[Auto] 2021 Kia Sorento First Look

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KBB Editors’ Overview
The Sorento has been a steady good seller, and Kia hopes this new 4th-generation model will capture some of the magic of its super successful and slightly larger sibling, the Telluride. At first glance, the new Sorento looks poised to do so, thanks to bold new sharp-edged styling done at the company’s design studio in California.

Just as important, the new Sorento, which goes on sale in early 2021, has been improved in multiple other ways. There are four efficient powertrains available (including a new PHEV model arriving a bit later in the year), and there’s more welcome hardware in the standard safety suite.

Additionally, the new chassis, with a 1.4-inch-longer wheelbase, is lighter and stronger than before, while having increased interior room and reduced levels of interior noise. Also, for the first time, the Sorento will be available with 2nd-row captain’s chairs.

The new top Sorento is the X-Line SX-Prestige AWD, a premium model with an emphasis on technology and off-road ability. To that end, it has an inch higher ride height for more underbody clearance, plus a locking center differential and downhill descent control. This new top model also has distinctive exterior details, unique 20-inch alloy wheels, and a bridge-type roof rack.

While some of us will miss the Sorento V6 and its good max towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, the added efficiency of the modern 4-cylinder engines will be appreciated far more often. Incidentally, the max tow capacity of the new Sorento 2.5T is 3,500 pounds, while the non-turbo 4-cylinder model is rated at 1,999 pounds. The Sorento Hybrid has a tow rating of 1,653 pounds.

How Much Does the 2021 Kia Sorento cost?
We expect the new Sorento to start at around $ 30,000 and climb from there closer to $ 50,000. Look for the new 2021 Kia Sorento at dealers before the end of the year.

Driving the 2021 Kia Sorento
KBB hasn’t driven the 2021 Kia Sorento yet. If it’s anything like the slightly larger Telluride, though, we’ll be pleased. The Telluride, for the record, is eight inches longer than the new Sorento, and it has a 3.4-inch-longer wheelbase, so it's not that different in overall size.

Favorite Features
BLIND VIEW MONITOR
Standard on the Sorento Prestige models, the Blind View Monitor makes lane changes much safer. When the Sorento's turn signal is activated, a crystal-clear view of the adjacent lanes is displayed on the instrument panel, helping drivers see motorcyclists or any vehicle that has moved into this Kia's rear three-quarter blind spot.

SECOND-ROW CAPTAIN’S CHAIRS
If you plan to use the new Sorento as more of a luxury can than a family hauler, we’d get the 2nd-row captain's chairs. They’re standard on all the turbocharged models, and they make riding in the back more like a business-class airliner experience.

2021 Kia Sorento Interior
To complement the strong new Sorento exterior, Kia designers kept the theme of “Refined Boldness” in mind while crafting the all-new interior of this compact midsize 3-row crossover SUV. To help that effort, they gave the 6- or 7-seat Sorento cabin distinctive touches such as bright satin finishes, open-pore wood inlays, vertical air vents, and even embossed diamond-quilted leather in the upmarket Prestige models.

Behind the 3rd-row seat is this 12.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity, which increases to 38.4 cubic feet when that 50/50-split third row is folded. For comparison, the Ford Explorer has 21.0 cubic feet of cargo room behind its third row, as does the Kia Telluride.

For anyone counting, the base LX has six USB ports, while all other 2021 Kia Sorentos have eight.

2021 Kia Sorento Exterior
We like the look of the new 2021 Kia Sorento. It’s more SUV, less crossover. There’s a modernized version of the company’s “tiger nose,” and the daytime running lights are lines around the standard LED headlights.

Other neat details: The hood edge wraps around the bodysides and blends with the shoulder line, making the Sorento look longer and wider than it actually is. What’s more, a strong side character line adds some muscular athleticism, aided by a distinctive wave shape at the base of the Sorento's C pillars.

Wheel sizes range from 17 to 20 inches.

2021 Kia Sorento Standard Features
Standard features on the front-wheel-drive base 2021 Kia Sorento LX include the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, 17-inch alloy wheels, and selectable drive modes (Comfort, Sport, Eco, Smart) . The base Sorento also has LED headlights and taillights, plus cloth seat trim, a 60/40 split bench for three in the center row, privacy glass, a 6-speaker audio system, and an 8-inch touchscreen radio with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The standard Sorento safety suite is generous. It includes Rear Occupant Alert, which won’t let you forget a child or a pet in the back after you’ve locked the vehicle. It also has a forward-collision warning system and automatic emergency braking.

 

Moreover, the 2021 Kia Sorento has a driver-attention monitor that will show (and sound) a warning if it senses the driver may be asleep. Other standard safety hardware includes a lane-departure warning system and Lane Following Assist, which makes small steering adjustments to keep the Sorento in the middle of its lane.

If you want smart cruise control (which we suspect will work well, based on our experience in KBB's long-term Kia Telluride), it's standard on these models: EX 2.5T, SX 2.5T, SX Prestige 2.5T, SX Prestige X- Line 2.5T, and the EX 1.6T Hybrid.

2021 Kia Sorento Options
There aren’t many options available on the 2021 Sorento, Kia apparently letting the various trim levels satisfy varied customer desires. That stated, the most notable option on the Sorento LX base model is AWD, which includes an extra Snow setting for the driver-selectable drive modes.

On the turbocharged EX 2.5T model, you can get a panoramic roof with a retractable power sunshade, while a cargo cover, rather oddly, is considered a dealer-installed accessory on all 2021 Kia Sorentos.

2021 Kia Sorento Engine
The 2021 Kia Sorento is available with four powertrains, all featuring 4-cylinder engines.

The base Sorento LX, in FWD or AWD form, has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 182 lb-ft torque. Its transmission is a conventional 8-speed automatic with a torque converter, and the EPA combined fuel economy is 27 mpg, a 2-mpg improvement over the previous base Sorento. The new Sorento's AWD system has a locking center differential that provides extra power to rear wheels in slippery conditions.

Next up, a turbocharged version of the direct-injected 2.5-liter4-cylinder that puts out 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Available in the Sorento 2.5T models with FWD or AWD, this engine sends power to the wheels via an 8-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission. The maximum towing capacity with the turbo four is 3,500 pounds. EPA combined fuel economy is 25 mpg, 3 mpg better than the previous V6 Sorento.

The new Kia Sorento 1.6T Hybrid is equipped with a direct-injected 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine (with 180 horsepower) and a 44-kW electric motor. It has a combined 227 horsepower, and the electric motor is powered by a 1-kWh battery. This Sorento, available only with FWD and equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission, gets a laudable EPA-estimated fuel economy of 39 mpg city / 35 mpg highway / 37 mpg combined.

If you want even better efficiency, opt for the new Sorento PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle). This AWD model comes out in 2021, powered by the same direct-injected 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine as the Sorento 1.6T Hybrid. But it's supplemented by a more powerful 66.9-kW electric motor and a larger 13.8-kWh battery. While we don’t have EPA fuel economy figures for this new Sorento PHEV yet, we do know it has a 6-speed automatic transmission, a combined output of 261 horsepower, and an estimated all-electric range of 30 miles.