Kia has really evolved
rapidly. It started out as a humble Korean make not unlike Hyundai. But the key
difference in their stories was the velocity with which the product was
accepted. Hyundai took 20 years to become the trusted brand it is today after
selling some rather dismal vehicles to North America in the 80’s and 90’s.
Kia on the other hand came
onto the scene and almost immediately offered us decent vehicles, and if it had
not been for the Hyundai factor, the fear of new Korean brands, I think they
would have become popular immediately. But with the passing of a few years
people have begun to trust the brand and their vehicles are almost at premium
levels of competition.
Kia Canada gave me a 2016 Sorento SX+ AWD with the
optional 7-seat configuration to test for a week.
The focus of the recent
remodel was two-fold. First and most obviously is the new front end, what a
looker. The quad fog lights and new grille look upscale almost Germanic, and
the interior layout if fantastic.
But second and more
importantly was the focus on comfort, not performance. That being said the
handling is by no means boat-like and although there is body roll it is
controlled and progressive rather than scary and abundant.
There is limited steering
feel provided by the electric power steering system that again has been
designed with smoothness and comfortable handling characteristics in mind.
Keeping your family safe are
all the latest technologies from lane keeping alert, Hill start assist, 360 degree
camera, adaptive cruise control and many more.
The available AWD system
will function autonomously, but with the flick of a switch, the driver can
engage a 4WD lock mode that balances the delivery of engine power evenly to all
4 wheels. This system also comes with a torque vectoring function that will
come to the rescue if the system senses understeer.
The 2016 Kia Sorento is available with the choice
of 3 engines, of which 2 are 4 cylinder designs; a 2.0L Turbo that develops 240
hp, and the base 2.4L naturally aspirated that only puts out 185 hp.
My tester had a wonderfully
smooth 290 horsepower V6 mated to an equally refined automatic 6-speed
transmission. This transmission is standard with all engines.
The V6 is the only logical
choice for anyone who hopes to pull a trailer with its 5,ooo lb towing capacity
and is the one I would choose.
It offers all the power I
would ever need, runs quietly and only requires regular gasoline. The fuel
economy estimates for the V6 are 18/26/21 mpg (city/highway/combined).
The interior is large, very
nice and extremely black. It has two tones of black however, matte and gloss.
Everything has a premium
look and even the plastics seem better than most.
The front seats had both
heating and cooling ability the latter of which was much needed the week I
drove it. For those chilly winter mornings the heated steering wheel quickly
warms your hands.
The second row seats are
equally comfortable with enough legroom for all and even the third row seats,
which my tester had, were hospitable enough for adults on short trips.
The overall cargo volume has
increased to 154.2 cu.ft and the space available behind the 3rd row is now 38.8
cu.ft and can be secured with the optional cargo cover.
To add convenience the
second row seatbacks can be folded via a lever mounted on the side of the
luggage area.
When the seats are all laid
flat the cargo area is level and easily accessible with a comfortable load
height.
Thanks to options like the
panoramic sunroof and 630-watt 12 speaker Infinity stereo the Sorento gains a
premium ambience usually reserved for more prestigious brands.
Kia has included a full
range of connectivity that is accessed through an 8-inch capacitive-touch color
screen, with an available navigation system with the very handy real time
traffic alert, USB 2.0 support for high-speed updates as well as integrated
rear backup camera, Bluetooth hands-free support and UVO voice recognition.
All of the controls are
placed just right and the touch screen system is easy to navigate and
understand.
On the road the driving aids
made parking this vehicle a cinch, and the adaptive cruise control was so nice
I now think it should be a legislated standard.
I drove a Land Rover
Discovery the week before the Sorento and loved it; but I have to say that the
Kia has me questioning the extra $10,000 fee for the Rover and any of the other
premium CUV’s.
Besides the infamous four
wheel drive, which no one ever really uses, and the more refined ride quality,
the Kia offers everything the top end players do.
Even the exterior styling
drew more attention to the Kia than I received in the Discovery, and that
attention was almost always from the driver of a premium brand SUV.
The 2016 Kia Sorento SX+ AWD
V6 really is the total package. It looks fantastic, it is very comfortable and
offers all the convenience most will ever need. The best part is it does so for
a lot less than the competition and you could argue that it could compete in
the premium segment.
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