2014 Kia Sorento (Review)

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Kia continues to move upward towards the entry-level luxury segment with models like the new Kia Cadenza. Buyers are even willing to pay more for the higher trim levels of Kia’s mainstream models like the Optima midsize sedan and the Sorento crossover. For the 2014 model year Kia has upgraded the Sorento with a facelift, revised interior and some upgrades under the hood.
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Although most buyers won’t be able to see most of the changes, Kia says that the 2014 Kia Sorento is around 80 percent new. The outside gets a refresh with new headlights with LED lights, new LED taillights and restyled bumpers. The restyled exterior retains the overall shape and feel of the outgoing model, but the gives the Sorento a bit more of a road presence than before. It’s LED taillights provide a more upgraded feel and the Sorento’s face is also more stylish than other crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

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Inside the 2014 Sorento gets a new LCD instrument cluster, a new center stack with a 7-inch display screen and a new console. The Sorento’s interior was comfortable and contained all the features we’d expect in this segment. It’s panoramic sunroof was a nice touch for all passengers and the heated second row seats was a welcome addition. Since the Kia Borrego is long gone, the Sorento has to fill the role of the largest crossover in Kia’s lineup. That means that even though the Sorento is about the same length as the Honda CR-V and Ford Edge, buyers can add a third row seat. The third row seat is a “kid-only” space, since it’s lack of legroom and headroom will make any adult feel like they are being punished. If you need more room for the third row you will get more room in a larger crossover like the Ford Explorer or Nissan Pathfinder. Also with the third row up, cargo room drops to non-existent. When the rear two rows of seats are down the Sorento has 72.5 cu. ft. of cargo space, that drops to 36.9 cu. ft. with the second row seats up and 9.1 cu. ft. with all three rows up.

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Under the hood the 2014 Kia Sorento offers a 2.4-liter four-cylinder as the base engine and a new 3.3-liter V6 powers the upper trim levels. The 2.4L engine features 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft. of torque, which is merely adequate in a vehicle of this size. Most buyers will want the more powerful 3.3L V6 with its 290 horsepower and 252 lb-ft. of torque. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive is optional. Buyers that choose the V6 engine will also not have to pay much more at the pump either, since the 2.4L is rated at 20/26 mpg for the front-wheel-drive model and the V6 front-wheel-drive is rated at 18/25 mpg. All-wheel-drive Sorentos are rated at 19/24 mpg for the four-cylinder and 18/24 for the V6 trim levels. We averaged 19.8 mpg in our all-drive Sorento.

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On our drive through the Hamptons with five guys on board the Sorento’s V6 engine was strong and its six-speed automatic was smooth. At times downshifts felt a bit slow. The 2014 Sorento’s chassis was also updated for the new model year and its suspension is still on a bit of the soft side, but remains on par with other models in this segment. Our Sorento also gave us the ability to switch between three settings for the electric power steering “Normal, Comfort and Sport.” The differences between the three settings are incredibly small and most drivers probably won’t be able to feel the difference. The Comfort setting was a bit too vague for our tastes, while the difference between the Normal and Sport settings were a toss up.

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At the end of the day the 2014 Kia Sorento was a comfortable crossover that in many ways felt more luxurious than its other compact crossover competitors. Features like ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, the panoramic sunroof and even the heated second row seats were all nice touches. We only had one issue, our fully optioned Kia Sorento Limited carried a $42k price tag, which puts the Sorento in the larger crossover segment with models like the Explorer, Pathfinder and Chevy Traverse. All of those models have similar price tags and offer even more room. Also in the $40k range you could also check out other luxury crossovers like the BMW X1/ X3 and Acura RDX.

If you don’t select the top of the line and go for the mid-trim levels you will be in the low-mid $30k range, which is where most Sorento buyers end up. It represents a great value, which is also proven by the fact that the Sorento continues to be Kia’s most popular model.

2014 Kia Sorento Limited (SXL)
Base Price: $39,700
Price as Tested: $41,600