The $3,200 Premium Package 3 gives buyers heated and cooled seats, Sirius with navigation package, panoramic sunroof, folding mirrors, heated steering wheel, and more, so this baby is ready to compete with the best of them.
Power: The 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 moves the Sorento fairly well. But the power is a little unrestrained. It's easy to spin the tires, and when I pressed the accelerator to the floor, the truck would go a little bonkers. I might try either of the 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engines first and see whether the performance is worth a few miles per gallon.
Shifty: The 6-speed automatic comes with SportMatic shift capability, but, like other vehicles of its size, the Sorento doesn't really offer a fun shifting experience. I found I left it in automatic mode and used the gears for downshifting on the steeper slopes of Chester County.
On the road: Kia has not managed to work the big, lumbering truck feeling out the Sorento. It's a little tiring to drive, and handling was a little wonky, lacking a one-with-the-road feeling that the Honda Pilot has.
Carrying cargo: The cargo space behind the third seat was dear. But getting Sturgis Kid 4.0's bicycle over the last two rows was easy. Folding down the seats was not difficult, either; just pull the lever and fold, although a slightly reclined middle row can be an obstacle.
Carrying passengers: The passenger-side middle-row seat does fold out of the way for easier access to the third row.
But that's the last time adults will feel comfortable in the rear. The third row is all knees in the chest and head against the rear window. And foot room was poor.
The middle row is fixed in position, but comfortable for this 5-foot-10 test passenger.
Tight entry: Yet, getting in the rear doors is not exactly easy. They curve to a tight point at the bottom around the wheel well. This made getting in and out of the rear in close parking spots on a rainy day practically death-defying.
Odd position: Maybe I'm nitpicky, but I just could not get myself into the right position when I drove the Sorento. The driver's seat was comfortable, wide, and firm, but the position of the seat, steering wheel, console, and gas pedal were just not quite matched up. The steering wheel seemed centered too far to the middle of the vehicle, or the seat angled just a little bit too much to the outside corner.
Cheap controls: The steering-wheel buttons were functional and clear, but they looked a little cheap and plasticky. The dash had some cheap, plasticky components and a few nice, soft ones, and a gray veneer across the front added some class.
Weather together: The rear-wiper button is all the way over to the left of the steering column, while the front-wiper control is on a stalk on the right. I find that it generally rains in both the front and the rear of the vehicle, so keeping these items close together seems logical. And the rear wiper has just one setting.
Fuel economy: I observed 22.5 m.p.g. in a mix of highway and city driving, leaning toward suburbs and 45 m.p.h. (The Sorento I tested is listed at 26 m.p.g. highway on the sticker; again, the 3.5-liter version did not get revised EPA fuel-economy numbers.)
Where it's built: West Point, Ga.
How it's built: Reliability and satisfaction are middling in Consumer Reports testing, but a 10-year/ 100,000-mile warranty can alleviate some worry for owners.
In the end: Having tested the Honda Pilot, Dodge Durango, and Chevy Traverse, I couldn't see much to recommend the Sorento beyond price. It's not a bad vehicle, but I'm still smitten with the Pilot, find the Durango a fun ride, and believe the Traverse is most accommodating to passengers.
Contact Scott Sturgis at 215-854-2558 or ssturgis@phillynews.com.
