The 2013 Kia Sorento Full Review

Estimated Price Range: N6.5-8Million

Who’s noticed that new Kia cars have been looking quite ravishing these days. My first impressions of the Kia Rio and Optima were that Baba God please give me money make I buy my own. What’s even more surprising is the amount of features that come as standard on some of them despite how cheap they are; as in seriously, you can pop into Dana Motors in Lagos and get a keyless entry “tear nylon” Kia Rio for N2.4M and believe me, that’s as reasonable as reasonable gets . For more info, you can click herefor a review of 2012 Kia cars, what they come with and their pricing.

Anyway back to business… The 2013 Kia Sorento.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2013 Kia Sorento is a crossover SUV that fits in between the compact and midsize segments. There are three trim levels: LX, EX and SX. Five-passenger seating is standard on all but the LX V6 and SX, which come with the otherwise optional 50/50 split-folding third-row seat that raises capacity to seven.

The base LX comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry, full power accessories, cruise control, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a 60/40 split-folding second-row seat, Bluetooth and a sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface. 

The LX Convenience package adds foglamps, rear parking sensors, heated front seats, an auto-dimming mirror and the Uvo voice-activated electronics interface. On four-cylinder models, this package also includes a more powerful and efficient engine, roof rails and the third-row seat (also available as a stand-alone item). Later in the model year, a new LX Convenience Plus package will add an eight-way power driver seat (with lumbar adjustment), a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and a first aid kit.

Stepping up to the EX gets you the upgraded four-cylinder engine, 18-inch wheels, automatic headlights, keyless ignition/entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, the eight-way power driver seat, leather upholstery and the LX Convenience package items (minus the auto-dimming mirror).

V6-powered EX models can be equipped with the EX Premium package, which adds the third-row seat, the auto-dimming mirror, a panoramic sunroof, rear air-conditioning, a four-way power passenger seat, the third-row seat, a first aid kit, a rearview camera and a 10-speaker Infinity surround-sound audio system with HD radio.

 Four-cylinder EX models can be equipped with the EX Premium Plus package, which includes all of the above items plus power-folding mirrors, driver memory functions and a touchscreen navigation system with real-time traffic. The V6 models EX Limited package includes all of the Premium Plus packages extra items plus a ventilated driver seat.

The Sorento SX comes only with the V6 and adds to the standard EX equipment special styling cues, different 18-inch wheels, LED taillamps, rear air-conditioning, the four-way power passenger seat, the third-row seat, a rearview camera, a two-tone interior color scheme and an Infinity audio system. The SX Premium package essentially adds a heated steering wheel and everything from the EXs options that arent included as standard.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2013 Kia Sorento LX comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque. Every Sorento comes standard with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is an option. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 20/26/22 with all-wheel drive.

Optional on the LX and standard on the EX is a direct-injected version of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 191 hp. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the LX & EX stands at 21/30/24 with front-drive and 21/27/23  with all-wheel drive.

Standard on the SX and optional on the others is a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 276 hp. Fuel economy rates 20/26/22 and 18/24/20 for front- and all-wheel-drive models, respectively.

Safety

The 2013 Kia Sorento comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability control, front active head restraints, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags that cover only the first and second rows. In brake testing, the Sorento came to a stop from 100km/h in 40meters, which is quite impressive.

In government crash testing, the Sorento received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with four stars for frontal-impact protection and five stars for side-impact protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Sorento the highest possible rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength crash tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Sorentos cabin doesnt have the visual flair of its more recently redesigned Kia siblings, but its attractive enough and benefits from the brands usual array of audio and climate controls that are intuitive with a substantial feel. Dashboard plastics are hard to the touch, but look good and are certainly on par for the class. Kias Uvo system also works very well. Based on the same technology as Fords Sync system, it allows drivers to control various functions with voice commands, including their MP3 players and cell phones.

The front seats provide plenty of comfort for long trips and offer the type of commanding view of the road that crossover buyers want. The second-row seat accommodates two with ease and three in a pinch. It doesnt slide forward or aft without the optional third-row seat, making the standard Sorento less versatile than the RAV4. But the third-row seat does feature 50/50-split-folding seatbacks and enough room for adults, which is unique to a vehicle of its size. With the rear seats folded, the Sorento can carry up to 72.5 cubic feet of cargo, about as much as a RAV4 or CR-V.

Driving Impressions “culled from Edmunds”

The 2013 Kia Sorentos base 2.4-liter engine feels punchy enough around town and with light loads, but struggles a bit with extra passengers and cargo. The extra power generated from the available direct-injected four-cylinder helps, and we suspect the majority of buyers will be happy with this midlevel choice. Buyers who regularly ferry passengers and cargo are better served by the strong and smooth 3.5-liter V6.

At highway speeds, the Sorentos cabin remains impressively isolated from both road and wind noise. Were also impressed with the Sorentos handling ability and its direct response to steering inputs; this is one of the more enjoyable small family crossovers to drive. The ride quality is a little firmer than some other models in this class, but it should still suit most people just fine.

Download