Fuel economy isn’t this engine’s strong suit, though in town it is hard to get it to show numbers over 20mpg on the trip readout. The 8-speed, twin-clutch automatic shifts better in our thin air when switched to Sport mode otherwise, progress is a somewhat hesitant. The 2.5-liter turbo’s horsepower crushes what you can get in competing Toyota or Nissan, and its 311lb-ft of torque is beaten only by Mazda. For Colorado residents, perhaps the most relevant is an engine that has enough power to conquer our mountain passes. Price-wise, the Sorento competes well, and it in several ways the Kia has more to offer, such as a panoramic sunroof. In context, they are better than Subaru’s systems, worse than Mazda’s.
#KIA SORENTO 2021 XLINE DRIVER#
The driver aids are too invasive however, something that plagues other vehicles in the extended Kia-Hyundai-Genesis family, and many need to have their intervention thresholds manually lowered to allow for journeys that aren’t interrupted constantly by beeps, buzzes and lane-assist steering wheel intervention.
#KIA SORENTO 2021 XLINE ANDROID#
Using touch screens means interacting with Apple and Android is much easier than in the CX-9, since Mazda stubbornly sticks to a control wheel. The Sportage boasts Kia’s latest tech, viewed on large, bright screens, and in aggregate it is intuitive and well executed. It opens inadvertently if you stand next to it with the key on your person, but sometimes wont open with a button when you want it to.
Kia’s current interpretation of how a hand’s free liftgate works needs a rethink, too. The middle row is somewhat problematic, in that under-thigh support is lacking, meaning many of those sat there will be uncomfortable in short order. The Sportage’s front seats are supportive and cargo room generous the third row is for occasional use only. It is significantly better than what you get in a GMC, Buick Enclave, or Ford Explorer for the same money. However, many materials are of the hard n’ shiny variety, which is at odds with Kia’s messaging about being a near-premium player and its price, which places it directly in the path of the Mazda CX-9, whose finishes are much better. Interior design is modern and appealing, with great colors and sweet stitching on the X-Line seats. The styling of the new model is more angular and muscular, and in top trim levels like the X-Line that was tested, upmarket. It is sized like the Mazda CX-9, GMC Acadia and other smaller, midsize crossovers. The Sorento is all new and slots in just below it. Kia has seen astonishing growth as it has refocused its lineup on crossovers the large, 7-passenger Telluride has been a homerun, impressing reviewers and raising the brand’s equity with consumers.
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