Welcome to Kia Sorento reviews, we put this website to help you find out about this vehicle. Buying a car can be one of the largest investments that you may make so it’s important to make an informed decision.
Whilst there used to be (and may still be) a stigma surrounding Korean cars, thanks to the first production of the Kia Sorento in 2002 that stigma was reversed. By anyone’s standards the Sorento is worthy of being on your ‘to consider’ list. This vehicle is a body on frame SUV (also called a mid-size crossover SUV), it is stylish, powerful, rugged, spacious, aggressive and is ideal for those who enjoy family life or simply need a larger vehicle for whatever reason. It’s also ideal for those who just like to be a ‘big boy’ on the road.
“The 2009 and earlier models perform great both on and off road, with the four wheel drive system which also features low range gears. The powerful engines deliver great performance and torque. “
Here’s the brief history of this increasingly popular motor vehicle
The first generation Kia Sorento (2002-2009) came in a base ‘LX’ model with a sport upgrade available, this gave you a 5 speed manual box, step bars, leather steering wheel, roof rack, remote keyless system, fog lamps and alloys. All of these features are available in the new models as well, the rather cool 4×4 drive system came with an on the fly shift knob located to the left of the steering column. This gives three modes of operation, 2-wheel, 4-wheel high and 4-wheel low which allows for both versatile on and off road use.
You got a great engine with the first generation Kia Sorentos (which was up rated in 2007). A Hyundai 3.5 DOHC V6 was fitted as standard which yielded a rather nice 192hp, you also got just over 21 gallons of fuel tank storage.
The Sorento is also a very tough and safe vehicle, boasting anti lock 4 wheel disc brakes and also a chassis based on the ‘ladder frame design’ which makes it much more rigid than other vehicles in the same class. In fact this frame design is used in heavy duty building trucks!
The 2007 – 2009 Kia Sorento Upgrades
The engine was upgraded from the 3.5L to the 3.8L lambda, this gives a LOT more bang for your buck, giving a horsepower increased to 262, from the previous 192hp. Head and tail lamps were also up rated, Kia also did away with the 5 speed manual transmission replacing it with a trip-tronic system. It’s also comforting to note that the Sorentos safety record continued to grow and it was awarded a 5 star crash rating for frontal and side impact tests by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the US)
Body trims and grilles were also given a light facelift, plus the Sorento went on sale in Canada in August 2008 and America in April 2009.
2009 – Present, The Second Generation
The new design in our opinion is far superior in both looks and performance. The altered body shape and front end (Tiger Nose) looks far superior and sleek, the new model is code named XMA. Kia was so successful that they were able to open a factory in the US and this was the first model to be manufactured there.
The new Sorento is a car based crossover and is based on a ‘unibody’ construction, the suspension was also altered to be all independent therefore much improving ride and handling. With the various changes the vehicle weighs around 470 lbs less than the older models, offering more economy and performance.
Interestingly, upon production of this new generation Kia actually considered changing the name, because the Sorento is now based on a car-truck crossover and the previous generations were SUV’s, but they eventually decided to leave the name as is.
Since January 2011 there are 3 models available…..the LX, EX and the top of the range SX model. If you opt for the SX then you will get the 3.5L V6 engine which offers a very tasty 276hp. The other models come with the straight 4 cylinder engine, although you can upgrade to the V6 version.
Still Safe?
The 2011 Kia Sorento is still one of the safest vehicles on the road, it’s been awarded the maximum 5 star rating from many worldwide crash safety experts. The XM Sorento was also awarded the ‘Top Safety Pick’ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the US.
At Kia Sorento reviews we feel this vehicle is well worth the money, it provides a robust, powerful and stylish method of transportation (although the older models look rather bland) at a reasonable price. We would thoroughly recommend taking one for a test drive and if your budget can stretch to it, go for the 2nd generation models!
This would make a great family vehicle and you can rest assured that it’s very safe also. When giving the Kia Sorento a rating we have taken all points discussed in this review into consideration.
