2014 Kia Sorento

PREVIEW

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Two new engines are available, a 191 hp 2.4L 4-cylinder and a 290 hp 3.3L V6. 2. Four-cylinder models are rated at a best of 20/26 mpg (city/highway) and V6 models at 18/24 mpg, though slightly less for models with AWD. 3. Starting at 24,950 the Limited trim tops out at a pricey $38,850. 4. New for 2014 is a Flex Steer system with three settings for Comfort, Normal and Sport.

If you are looking for a mid-size SUV with premium features that doesn’t have a premium nameplate attached to it (or the price tag), then the Kia Sorento has been a decent choice for many over the last decade, especially if you have the need to transport seven people at a time.

But the market in which the Sorento roams is getting more and more crowded. Nissan has launched a new seven-passenger Pathfinder, and Kia’s corporate cousin Hyundai also has a new, longer wheelbase version of the Santa Fe hitting the market.

INTERIOR

It is the same story when you step inside. Kia has made quite a few improvements to the interior, but nothing will strike out at you as original. While there are more soft touch materials along with slightly improved ergonomics, the initial feelings are that of familiarity. Anyone with a current Sorento will feel right at home in the new model.

An area of improvement worth noting is that there is now 1.2-inches more legroom for the second row plus more for the third as well, however as we found out, getting in and out of the third row is tricky and would require one to contort like a Cirque du Soleil gymnast.

If you use it as a five-passenger vehicle, it works much better, since by folding the third-row seats, you gain plenty of extra cargo space, expanding from 37 cu-ft to 72.5 cu-ft. And with the availability of a power tailgate, getting into the cargo area is just a press of a button away.

                                   

UNDER THE HOOD

The upgrade motor, as fitted to our tester, is the new 3.3-liter, V6, which also features GDI. This replaces the old 3.5-liter, V6 motor, but while the new engine is smaller, it produces more power at 290 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque, a gain of 14 hp and 4 lb-ft.More changes can be found under the hood. As before, there are two engines available, though both are new. The new base motor is a 2.4-liter, inline-four cylinder unit which now features Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI). This replaces the old motor that while was the same size, but featured Multi Port Injection (MPI). The 2.4 GDI motor produces 191-hp and 181-lb-ft of torque.

Regardless of the engine, or choosing a front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) model, the only transmission on offer is a six-speed automatic with manual-override. This is a smooth gearbox, but certainly one that doesn’t enjoy being rushed. Neither is the V6 in the Sorento as efficient as the turbo four-cylinder in the Santa Fe. Kia estimates 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. On our mostly highway test, we managed just 20 mpg, and considering this route had very little in the way of traffic or elevation changes – not very impressive.Leaving it in “D” it seems to make brief pauses every time it gears up. This might have been done deliberately to maximize fuel economy, but it certainly makes the vehicle feel slow out on the road. This is not an exciting vehicle to drive.

Kia says that the reason they went for a V6 motor over a forced-induction four-cylinder is because they believe that most of the people who buy such a vehicle have boats and ATVs to tow around, and the V6 motor is going to be more reliable in the long run for such duty. They also said, that while the 3,500 lb towing capacity is similar to the Santa Fe, this is limited by the platform (which these two Korean SUVs share). This engine in a stronger chassis can apparently pull more.