2014 Kia Sorento

The Sorento now features an available V6 engine, better interior space with available third row and is a better option for someone looking for something bigger than a usual midsize SUV. It faces competition from the likes of Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda Pilot and the Mazda CX-9 in the market. 

The Kia Sorento is available in four trims namely the LX, EX, SX and SXL. The prices for the base trim LX starts at $ 24,100 and go up to $ 38,300 for the top of the line SXL trim. The base trim gets a smaller 2.4L inline 4 engine and the remaining trims get a bigger and powerful 3.3L V6 engine. Kia also offers many optional packages to further muscle up the trims as per your desired taste. 

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The SX trim is equipped with most of the creature comforts and comes at a price of about $35,000 which is less than the SX-L trim by $3,300. So it would be more wise to save that money and use it for future maintenance of the vehicle. It is equipped with many desirable features like a powerful 3.3L V-6 engine, push-button start, backup warning system, heated front seats, rear LED tail lamps, LED accent lights etc. If you are willing to shell out more bucks to pamper yourself even more then you can opt for the SXL trim. 

The 2014 Sorento is available with two engine options. The base LX trim gets a 2.4L inline four engine producing about 191 HP and 18 lb-ft of torque. However, other trims get the more powerful 3.3L V-6 engine from the Azera, which bumps up the power to a healthy 290 HP and 252 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and comes with FWD as standard. Although you can also opt for a AWD configuration if you require more traction and are keen to use it on weekend getaways.

The Kia Sorento and Hyundai SantaFe are based on the same platform and hence they share the same engine. However, the SantaFe is a bit faster in the 0-60 mph sprint. The Honda Pilot offers the least power output and is the slowest in the 0-60 mph sprint. The Mazda CX-9 offers better performance than the Pilot and its performance is closely matched with the Korean twins. 

The 2014 Kia Sorento is one of the most fuel efficient SUVs in the segment. It offers 18 MPG, 25 MPG and 21 MPG in the city, on the highways and combined driving conditions respectively. It is equipped with a 17.4-gallon fuel tank which can help it offer a range of 313 miles, 435 miles and 365 miles in the city, on the highways and in combined driving conditions respectively.

The Korean twins offer almost the same fuel efficiency and are equipped with the same capacity fuel tanks. The Honda Pilot is equipped with the largest capacity fuel tank and with a fuel efficiency of 20 MPG combined, it offers a range of 420 miles combined. The Mazda CX-9 is the least fuel efficient owing to a bigger engine and with a fuel tank of 20.1 gallons, can travel upto 382 miles in mixed driving conditions

The 2014 Sorento comes with updated interior and can now seat seven people with available third row seating. The interior is now roomier than ever, with more legroom for second- and third-row passengers, for them to be comfortable over long journeys. Kia has tried to provide a good driving position and adequate passenger space across all the rows. The front seats provide good bolstering and are comfortable. It also has a good adjustment range of the steering column to suit different drivers. As you move up the trim hierarchy, creature comforts like heating and ventilation, power adjustability of the front seats, push button start with smart key, rear camera display etc become more prominent. However, the third row seats are best suited for children rather than adults. 

Overall, the cabin of the Sorento is a good place to be in but offers lesser passenger volume than some of its larger rivals like the Pilot or even the Mazda CX-9. The materials are of better quality on the SXL trim and with the V6 powertrain you can hear only some tire noise on the highways. So we can say that the NVH levels are well under control for most driving conditions.

The Sorento is more compact than some of its competition and thus offers cramped third row seating and a lesser cargo capacity of just 9.1 cu-ft. The Honda Pilot is a bigger SUV with respect to its exterior dimensions and hence it offers better interior space as well. It offers a very good cargo capacity of 18 cu-ft behind the third row seats. That said, the Sorento’s cabin does have a lot of nice amenities to it, some of which are:

• Steering wheel mounted controls
• Rear-camera display
• Push-button start w/Smart Key
• Dual-zone automatic temperature control
• Power liftgate w/programmable height

How intuitive is the 2014 Sorento’s infotainment unit?

The 2014 Sorento is powered by Kia’s UVO infotainment system. It gets a larger touchscreen as compared to the previous gen models. The system is intuitive with a better set of graphics, well laid out menu and a secondary control knob to let you control the functions in a more natural way.For connectivity you get Bluetooth wireless technology and UVO eservices support for integrated navigation with voice-command on the go.

In terms of features, the AM/FM/CD/MP3/SiriusXM audio system is standard across all the trims. The SX and SXL trims get a more sophisticated Infinity surround-sound audio with 10 speakers, external amplifier & subwoofer for better musical experience on board. Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2014 Sorento are:

• AM/FM/CD/MP3/SiriusXM audio system
• Infinity surround-sound audio (SX and SXL)
• UVO eServices infotainment system w/voice-command navigation (SX and SXL)
• USB/auxiliary input jacks

The 2014 Sorento gets refreshed exterior styling. The front fascia imbibes the signature Kia grille and the headlamps are shaped to match the grille and taper towards the end on both sides. The Sorento gets the much awaited proper SUV stance but it is not very overpowering and seems minimalistic from every angle. The sides are a plain affair and the rear profile looks good with appealing tail lamps. It comes with 17-inch, 18-inch or 19-inch wheels depending upon the trim you choose and all of them complement the overall design language.

The Honda Pilot and the Mazda CX-9 offer better ground clearance than the competition but not by a huge margin. The CX-9 is the heaviest here and offers a longer wheelbase which helps with better stability on the highways. The Sorento and the SantaFe are closely matched in every exterior dimension but the Sorento is on the heavier side. That said, the design of the Kia is pleasing and not radically different from what one expects from a vehicle in this segment. Some of the standout exterior features of the 2014 Sorento are:

• 19" tires w/chrome-finish alloy wheels (SX and SXL)
• Xenon HID headlights with self leveling (SX and SXL)
• Rear LED tail lamps (SX and SXL)
• Panoramic sunroof w/power sunshade (SX and SXL)
• Dual body-color heated power mirrors (Standard)

The 2014 Kia Sorento is one of the safer SUVs in its class, with an overall NHTSA rating of 5 stars safety rating and an IIHS rating of “Good” in most safety parameters. The Sorento also gets many safety and driver assistance features like Traction control system, brake assist, hill start assist control, reinforced body etc to ensure complete safety of the occupants. Some of the standout safety features of the 2014 Sorento are:

• Rollover sensor
• Brake Assist System 
• Hill-start Assist Control 
• Side-impact door beams
• Blind Spot Monitor (Optional) 
• Front active headrests

The 2014 Kia Sorento is definitely one of the better options in the SUV market.However, it's not the perfect one. It has a minimalistic but impactful design and offers very good fuel efficiency but lacks in the cargo department with less space behind the third row. However, it is equipped with a fun to drive engine and comes at a good price point with respect to the features on offer and also scores well in the safety department making it a definite look before making a buying decision.