07:15AM - 12.02.'14
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News Source: autoblog.com
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For most new car shoppers, three-row crossovers are little more than a way for the family-minded to avoid succumbing to the minivan stigma. Admit it – the only things that differentiate most larger CUVs from minivans are their lack of sliding side doors and – on most of them – the option of all-wheel drive. Having blossomed into a popular segment with thicker profit margins, though, automakers have plenty of incentive to keep their offerings fresh, and that's exactly why Kia is presenting its 2014 Sorento so soon. At first glance, the crisply styled utility vehicle seen here appears to be nothing more than a mid-cycle refresh – and not a particularly extensive one, at that. But that's not the case at all. Despite looking very similar to the second-generation vehicle that came on the scene for the 2010 model year, this is an all-new Sorento. Or, more precisely, it's about 80-percent new. Kia says less than 20 percent of the parts have been carried over from the 2013 Sorento, and that's a pretty typical amount for an 'all-new' vehicle generation. Since we've yet to spend quality time with the "Made in the USA" Sorento for more than a short First Drive in Arizona last February, we snagged the keys to a 2014 model in the all-new SX Limited trim level for a lengthy backroad meander from Florida to South Carolina. The second-generation Sorento helped inaugurate an entirely new design language for Kia upon its introduction in late 2009 as a 2010 model, and this third-generation 2014 model brings subtle changes that help make for an even better-looking crossover. These improvements include LED daytime running lights and vertical foglights up front, while horizontally oriented LED taillights add a much cleaner look to the Sorento's posterior than the outgoing model's square-shaped, honeycomb units. Overall, these modest improvements have given the 2014 Sorento a more mature and upscale appearance, but the changes are subtle enough that you could be forgiven for mistaking one generation for the other. Despite being a new model, we hear a substantial exterior update is in the near-term pipeline, so if you'd like some more visual differentiation, you might want to wait a while. For the moment, though, it isn't until the hood is opened that you will start to appreciate just how new this Sorento really is. Front and center in the engine bay is the Sorento's new 3.3-liter, direct-injected V6, a slightly downsized engine that replaces the 2013 model's 3.5-liter mill. You can still opt for the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder, but this smaller engine is only offered on the lowest LX trim. Regardless of engine choice, all 2014 Sorentos are shifted with a six-speed automatic. The new V6 is definitely the way to go, as its 290 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque offer plenty of pep and surprising acceleration for the almost-two-ton Sorento. Unfortunately, while the 3.3-liter V6 brings an incremental power increase of 14 hp and 4 lb-ft over the preceding V6, it does come at the expense of fuel economy. The official EPA rating for front-drive V6 models like our tester is an unimpressive 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, decreases of 2 mpg on the urban cycle and 1 mpg on the superslab. In an effort to see the small-town sights, we made the entire trip from north Florida to western South Carolina with minimal interstate travel, and we averaged 27.2 mpg for the entire 782-mile journey, getting as high as 28.1 mpg for a good portion of the trip. Interestingly, the Sorento's fuel tank capacity is down slightly (about a half gallon), but we still managed the whole trip on less than two tanks of gas. Just behind the engine, sharp eyes will note some added plastic in the engine bay. This plastic covers the new strut tower support brace, which is perhaps the most visible indication of how far Kia has gone to improve the structural integrity of its new model. Kia says it has stiffened the Sorento's chassis by 18 percent, and, in the real world, this translates to a smoother ride with more confident handling. The Sorento has long offered a ride and handling balance that favors the firm and sporty, and while this continues to be the case, the word "rough" will no longer be used to describe its ride quality. Larger speed bumps are still enough to rattle some molars, but all other road surfaces and imperfections are absorbed ably by the suspension for a hassle-free driving dynamic. |
