2011 Kia Sorento Review

Kia Sorento

The 2011 Kia Sorento has been fully redesigned. Overall, though, the Sorento is a highly impressive effort.
After seeing the KIA Sorento in other colors and also testing a dark gray model, I'm positive that the Sorento can look great ... in any other color. The new KIA Sorento is now technically a crossover — as opposed to an SUV — because it rides on an anybody platform.

In base form, the KIA Sorento comes with front-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine. Four-wheel drive brings the curb weight up to 3,929 pounds. I tested a front-wheel-drive four-cylinder model, and it drove like a heavier vehicle; it felt much more substantial than the four-cylinder Dodge Journey I had rented a week earlier (which weighs 3,796 pounds) and had somewhat-heavy steering.

Estimated gas mileage is 21/29 mpg city/highway for this model when it's equipped with the automatic transmission, but I only managed 19 mpg during mostly highway driving. Apart from the sports-car-like Murano, the V-6 Sorento stands out among its competition in terms of engine performance. I was impressed with the Sorento's all-wheel-drive system, which has an electronic locking center differential. Cargo room is tremendous in the KIA Sorento. This bests midsize crossovers like the Ford Edge (69 cubic feet total), as well.

The KIA Sorento has the same overall interior scheme, but it rightly feels richer. The KIA Sorento starts at just under $20,000, but my V-6 four-wheel-drive test car easily broke $30,000 with options. The 2011 Kia Sorento is a crossover SUV offered in four trim levels: base, LX, EX and the sporty SX. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available on EX V6 models without the sunroof.

All KIA Sorento trim levels come standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard across the board, while LX and EX models are eligible for all-wheel drive. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined with the front-wheel-drive automatic. The 2011 Kia Sorento comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control, hill-start assist, hill descent control, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and front active head restraints.

As with the RAV4, the 2011 Kia Sorento is a tale of two engines. At highway speeds, the Sorento's cabin remains impressively isolated from both road and wind noise.

The 2011 Kia Sorento straddles the line between compact and midsize SUVs. Though the Sorento can cost more than $29,000 if you opt for the highest trim, a modestly equipped base model is quite a good value. Kia estimates the new Sorento’s base fuel economy at 21/29 mpg city/highway. So far, test drivers say the all-new Sorento has few faults. Just remember that you won’t be getting the Sorento’s excellent warranty coverage.

Since the KIA Sorento can be compared to both compact and midsize SUVs, buyers should shop both classes. Since the RAV4 and Sorento are so similar, it’s best to test drive them both.