I recently drove a 2021 Kia Sorento that’s the right size and priced right for a growing family. It features three rows of seats and a terrific slate of standard safety and tech features. My top-of-the-line edition had an MSRP of only $42,590.
The X-Line SX Prestige AWD edition I drove is specially designed for off-road enthusiasts. This trim features a higher ride height, a roof rack, and 20 inch alloy wheels. The X-Line also boasts a redesigned all-wheel-drive system. Since I didn’t have any time and not much need to go off-road during my week of driving, I can’t vouch for how well the X-Line performs on rocky or muddy terrain.
My Sorento drove very well on paved roads, both in town and on the highway. Sorento is a slightly larger vehicle than I usually prefer for urban driving, but it performed seamlessly. Since there are only two of us, we lowered the third row seats to enlarge cargo space.
Photo: Kia
The Sorento operated on a 2.5 Liter Turbo engine that produced 311 lb-ft of torque, with an 8-speed dual clutch auto transmission. The AWD system came with center locking differential drive mode select that also offered snow mode. We don’t see much snow in Dallas, but we had more than our share a short time ago.
Sorento X-Line would have been a great vehicle to have during that blizzard. We could have even taken refuge in the Sorento when the power went out at home. We could just switch into snow mode, turn up the radio, and drive around the neighborhood enjoying the scenery.
Other drive modes offered on the Sorento include Eco, Sport, and Comfort. While sport mode is a little more responsive, I’ve been so accustomed to saving fuel economy that I usually stay in Eco. The SX Prestige delivered good fuel economy for an SUV of its size, with 21 mpg in town and 28 mpg on the highway for an average of 24 mpg.
Photo: Kia
Sorento’s SX Prestige is a great-looking SUV. My top trim edition was attired in Aruba green with black interior. It featured an elegant, luxurious cabin with quilted leather seats, glossy wood trim, and soft-touch padding. These luxe touches seemed to belong in a far more expensive vehicle. SX Prestige edition also has a wide array of standard safety features, while many manufacturers only offer them as added options.
The SX-Prestige’s multimedia system operates on a 10.25 inch touchscreen that’s one of the easiest to use I’ve seen. The system uses Kia’s Uvo software which features voice control and other unusual state of the art tech. Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane keep assist and automatic lane-centering are all standard features.
X-Line features that replaced standard SX AWD features (at no additional charge!) included blind spot monitoring, Bose premium audio, surround view monitor, parking collision avoidance assist, and even a parking distance warning (forward/reverse both included).
