Sacramento,
California -- The Kia Sorento isn't likely to roll off the tongue of auto
enthusiasts asked to name a luxury, three-row sport-utility vehicle.
But after my
week in the 2019 Kia Sorento SXL AWD, I'm thinking it should be on everyone's
luxo list of seven-passenger cruisers.
The Sorento gets the ever-popular "refreshing" for the 2019 model year,
with updated, more-elegant front and rear fascias. The tester looked impressive
riding on 19-inch chrome wheels.
There are
multiple levels of Sorentos to be had for a wide range of prices, but mine was
definitely in the luxury segment with a ton of perks and a bottom line of $48,765. Some extras might not be important to those
drivers looking to save some dough.
Optional puddle lights, for example.
Just saying.
Power for this
third-generation Sorento is provided by a 3.3-liter V-6 capable of nearly 300
horsepower. The power plant is a
relatively quiet, capable chunk of hardware that propels the SUV smoothly along
freeways and up hills. You need to work
the steering wheel to some degree in dicey downtown traffic, but the Sorento
does surprisingly well turning around in tight spots.
The highly
touted eight-speed automatic transmission functioned flawlessly.
My ride had a
full suite of state-of-the-art safety features, and the whole package
translates to a max five-star safety rating in federal government tests.
Interior
comfort for seven individuals, including the driver, was outstanding. Plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the
leather surfaces and the Harman Kardon premium audio system.
I'm going to
take a wild guess and say that folks purchasing this loaded SXL version of the
Sorento are not overly concerned about gas prices. For the record, fuel mileage comes in at a
not-so-great 19 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.
Bottom line: I
thoroughly enjoyed my week in the updated Sorento ... This from a driver who
tends to prefer more moderately-sized sport-utes.
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