2011 Kia Sorento Bottom Line

By  Marty Padgett, Executive EditorMarty Padgett

High Gear Media drove a 2011 Kia Sorento provided by the manufacturer to produce this hands-on road test.

The crossover world is bracing for change with the arrival of the 2011 Kia Sorento. Formerly a truck-based SUV with frame rails and some real off-road capability, the new Sorento leaves the trails behind for a new mission that's all about toting families in car-like comfort. It's aimed at the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Ford Edge-a mix of smaller and larger car-based utility vehicles. The Sorento fits in the Kia lineup between the small Sportage and the big Borrego SUV, and enters production later this year at a new factory in West Point, Georgia. It goes on sale during the first week in January with a base price of less than $20,000, and comes in LX, EX and EX V-6 versions.

Kia's new direction for the Sorento kicks off with attractive styling. The Sorento sits lower now, and it's taken on some of the cues from Kia's passenger cars, like the "Schreyer line" named for the chief designer Peter Schreyer, that splits headlamps from its grille. The headlamps and grille form a wide arc across the somewhat high nose, and wrap into a fairly deep wedge that defines the sideview. Kia dubs the sideview a "flying wing," and the vertical pillar at the tailgate does give it an aerospace look-as well as a passing resemblance to the Acura NSX. The passeger space is defined by a somewhat imposing dash: drivers face three big oval gauges with clearly marked faces, and a center stack with a large LCD screen flanked by big vents and footed by three big, round, useful climate-control knobs. It's a simple, clean look that's dulled only by some dull, open-grained plastic across the dash and the tops of the doors-and some unconvincing fake-wood trim on some versions.

TheCarConnection drove one of two available engine/transmission combinations from Atlanta to the new Kia plant in West Point, Georgia. There will be a 172-horsepower four-cylinder engine, available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. For this test, Kia provided Sorentos with a 273-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 and a six-speed automatic transmission, in both front- and all-wheel-drive trim. Confined to interstates because of local flooding, the test drive showed big progress in the Sorento's road feel and refinement. The big V-6 doesn't mind snapping to redline to needle the Sorento through traffic, and has a well-tuned mechanical howl through its powerband. The automatic transmission's a Kia design, and shifts without drama, but a set of shift paddles would be a welcome addition. There's a manual-shift mode on the shift lever, but plenty of room for paddles behind the steering wheel. Fuel economy with the four-cylinder engine is 21/29 mpg, with the V-6 dropping only 1 mpg to 20/28 mpg.

The Sorento's ride quality is a touch more rumbly than you might expect on construction-riddled interstates, but it's mostly noise and light impact feel you notice-it's more softly sprung than the RAV4 and CR-V, with steering that's willing but not exceptionally quick, and a whiff of torque steer with front-drive models. The all-wheel-drive system sends most of the power to the front wheels, but when traction changes it can send 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels. Drivers can also lock the differential at a 50:50 power split, and Kia includes downhill descent control and hill-hold assists, but no true low range (or any real need) to make this a true off-road vehicle. However, the Sorento can tow 3500 pounds in some trims.

With a body about 3 inches longer than before, the 2011 Kia Sorento totes people and their stuff more ably than the outgoing version. With an overall length of 184.4 inches and a 106.3-inch wheelbase, it splits the crossover category with CR-Vs and Escapes below it and RAV4s and Edges above it in size. The perception of space inside is better than in, say, the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, and in its class only the RAV4 also offers a third-row seat. The front seats are unexpectedly well bolstered (in leather-trimmed versions), and have lots of head and leg room. The second-row seats are usable for six-foot adults, with reclining seatbacks added for long road trips. The third row is for children only: the seat cushion sits almost on the floor. For flexibility's sake, the third-row seat folds flat to reveal a cargo area with a decently low load floor, and the second-row seats fold forward to expose a total of 72.5 cubic feet of hauling room. With the third-row seat in place, cargo room drops to a measly 9.1 cubic feet, and the seatback itself sits close to the rear hatch glass. Universally, Kia's assembly quality has moved to global standards and the Georgia-built Sorento is no exception. For its price, the hard plastic on the dash and doors is understandable, though TheCarConnection's editors wouldn't mind a tighter grain and something other than the unconvincing fake wood option on some versions.

Safety is a major initiative at Kia. All its new vehicles come with airbags, stability control and are engineered with five-star safety in mind. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) hasn't yet tested the Sorento, but Kia does fit it with standard side and three-row curtain airbags, stability control and anti-lock brakes-and the Sorento's already scored five stars from Europe's car-safety agency. Visibility is fine, and Kia makes a rearview camera available on high-end versions.

Kia also fits some useful features to every Sorento, and adds some family-friendly options to the order sheet. The Sorento LX has standard tilt/telescoping steering; steering-wheel audio controls; cruise control; air conditioning; power features; Sirius satellite radio; Bluetooth connectivity; and USB connectivity for audio players. The EX adds push-button start; backup sensors; automatic headlamps; a power driver seat; dual-zone climate control; 18-inch wheels; fog lamps; a rear spoiler; and ionized filtration. The EX V6 adds the third-row seats with rear air conditioning. Options include an Infinitiy audio system; a navigation system with a rearview camera; leather seating; roof rails; a panoramic sunroof; and a DVD entertainment system.