I’ve
been driving our long-term 2016 Kia Sorento
for a month now. I’m still shaking it down, getting everything set up to my
personal preferences and really getting familiar with the operation of the
vehicle. It’s funny how the unfamiliar snaps into focus and becomes comfortable
with time. It’s a lesson that I have to learn over and over when reviewing
cars: Driving a car is a relationship. It’s a give and take. There’s a period
of adjustment when objective issues are perceived as flaws, when in reality
they’re just differences from what I’m used to. The placement of buttons and
knob, levers and controls, becomes more and more intuitive with every drive.
With every mile, I spend less time thinking about how to operate the Sorento, and more time simply
driving and enjoying the experience.
I’ve
had a lot of experience with radar-based cruise control systems on other
vehicles, and there are good systems and not-so-good systems. I made extensive
use of the ASCC system on my Sorento
during this road trip, and I’ve come to believe that it is an essential feature
of the vehicle. Using a radar sensor, ASCC can detect traffic in my path and
adjust my speed to maintain a pre-set following distance. The system can bring
the car all the way down to a complete stop, and can even restart forward
progress if we’re stopped for less than three seconds. It’s not autonomous
driving – I still have to pay attention, and be prepared to override the cruise
control if someone darts in front of me, for instance. But it does greatly
reduce stress and fatigue in stop-and-go traffic, and it adds a comforting level
of confidence during highway cruising. I pay close attention when I drive, but
it’s nice to know that I’ve got another virtual eye on the road in case I need
it. It’s worlds ahead of conventional cruise control, and well worth buying the
package of extras just to get it.
I
usually find Lane Departure Warning systems a bother, so I’m glad that Sorento’s is so easy to
switch off, and its default setting in my test vehicle is “off.” I did turn it
on to test it during highway cruising. It gives a visual warning (a flashing
icon in the instrument cluster) and an audible beep if you let the car drift
over the lane dividing line. It does not give haptic response or any steering
or braking input, and it won’t activate when you have switched on your turn
signal. I might find this system useful during a really long drive, or when I’m
fatigued or driving at night. For now, I’m going to leave it in the “off” mode.
I made
some time to take a quick road trip in the Sorento
this month, from my home in North Hollywood to San Diego and back, a round trip
of about 350 miles. I wanted to explore some of the driver assistance
technologies on my test car, and this highway drive would give me the chance to
experience a wide range of road and traffic conditions, as well as a long
enough drive to evaluate comfort issues.
As a
reminder, my test vehicle is a 2016 Kia
Sorento SXL FWD. It has a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct injection 4-cylinder
engine. The EPA estimates fuel economy at 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/23 mpg
combined. The Sorento SXL FWD
base price is $39,900 ($43,295 as tested). My vehicle came with a $2,500 “SXL
Technology Package,” which includes Xenon HID headlights, Lane Departure
Warning System (LDWS), Forward Collision Warning System, Electronic Parking
Brake, Surround View Monitor and Advanced Smart Cruise Control (ASCC).
I’ve
had a lot of experience with radar-based cruise control systems on other
vehicles, and there are good systems and not-so-good systems. I made extensive
use of the ASCC system on my Sorento
during this road trip, and I’ve come to believe that it is an essential feature
of the vehicle. Using a radar sensor, ASCC can detect traffic in my path and
adjust my speed to maintain a pre-set following distance. The system can bring
the car all the way down to a complete stop, and can even restart forward
progress if we’re stopped for less than three seconds. It’s not autonomous
driving – I still have to pay attention, and be prepared to override the cruise
control if someone darts in front of me, for instance. But it does greatly
reduce stress and fatigue in stop-and-go traffic, and it adds a comforting level
of confidence during highway cruising. I pay close attention when I drive, but
it’s nice to know that I’ve got another virtual eye on the road in case I need
it. It’s worlds ahead of conventional cruise control, and well worth buying the
package of extras just to get it.
I did
not get a chance to test the Forward Collision Warning System, but it uses the
same sensor and much of the same technology to enhance safety. Even if you
don’t activate the ASCC, the radar sensor is still active and scanning the road
ahead. If it detects an imminent collision and you haven’t hit the brakes yet,
the Forward Collision Warning System gives you visual and audible warning that
you’re about to drive into big trouble. It doesn’t take the next step, like
Mercedes-Benz ’s system does, and pre-charge and apply the brakes for you; but
it could definitely help avoid a collision or warn you soon enough that you can
slow down and lessen the damage. I hope I don’t get to find out.
I
usually find Lane Departure Warning systems a bother, so I’m glad that Sorento’s is so easy to
switch off, and its default setting in my test vehicle is “off.” I did turn it
on to test it during highway cruising. It gives a visual warning (a flashing
icon in the instrument cluster) and an audible beep if you let the car drift
over the lane dividing line. It does not give haptic response or any steering
or braking input, and it won’t activate when you have switched on your turn
signal. I might find this system useful during a really long drive, or when I’m
fatigued or driving at night. For now, I’m going to leave it in the “off” mode.
Comfort-wise,
I’m really pleased with the Sorento so far. The
SXL trim level comes with a standard 14-way power heated and ventilated
driver’s seat with premium Nappa leather trim. Combined with a tilt and
telescope adjustable steering wheel, I settled in for my long cruise and
remained comfortable for the whole ride. The seat is firm, yet cushioned. We’ll
see how it holds up over the next year. For now, it’s a very nice perch. The
cabin is extremely quiet while driving, which is also a strong feature for a
road trip car.
I’m
still fumfering with the infotainment system in my Sorento. I’m not
satisfied with how long it takes to pair my iPhone via Bluetooth every time I
get in the car, and I don’t love the default messages that the system gives me
each time I drive. Next month, I’ll work to tame the Sorento’s dash so
that I can get the most out of it.
Fuel
economy so far has been close to the EPA’s 23 mpg combined estimate, as I’ve
been achieving about 22.2 mpg in mixed driving. That doesn’t sound great, but
considering the Sorento’s nearly two-ton girth, I’m impressed so far.
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