in the rear-view mirror. Cruise control is found on the steering wheel at 3 o'clock with secondary audio controls at 9 o'clock. The parking brake is foot operated, opening up the area between front buckets for the floor-mounted transmission with baseball-type stitching on the shifter. Just to the right are inline beverage holders. A digital clock resides on top of the center dash with the stereo system underneath and the dual zone ventilation controls (standard in EX and SX) below. Satellite radio comes standard as does a MP3, USB ports and assorted audio jacks.
All four doors sport molded beverage holders. Front doors have thick, easy-to-grab handles for opening and closing. The driver's door is also home to a push button unlatching the driver's-side circular fuel door. The deep-set instrument panel has three analog gauges with numerals skewing to the small side. A push-button start comes standard in EX and SX. The black dash includes dark wood accents. Rear air conditioning vents come standard in three row V-6s.
While rear side doors open wide, entry way for legs to swing in is relatively narrow; which comes into play when entering the optional third row. Three adults can fit in row two with reasonable comfort. Head room in rows one and two are very good and adults below 6-feet, two-inches have good headroom in row three. Use the passenger side rear door when entering row three. This smaller seat back (the 40 side of the 60/40) tilts forward via a latch on top of the seat back. Once folded onto the seat, the entire unit easily tilts forward when pulling a backrest strap. Even with mid-size dimensions, two adults situate with reasonable comfort in row three. Sorentos with the 50/50-split third row sport pull straps which unlatch the backrests for easy lowering onto seats when extra storage is needed. When the backs fold, so too do the headrests. No need to disengage and stow. With row three prone, very little storage space remains behind the backrests, although a couple of food bags from Jewel or Dominick's can squeeze when strategically placed.
Some observe Sorento more than resembles a luxury-appointed Lexus RX 350 mid-size crossover in looks, but not price as the RX starts at $37,625 for a 2010 front-drive edition. Thin, narrow, band-like headlight housings flank a honeycomb grille with center Kia logo, a look similar to that of the new 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan. One elegant, yet useful touch are blinkers built into side view mirrors alerting others of future intensions. A spoiler is standard on EX and SX trims.
The lift back, hinged at the top, opens high enough so those six-feet, three-inches and shorter have noggin clearance. A right-side grab bar on the door's interior helps when manually closing the hatch (no power option available). A rear wiper comes standard.
At speeds of 75 miles per hour traversing the Northwest Tollway, Sorento exhibited interior quietness close to vehicles with a bottom line thousands higher. This is more a touring, not a sporty-riding crossover. Sorento smoothes over pot holes rather than attacking them. The brake pedal has a fair amount of give before braking action kicks in.
Give Sorento an "A" for safety with all trims featuring front-seat mounted side air bags, curtain air bags for the first two rows, anti-lock brakes, stability control, electronic brake distribution and downhill brake control.
For those seeking even more peace of mind, Sorento includes a 10-year, 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty; one of the industry's longest. Kia began selling cars in the United States in 1994. Parent company Hyundai took a controlling interest in Kia in 1998.
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