Not
that long ago a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine was reserved for compact cars. It's
easy to see why. A smaller engine meant smaller power and thus meant it was
only fit for a smaller car, lest it get overwhelmed trying to move more metal.
Nowadays,
this isn't the case. Just as V6 engines displaced many V8s, 4-cylinder
powerplants are supplanting or supplementing 6-cylinder engines in today's
models. Thanks to improvements in technology, engineering and efficiency, these
smaller engines are powering bigger vehicles, and doing so quite well.
New Sorento, new engine
One of
the latest examples of this is the 2016 Kia
Sorento. With this all-new
version of Kia's midsize
crossover SUV comes an all-new engine option: a 2.0-liter turbocharged
4-cylinder. Packing 240 horsepower and earning up to 27 mpg on the highway in front-wheel-drive
(FWD) form, this innovative powerplant splits the difference between the Kia's naturally aspirated
4-cylinder and topline V6 engines. Like those other engines, this one is can be
linked to an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that even offers a locking center
differential for better traction at low speeds on rough and rugged roads. The
more-with-less theme continues in the towing department. The Sorento's new 2.0-liter engine
is rated to pull up to 3,500 pounds in both FWD and AWD form. That matches the
tow rating of a front-drive V6 Sorento, though it still can't match the
5,000-pound towing ability of an AWD V6 Sorento. (The base
4-cylinder Sorento's
tow rating, by comparison, maxes out at 2,000 pounds.)
So how's it drive?
Numbers
are one thing, real-world driving another. And the news is good. Exceptionally
good, in fact. The turbocharged Kia
Sorento is surprisingly
potent, and in these hands felt even more powerful than its impressive 240-horsepower
figure would indicate. Among this Sorento's X-factors are its
torque rating -- 260 lb-ft that is actually 8 more than the V6 -- and its fine
turbocharging technology that is void of lag. Turbo lag is an oft-griped trait
of many such engines. It is characterized by a lapse in action between when you
press the accelerator and the turbo spools up to power the vehicle forward.
It's no fun when you're trying to get around that slow-moving vehicle on a
2-lane road and need power like, now.
Thankfully
that isn't the case with Kia's 2.0-liter turbo. It delivers thrust quickly and
smoothly, similar to a V6. In fact, the engine is so good that I popped the
hood just to confirm I wasn't actually driving a V6 Sorento.
One more thing to know
As the
middle child in the Sorento's engine lineup, this new turbo-4 makes is a fine
choice that delivers the satisfaction of a V6, the potential to save some fuel
and, with a starting cost of around $32,000, a slightly lower price than a
comparable V6 trim level. One caveat, though: this turbocharged Sorento is only offered in
2-row, 5-passenger form. If you want seating for more, you'll have to pick
another engine. A 7-passenger/3-row setup is optional on Sorentos with the
base, 185-horsepower 4-cylinder and standard with the 290-horsepower 3.3-liter
V6. 
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