Owners Manual

2016 Kia Sorento Redesign

Don’t confuse the redesigned 2016 Kia Sorento with the outgoing 2015 model. Even as the new version trickles in, Kia dealers are offering screaming deals on leftover 2015s. (Tempting as they may be, do note that 2015 lost its CR recommended status due to poor performance in one of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's crash tests.) We just took delivery of a 2016 and as before, it straddles the small and midsized SUV categories, occupying a sweet spot in size and price. We opted for an EX V6 with all-wheel-drive with a third-row seat; it stickered at $37,915. The 2016 Sorento shares a platform with its good-scoring corporate cousin the Hyundai Santa Fe, and like the SF, it’s built in Georgia. With a 109-inch wheelbase, the Sorento slots in between the Santa Fe Sport and three-row Santa Fe. The old Sorento’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 3.3-liter V6 engines carry over; a new 2.0-liter turbo has been added. Front- and all-wheel-drive versions are offered. The price starts at $24,900 and rises to over $40,000, allowing the Sorento to compete with both compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 and with three-row, mid-sized SUVs such as the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander.