2021 Kia Sorento

Pros: Value for the dollar; easy-to-use control system; roomy first and second rows; pleasant road manners

Cons: Tight legroom in third-row; limited cargo space behind third-row seat; not as sporty as some similarly-sized crossovers

CG Says: The Kia Sorento is redesigned from the ground up for 2021, with new styling, new technology and safety features, and new powertrains—including Sorento’s first hybrid models. The Sorento is a midsize crossover SUV with three rows of seating; it slots below the flagship Telluride in Kia’s SUV lineup in size and price. The new Sorento’s exterior dimensions are about the same as the previous-generation model, but the wheelbase grows 1.4 inches, to the benefit of second-row legroom. The base powertrain is now a 191-horsepower naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the previous 181-hp 2.4-liter-four/6-speed-automatic combo. EX, SX, and SX Prestige models get a 281-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission in place of the previous 290-hp 3.3-liter V6 with 8-speed automatic. The Hybrid combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor for a total of 227 hp and is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Hybrid is only offered with front-wheel drive, but an all-wheel-drive hybrid, as well as plug-in hybrid models with 261 hp and an estimated pure-electric driving range of up to 30 miles, are slated to join the lineup for 2022. Conventional gas-engine Sorentos are available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The topline AWD SX Prestige X-Line has off-road-focused features such as a one-inch-higher ride height, locking center differential, and hill-descent control. Standard safety features on all Sorentos include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, rear and occupant alert. Newly available safety features include Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist (which warns and then uses evasive steering assist to avoid collisions when changing lanes), Parallel Exit (which warns of incoming parallel traffic when you’re leaving a parking spot), Rear Occupant Alert (which warns of potentially forgotten passengers or items in the back seat), Safe Exit Assist (which can detect an object approaching from the rear and keep the child safety locks activated until the object passes). The Sorento’s excellent redesign puts it back at the forefront of the midsize SUV class. Though it’s bit smaller than most three-row midsize crossovers—which means its third-row seats aren’t as spacious and there’s not as much cargo room behind the third-row—the Sorento is a bit more maneuverable than its larger class rivals. The added technology features are big pluses, as is the highly competitive pricing and the availability of an economical hybrid powertrain.