No compensation was received for this post. A one week loan of the vehicle was provided to facilitate this review.
We spend a lot of time in our car! I don’t know why I hadn’t really thought about that until I was emptying out our current sedan and found everything from crayons and food wrappers to jackets and my son’s soccer ball. In our search for a family vehicle, we’ve concluded that an SUV is the way to go since we’re always on-the-go! We love the space an SUV provides and both my husband and I prefer the handling and vantage point afforded.
A few weeks ago, we spent some time testing out the 2014 Kia Sorento. Over the past year, we’ve tested out several of the manufactures’s vehicles and have been impressed with the design and safety features of their vehicles, so I expected nothing less from the Sorento.
Immediately, I noticed a huge difference in the roominess of the interior. Our two car seats fit easily and I could have likely sat a third person in between, something that isn’t usually possible in other vehicles and SUVs. The Sorento can actually seat 7 passengers when you include the third row which is a plus for families with more than 2 children or those that alternate drop-offs and pick-ups with other families.
Since safety is a top concern (particularly with SUVs), I immediately referred to the specs to find out what features were in place. I quickly felt comfortable knowing that the Sorento has airbags in place throughout the vehicle, rollover sensors, an anti-lock braking system, side-impact door beams, front and rea crumple zones and a host of other innovative features to keep families safe. One of my favorite features of many Kia vehicles is the Blind Spot Detection System on the side-view mirrors. When another car is detected, a light and then a noise will alert the driver. This is an important feature that I wouldn’t necessarily have thought to have, but found very useful when changing lanes on our busy freeways.
Topping my list of purchase considerations is a vehicle’s fuel economy. As I mentioned above, we spend a lot of time in our car and with California boasting one of the nation’s highest gas prices, efficiency is important. I have to admit that the Sorento’s combined fuel economy of 21 MPG was lower than I expected. While considered average when compared to other vehicles in its class, it is important to note that SUVs in general are not as efficient as other types of vehicles.
As far as drivability, the Sorento was smooth, comfortable and intuitive. There are numerous comfort and technology features to make spending all of that time in the car enjoyable. Those that topped my list of favorite features include the Voice-Command Navigation System (vital for distraction-free driving), the rear-camera display which helped me feel comfortable backing the vehicle up, steering wheel mounted controls (for hands-free connectivity), and remote keyless entry which makes juggling two kids that much more manageable.
Kia is well known for offering vehicles with outstanding entry level pricing. The 2014 Kia Sorento LX starts at just $24,100, which is outstanding in the SUV class. In fact, Kelley Blue Book named it one of the 10 best SUVs under $25,000!
For more information, visit Kia.com/Sorento.
Images: Rockin’ Mama unless otherwise noted.
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