2011 Kia Sorento

Back and better than ever

After taking a brief hiatus, The Sorrento is back and the time off did it some good.

The Sorento is Kia’s midsize SUV and it’s virtually all-new for 2011 after taking the 2010 model year off. The new Sorento comes with a unibody platform that offers more interior space, with room for up to seven occupants, while delivering a much improved ride. The new exterior design incorporates some familiar design cues like the grille and wraparound headlights that you’ll see on the Forte. It’s also lighter which translates into more agility and better fuel economy as well.

While there was plenty of space in the front seats on the previous Sorrento, the back was particularly cramped for just about anyone over 10 years old. On top of that they were uncomfortable and not very supportive. That’s hardly the case on the 2011 iteration as Kia has taken care of those issues. The new Sorrento offers seats that are literally luxurious compared to the previous model, offering good support and a much more comfortable ride. In the back, seats offer more room for passengers and behind the second row you’ll find plenty of space for luggage or other cargo. Though the third-row seat is a nice option, in truth it really only works with kids or very small adults.

The new Sorrento now offers and efficient 2.4 liter 172 horsepower, 166 lb-ft of torque 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment. For those that want a bit more punch, step up to the 3.5 liter V6 that pumps out 273 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque paired with the same 6-speed automatic tranny. All-wheel-drive is available on all but the base Sorrento.

 

The V6 is certainly powerful and quick but the 4-cylinder offers plenty of performance for pretty much all but the most demanding performance driver. That’s because the new Sorrento has shed some 400 pounds which of course affects performance, fuel economy and handling, which is much more agile than the predecessor. The mpg numbers for the 2.4-liter are 21/29 with the V6 numbers coming in at 19/26 in 2WD with just about a 1mpg loss in the AWD drive train.  

I’m very impressed with the direction Kia is going with styling and quality throughout the line up albeit at a cost. Although the base Sorrento still starts under $20,000 if you’re not careful you can add a lot of goodies that can run the price into the mid $30,000 range in a hurry. The new Sorrento is in some pretty hefty competition with the likes of the Chevy Equinox, Nissan’s Murano just to name a couple. Kia’s edge is the 100,000 mile warranty so it will be interesting to see how the Sorrento does. My guess is it’ll do just fine. So if you’re looking for an SUV that's roomy, efficient with enough punch to get the job done, and a great warranty to boot, you need to check out the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento. It may be just what you’re looking for.