Weekly Top 3: Why You Should Care About The 2011 Kia Sorento
Thus far, the Kia Sorento hasn't made much of a name for itself in the overcrowded world of SUVs. Saddled with an outdated body-on-frame design and excessive girth throughout its first generation (2003-09), the Sorento aimed for both off-roaders and suburbanites -- and ended up impressing neither.
But as Hyundai/Kia products are wont to do, the Sorento is stepping up its game in a big way for generation two, which goes on sale as a 2011 model in January. The new Sorento shares its unibody platform with the Hyundai Santa Fe, and it should start just under $20,000. Three more reasons why you should care are a single click away.
3. "Class-leading fuel economy."
Which turns out to be 29 miles per gallon highway for the four-cylinder Sorento, according to Kia's PR department. But wait a minute -- the Sorento competes in the affordable compact/midsize crossover segment...and the Chevy Equinox gets 32 mpg! So check this out. Apparently the Federal Trade Commission has decreed that in a product segment of a certain size, being in the top three by a particular measure equates to "class-leading." As for the Equinox, it's "best in class," a phrase that Kia is not allowed to use. But "class-leading" is fair game. How about that? And how's the average consumer expected to know that? Sorry, where was I...
2. Usable third-row seat.
Yes, my knees were in my chest, as were those of the similarly sized (6'1") journalist sitting next to me, but the fact is, we both fit in the Sorento's optional third-row seat, and we could have ridden back there for a while. That's more than can be said for the RAV4's third row, or the Mitsubishi Outlander's. By the way, how can the Equinox be the longest vehicle in this segment and not have a third-row seat? Was Chevy worried about cannibalizing Traverse sales or something? Score one for the Sorento here.
1. Just a good car.
The 2011 Sorento has a confident feel from the driver seat, maintaining its composure even when approaching triple-digit speeds. The base 2.4-liter, 172-horsepower four-cylinder struggles somewhat with the Sorento's 3,600-3,700-pound curb weight, but it's not bad; I'd rate it on the low side of competitive for this class. The optional 3.5-liter, 273-horsepower V6, on the other hand, is strong and smooth -- expect to see it in a range of Hyundai/Kia products going forward, including engine bays where the outmoded 3.3-liter V6 used to reside.
Inside, the Sorento's dash is all hard plastic, but then, so are the other dashboards in this class, and they don't have this Kia's nifty faux-wood inserts. Visibility is great, and the driving position is properly elevated (unlike the Equinox's, for example, which is more wagon-like due to the high beltline and cowl). The switchgear feels precise, and just about everything I touched felt well-constructed. More armrest padding would have been nice, especially on the doors, but I'm nitpicking here. Rear seat (second row) comfort was beyond reproach, even for my lanky frame.
Last words: Hyundai started the trend of rapid improvement from generation to generation, and now Kia's following suit. It's a company to watch. The 2011 Sorento is the latest reason why.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor
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- Josh Sadlier November 6, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Kia, Weekly Top 3
Yep, one to watch.
I do think that I prefer the exterior styling of the previous model though. I have always thought that Kia "borrowed" quite a bit from the ML series - not a bad thing IMO.