What sort of car is the 2021 Kia Sorento? What does it evaluate to?

The 2021 Kia Sorento three-row crossover SUV now comes with new turbocharged engines, an accessible hybrid, extra inside house, and a brand new off-road leaning X-Line trim. It competes with the Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, and, maybe most problematically for Kia customers, the bigger, lovelier, Kia Telluride, which was our Best Car To Buy 2020. 

What’s new for the 2021 Kia Sorento?

Overview continues beneath

This yr, the Sorento slims down whereas additionally getting stronger, roomier, and extra environment friendly with the selection of 4 accessible powertrains.  

Model

The 2021 Sorento will get a makeover that breaks freed from the bulbous minivan mildew of its predecessor. It will get the creased hood from the Telluride, however broadens the grille with skinny LED headlights that wrap round to the fender. The Sorento channels a few of its look from the 2021 Seltos small crossover, at the very least within the entrance. The decrease entrance bumper is stuffed with proper angles that problem the Toyota Highlander for the most important chin amongst household crossovers. 

Alongside the perimeters, the Sorento’s largely the identical because the outgoing model apart from a fin-like tab close to the rear window. The Sorento’s wheelbase stretches 1.4 inches, and 6 completely different wheel designs ranging in measurement from 17 inches to twenty inches buff up the profile. 

The extra assertive stance is most pronounced within the new X-Line SX-Status trim, which is raised 1.0 inches over the usual Sorento for higher strategy and departure angles off-road. It additionally comes with 20-inch alloy wheels and a roof rack.   

Round again, the Sorento flips its taillights 90 levels and borrows liberally from the Telluride’s playbook. Upright taillights, a large badge, and large rear window all learn like Telluride Lite—not a nasty factor. 

Inside, we see much more similarities with the Telluride together with an accessible 10.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment, an accessible 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a terrain choose knob. An 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is commonplace. Inside accent lights across the doorways and audio system, accessible quilted seats, metallic or open-pore simulated wooden inlays and vents formed like lava lamps add some aptitude.

Efficiency

It seats seven commonplace, or six with accessible captain’s chairs within the second row. 5 trims are provided in LX, S, EX, SX, and SX-Status, along with the X-Line constructed off the Status. Entrance-wheel drive is commonplace on the gas-only engines, however all-wheel drive is an possibility. 

The Sorento comes with 4 powertrains, however the plug-in hybrid received’t be accessible till a while in 2021. 

The bottom engine is bigger than final yr’s 185-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4.The usual Sorento is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 that makes 191 hp and 182 pound-feet of torque with an 8-speed computerized. Kia estimates the bottom engine will get a 2 mpg mixed bump to an estimated 27 mpg mixed. 

Kia ditches the V-6 for a stronger 2.5-liter turbo 4 borrowed from the Genesis GV80 crossover and paired to an 8-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission. It makes 281 hp and 311 lb-ft, and has a towing capability of three,500 kilos. Kia tasks it to get 25 mpg mixed, which might be an enchancment of three mpg over the V-6.  

A 1.6-liter turbo-4 paired to 1.5-kwh battery pack and 44-kw electrical motor that makes 227 hp shall be provided as nicely, paired to a 6-speed computerized transmission driving the entrance wheels solely. Kia targets 37 mpg mixed for the hybrid. 

The plug-in hybrid accessible in 2021 can have an analogous arrange because the hybrid however with a 66.9-kwh electrical motor that helps make 261 hp. It’ll have an estimated 30-mile electrical vary however will solely be provided with all-wheel drive. 

Consolation, security, and options

Kia says the bones for the brand new 2021 Sorento are new, and the crossover rides with a barely longer and stiffer physique than earlier than—however nonetheless lower than 190 inches from bumper to bumper. 

The longer wheelbase ends in extra inside house, which the Sorento lacked in comparison with direct rivals. We anticipate the 2 seats within the third row to be finest left for babies. 

With all three rows in place, the previous Sorento provided a scant 11.3 cubic toes of cargo house, which was smaller than most three-row crossovers. Kia stated the brand new design created extra leg room within the first two rows, extra head room within the third row, and extra cargo quantity in again. 

Push-button releases on the second-row seats slide the seat ahead for simple entrance into the third row, whereas a push-button on high of the seat permits third-row passengers of any age to get out with ease. Out there captain’s chairs within the second row are a primary for the Sorento, however restrict whole passengers from seven down to 6. 

We additionally don’t know if our gripes with the low seats within the second row have been addressed, we’ll replace this house as soon as we see it in individual. 

Customary options embody at the very least six USB ports, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, and driver help  options together with computerized emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise management, energetic lane management, and a driver-attention monitor. 

Different optionally available options embody a head-up show, 12-speaker Bose sound system, blind-spot displays, computerized rear emergency braking, a freeway driving assistant, distant begin, and the power to pair two gadgets through Bluetooth, so one can take cellphone calls and the opposite can play music. 

How a lot does the 2021 Kia Sorento price?

Pricing shall be introduced nearer to its on-sale date late this yr. 

The place is the 2021 Kia Sorento made? 

The 2021 Sorento is manufactured in West Level, Georgia.