Kia Sorento: from body-on-frame truck to family crossover

The Kia Sorento is a family SUV that Kia has built since 2002 in four generations. It began as a compact body-on-frame truck-based SUV, and with the second generation it became a larger car-based crossover developed alongside the Hyundai Santa Fe.

Kia Sorento at a glance

History of the Kia Sorento

The first Sorento appeared in late 2001 as a traditional truck-based body-on-frame SUV. It used a Hyundai-built 3.5-litre 24-valve V6 of 192 hp and 217 lb-ft, with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic, replaced by a five-speed tip-tronic automatic in 2005. All US cars had dual front airbags and front and rear side-curtain airbags, and an optional four-wheel-drive system with a low range was praised for its off-road ability. Four-wheel disc brakes were standard, ABS was optional, and the fuel tank held 79.9 litres. There were two trims, LX and EX.

2006 facelift

For the 2007 model year the Sorento moved from the 3.5 to a 3.3-litre V6 of 235 hp and offered a 3.8-litre Lambda with 263 hp, which raised towing capacity from 1,588 to 2,268 kg. Projector headlamps and new tail lamps arrived, the five-speed manual was dropped and the five-speed Sportmatic automatic became standard. Most EX cars had full-time all-wheel drive with a 4×4 Low mode, while the LX used a part-time system with two-wheel drive, 4WD High and 4WD Low. The 2007 Sorento earned five stars from NHTSA in frontal and side tests for all seating positions.

Second generation (2009)

The XM generation launched in Korea in April 2009. It was the first Kia built in the United States, at the company’s new US$1 billion plant in West Point, Georgia, which also builds the Santa Fe. It introduced the Tiger Nose grille and Kia’s UVO infotainment, and unlike its predecessor it used a unibody platform with fully independent suspension. Kia considered renaming the car because the change was so radical. Losing the separate chassis and the low-ratio transfer case made it 475 pounds lighter, and the four-cylinder engine returned to North America after being absent from 2007 to 2010. The range ran from Base and LX with a 2.4-litre four of 175 hp through the EX with the 191 hp GDI version to the SX with a 3.5-litre V6 of 276 hp; an SX Limited arrived in 2012. The 2011 car earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and five stars from Euro NCAP and ANCAP.

Later updates

For the 2014 model year the Sorento was refreshed, with a revised instrument panel, new front and rear ends and tail lamps modelled on the Optima; it was shown at the 2012 Los Angeles show and went on sale in early 2013. For 2015 the six-speed manual was dropped, leaving the six-speed automatic as the only gearbox.

Design and features

• Two architectures: a truck frame in 2002, a car platform from 2009.
• Santa Fe link: developed alongside Hyundai’s equivalent SUV.
• American production: built in Georgia since 2009.
• Safety record: five NHTSA stars in 2007 and a Top Safety Pick in 2011.

Kia Sorento versions

• Sorento BL (2002–2009): 3.5 V6, later 3.3 and 3.8, body-on-frame.
• Sorento XM (2009–): unibody, 2.4 four or 3.5 V6, Tiger Nose grille.
• SX Limited (2012–): the top North American trim.
• 2014 refresh: new front and rear styling based on the Optima.

The Sorento sits between the Sportage and the larger Mohave in Kia’s SUV range, and its later generations were developed with the Hyundai Santa Fe. More Kia models are in the Kia collection.

Sources

• Kia Sorento, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, trims, safety, production sites