2016 Kia Sorento Review

The Kia Sorento gets a new look for 2016 as well as a brand new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. Kia has done great job balancing the redesign between making the Sorento more bold and edgy while keeping it true to its roots and easily identifiable as a Sorento. With the quality of the interior and overall craftsmanship of the Sorento it should be very popular amongst those looking for a 7 passenger mid-size crossover SUV.

Available Models
There are a total of five trim levels with V6 versions of three of them for the Sorento with three different engines powering them. The L (MSRP $25,100) and the LX (MSRP $26,400) run on the 2.4L I-4 engine. The LX trim adds auto light control, acoustic front windshield, silver finished roof rails, two rapid charge USB ports and several options.

A new engine has been added for 2016. The 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder powers the EX (MSRP $ 31,100) and SX Limited (MSRP $ 39,900). The EX adds 18” alloy wheels, fog lights, acoustic front windshield, dual zone automatic temperature control, UVO 2.0 Telematics Audio Headunit, a leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, interior accent illumination, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, leather seat trim, 3 setting heated front seats,10-way power driver seat and lumbar support, 8-way power passenger seat, one-button omnidirectional Head adjustment and a backup warning system.

The SX Limited adds Rack Mounted Motor Driven Power Steering, 19-inch alloy gun metal finish, body-colour side sill / wheel molding treatment, LED positioning lights, rear tail lamps with LED elements, power-folding side mirrors, stainless rear-bumper step and lower bumper trim, a panoramic sunroof with power shade, low profile chrome finished roof rails, a 8” screen navigation system with rear view display and real-time traffic, meter cluster with 7” TFT LCD display panel, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror with Compass and HomeLink, Smart Power liftgate and more.

The four V6 versions of the trims – the LX V6 (MSRP $28,700), EX V6 (MSRP $32,100), SX V6 (MSRP $40,100) and the SX Limited V6 (MSRP 41,500) all run on the 3.3L V6 engine

Interior Features
The interior of the 2016 Kia Sorento  is very welcoming and attractive with high quality materials throughout including many soft touch features along the door panels, instrument panel and center console. 

The new design also gives the Sorento a larger interior meaning more room for the occupants and more cargo space at 74.5 cu-ft overall and 11 cu-ft behind the 3rd row up almost 2 cu-ft from last year.

There is an 8 inch navigation system that is standard or optional depending on trim level with real-time traffic data and rear view camera display.

There are five passenger or seven passenger seating configurations depending on which trim you select and the increased headroom and boarding area makes getting to the third row easier.

See all interior specifications.

Exterior Features
As mentioned the 2016 Kia Sorento got a refresh design this year – the dimensions got a little bit bigger. Kia added 3.1 inches to the wheelbase and given it a slightly wider stance up 0.2 inches – giving the Sorento a wider, longer, bolder stance. The biggest noticeable difference is the front end – it has been given an edgier, muscular look with new lighting and a more prominent intake. LED fog lamps and tail lamps are available to further the edgy vibe.

Depending on the trim level the tire and wheel size varies from 17 to 19 inches. The Sorento L, LX and LX V6 all come with 17 inch alloy wheels, while the EX and EX V6 come with 18 inch wheels the final three trims – the SX Limited, SX V6 and SX Limited V6 sit atop 19 inch wheels the SX Limited come with a chrome finish while the other two have a gun metal finish.

A panoramic sunroof with power shade comes standard on the three SX trims and is optional for both the EX and EX V6 trims.

The SX Limited V6 has a lot of chrome finished features that really standout such as chrome finished wheels, accent side sills and roof rails.

More Kia Sorento exterior specs.

Performance
Three different engines power the 2016 Kia Sorento depending on trim level. New for 2016 is a 2.0-liter GDI turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 240 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 260 lb. ft. @ 1,450-3500 rpm while nice many feel it doesn’t provide enough punch and feels a bit sluggish.

The L and LX trims are powered by a 185 hp 2.4 liter I-4 engine while the LX V6, EX V6, SX V6 and SX Limited V6 run on a 290 horsepower 3.3L V6 engine. All the engines are coupled with an Electronically-controlled 6-speed automatic, overdrive with Sportmatic™ transmission and are available in either front drive or full-time AWD.

To enhance the feel of driving the Sorento Kia heavily modified the platform it was built on. Using more advanced high-strength steel, laser welding techniques and industrial strength adhesives the structure has 14 percent more torsional rigidity than previous years giving the Sorento a more refined ride.

See all engine specs.

Safety and Security
The  2016 Kia Sorento is loaded with safety features including such as six airbags including driver and passenger advanced front airbags, front seat mounted side airbags, side curtain airbags for the front two rows. All models come with rollover sensor, side impact sensor, electronic stability control, rollover and side impact sensors, hill-start assist control and 4-wheel antilock brake system.

There are several driving assistance features that are either optional or standard depending on the trim – Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Back up warning system, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning system, forward collision warning system and blind spot detection system.

Get a Free Price Quote on a 2016 Kia Sorento.