When
trying to squeeze a large family into a car, it's sometimes hard to argue with
the mantra of “bigger is better.” Nonetheless, Kia's Sorento midsize crossover
– newly redesigned for the 2016 model year – continues its resistance toward
the girth found in such best-sellers as the Ford Explorer or Honda Pilot. The
2016 Sorento squeezes usable seating for seven into a relatively compact
footprint.
The
Sorento did grow a bit in its latest redesign, to sit more firmly in the
midsize class; the outgoing 2015 model was a little closer in size – if not
price – to something like a Ford Escape or Honda CR-V. Other welcome
improvements include upgraded cabin trim, vastly improved safety ratings, a
smoother ride, new features, and fresh styling. It continues to be pleasant,
not ponderous, to drive, and it fits more easily into garages and parking
spaces than many other crossovers. An Explorer – the best-selling three-row
crossover – is over four inches wider and nearly a foot longer than even the
newly enlarged 2016 Sorento.
However,
you have to really value that smaller footprint, as the Sorento's price tag
remains right in line with the Explorer and other larger competitors. The
tested mid-level EX model with leather seats and all-wheel-drive but no sunroof
or navigation system has a sticker price of $37,045, and adding those items
would push it past $40,000. And most of those larger competitors have clear
advantages over the Sorento when it comes to carrying passengers and cargo;
it's the bare minimum for seven-passenger capacity, and has minimal space for
luggage behind the third-row seat.
The
other target customer for the Sorento is the one who
doesn't care about the third-row seat, who would buy one of the models without
it or would keep it folded out of the way nearly all of the time and forget
that it's there. (The third-row is standard on all V6 Sorentos and a $1,000
option with the less-powerful of two four-cylinder options.)
This
buyer would be shopping the Sorento against the five-passenger Ford Edge or
Nissan Murano, models that take greater liberties with style because they don't
need to squeeze in more seats; or perhaps the Subaru Outback, which doesn't
really take any styling liberties but which excels for versatility and fuel
economy. Kia, meanwhile, splits the difference on the Sorento with an assertive
front end that sits ahead of a more boxy, family-friendly shape. (As on
three-row crossovers like the Acura MDX and Toyota Highlander the Sorento uses
the shape of its windows to evoke a curvier silhouette, but its similarity to
the Kia Sedona minivan is clear from behind.)
It's
hard to write a review of a Kia
car without acknowledging the brand's recent past, which was humble at best –
an image that the marque has yet to fully shake off even as it's revamped its
product line and added a pair of premium sedans, one of which reaches past
$60,000. But the 2016 Sorento neither blows away the competition nor wildly
undercuts their prices. Rather, it's a solidly competitive product for
crossover buyers who don't seek a vast interior, which should be shopped
carefully among other strong competitors.
Why to buy it
A key Sorento strength is the premium
ambiance to its cabin and its quiet ride. Materials are first-rate for a
mainstream car – nicely padded surfaces that scream neither opulence nor
cheapness – and fit and finish is almost without blemish. Pricier models include
additional luxury touches like higher-grade leather. The interior's styling is
modern without looking overwrought. Nice features like built-in window shades
are available even on the tested mid-grade car.
The
Sorento's ride isn't extra-plush, but it's comfortable and composed by the
standards of the class. It's a big step up over the previous generation, which
could jostle you a little. Handling remains at the level of decent for a
midsize crossover but hardly engaging. The old Sorento was also noisier; the
2016 is impressively quiet except for the rich note of its powerful 3.3-liter
V6.
That
V6, with a six-speed automatic, carries over from last year, but fuel economy
ratings have improved a bit to 18 miles per gallon in the city, 26 mpg on the
highway, and 21 mpg in mixed driving as tested. (The Sorento's EPA ratings vary
by trim level even with the same engine.) The tested V6 Sorento returned 23.2
miles per gallon in a week of mixed driving that had a little more highway than
city, which is rather good for a powerful crossover. It fell far short of the
trip computer's promised 26.4 mpg, though, a bigger discrepancy than in most of
today's cars.
New to
the 2016 Sorento is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with less horsepower than
the V6 yet more torque, and slightly better fuel economy. The 2.0-liter is
found on five-passenger mid- and upper-level Sorentos, costing a few hundred
dollars less than comparable seven-passenger V6s. Kia has successfully used a
four-cylinder turbo in the midsize Optima sedan for several years – promising
to provide four-cylinder fuel economy when you drive gently and V6-like power
when you push it – but it won't have the same rich roar of the tested
six-cylinder. The base L and LX Sorentos have a carryover 2.4-liter engine that's
also not a bad engine, but it's quite down on power with relatively little fuel
economy advantage; the LX also offers the V6.
As
noted previously, Kia
has fit a third row seat into a smaller vehicle than most competitors have. If
you were otherwise shopping five-seat crossovers, that might mean an extra dose
of versatility for occasional use, which won't be in the way the rest of the
time. If a third row is mandatory or important, it's delivered in the Sorento
in a less bulky package than in most competitors. And although it's not a very
comfortable third row, it is a real seat.
The
Sorento also has competitive cargo space with similarly sized vehicles like the
Ford Edge, either in the five-passenger version or with the third row folded
down. The seats fold easily and, unlike in the 2015, they lie nicely flat when
folded. You may need to adjust the front seats or remove the rear head
restraints to get enough clearance to fold the middle row, though, which is
annoying; the third row's pivot down and out of the way, also aiding rear
visibility. You also need to pull a lever to raise the middle row, making it
into a two-hand job. For further hauling needs, the V6 Sorento is rated to
tow up to 5,000 pounds, on the high end for a crossover.
Crash
test results are now outstanding, and new safety features include
forward-collision warning (though without an automatic braking system) and rear
cross-path detection. The tested car also includes blind-spot warning and a
full complement of airbags, and a rearview camera is standard on all but the
base L model.
Some
may find it strange that the price tag is one of the last advantages mentioned about
a Kia, but the Sorento is
honestly not a crazy-priced deal. (Neither was last year's model, for the
matter.) Base prices starting around $25,000 are tempting, but unless you're
comfortable to go very easy on the options, that quickly inflates to approximately
the same price point as the competition. It does have at least a slight edge
over most comparably equipped midsize or large crossovers. Kia also has one of
the industry's longest warranties.
Why to skip it
If size
for the money is a key metric, the Sorento is a tough sell over a Ford
Explorer, Honda Pilot, or Hyundai Santa Fe – the best three choices among large
three-row crossovers. The 2016 Sorento has grown, but it still just can't
compete with these larger, similarly priced models for interior space. Even the
Kia's middle row has no surplus of knee clearance except behind short
front-seat occupants, and the third row is a tight squeeze, awkward to get
into, and even more difficult to escape from. Tiny third-row windows also offer
little view out for the small children who'd fit there best.
The
Sorento's front seats are also just okay compared to some truly excellent
competitors. They have a sporty shape, but the contours keep occupants on the
flat sections, without feeling snugly held in place or relaxing on a cushy
perch. Again – not bad, but not outstanding.
Another
key weak point – shared with the Santa Fe but not the Pilot or Explorer – is a
pittance of cargo space behind the third row seat. The Sorento has just 11.3 cubic
feet back there, an improvement over last year's but still just a few inches of
depth. A Pilot has 64 percent more space behind the third row, and the Explorer
has nearly twice as much – potentially the difference between whether you need
to sacrifice seating capacity to fit your groceries, or whether a family picnic
requires a rooftop luggage carrier.
Some
buyers will also seek more engaging driving dynamics. The Sorento is competent
but distant, without the sense of directness from the steering or accelerator
that you'd get from a Ford Edge or even a Hyundai Santa Fe, making those models
more enjoyable to drive and imparting a greater sense of sophistication. The
Kia's smooth-shifting transmission also sometimes found itself in the wrong
gear, though less conspicuously than when this reviewer noticed the problem in
a tested 2014 model.
A final
issue with the Sorento is its infotainment system. Kia makes a great system
called Uvo, which has tremendous capability without being a pain to use. But
most Sorentos, including the $37,000 test car, have only a tiny infotainment
touchscreen; you need to buy a $2,900 package with a navigation system and
panoramic sunroof to get the generously sized screen that the car deserves.
Kia's reluctance to give out the nice system to most buyers is a little hard to
stomach in a world where even some $17,000 economy cars' screens are generously
sized. (This reviewer would like to applaud Kia, however, for making a fairly
typical Sorento available for evaluation, instead of just the top-trim version
with every available option.)
Also,
while the Sorento's controls are nicely laid out, the shape of the dashboard
keeps the audio controls recessed farther from the driver, pulling some of them
– notably the radio's tuning knob – out of comfortable reach. The tuning knob
is further aggravating because you must push it to select a station, without
accidentally twisting it as you lean forward to reach it.
If you just love it
If
something about the Sorento really resonates with you personally – the way it
looks, the design of its cupholder, a particular rare feature, or anything else
– the main thing to keep in mind is whether it will be large enough for the
needs of you and your family. There's a reason that huge vehicles are hugely
popular, and, as noted, the Sorento is priced equivalently to such vehicles.
Otherwise, it's a pleasant, well-finished vehicle with lots of nice features,
great safety ratings, and a long warranty.
If you just hate it
If
something about the Sorento simply rubs you the wrong way but you do want a car
much like this one, there are a few other three-row crossovers that avoid
full-size bulk. The Mitsubishi Outlander and Dodge Journey are the closest
equivalents, and both are credible options at lower prices than this Kia.
However,
both come with important caveats. The Kia is a luxury car compared to the
Mitsubishi, which has a tinny, cheap feel. And the Journey, while respectably
premium, feels ponderous to drive; it has the price advantage of a smaller
vehicle, but not the maneuverability and agility. There's also the Nissan
Rogue, one size smaller, though its third row is more nominal and its luxury
levels don't impress.
The
Hyundai Santa Fe is another fine choice. It fits in size between the Sorento and
Explorer, and an impressively natural feel to its driving dynamics help avoid a
bulky feel. Its main drawback – aside from not having that much more cargo
space than the Sorento – is a weak score of Marginal in the tough IIHS
small-overlap crash test, the second lowest rating of four. The previous
Sorento was Poor, the lowest; the 2016 Sorento is Good, the highest.
And do
try out some of the other big crossovers like the Pilot and Explorer; you might
find them to feel a lot less intimidating from the driver's seat than you'd
expect from looking at them. An obligatory mention of the supremely functional
minivan – with more space than any crossover – is also in order; Kia's newly
redesigned Sedona is one of the best, and the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna
also impress. Only the latter offers all-wheel-drive, though.
For
someone who isn't focused on three rows of seats, the Ford Edge is a class
leader for its balance of driving dynamics, fuel economy, and interior comfort,
and the Nissan Murano isn't far off. The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport – a shorter,
four-cylinder, five-passenger version of the seven-passenger Santa Fe – is a
leading budget option. And the aforementioned Subaru Outback is capable,
versatile, comfortable, and fuel efficient, though you'd most likely end up
with a modestly powered four-cylinder engine instead of a V6 or a turbo.
Overall
The
2016 Sorento is a pleasant midsize crossover represents a solid improvement
over its predecessor, with more space, an upgraded interior, improved driving
dynamics, and more features, without a price increase. If it's the right size
for you, it's a solid choice; if it's not, similarly priced alternative abound.
No comments:
Post a Comment