2019 Kia Sorento SXL

By Jim Powell

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” is attributed to many writers such as Shakespeare, Dickens, and especially Mr. Spock in the Star Trek™ movie “The Wrath of Khan.” A Biblical proverb predates all these, which emphasizes the importance of community and states, “No man (woman) is an island unto themselves.” We might think our journey through life is alone, but all persons eventually find out that we are better together.

This is my lofty introduction for the 2019 Kia Sorento SUV. This is a terrific mid-size SUV that functions well with one, several, or up to seven people, and drives like a sport-wagon. I believe that Kia has hit the mark for engineering a vehicle that works well for a few and excels when carrying the “many.”

Recently I took my family in a caravan of SUV’s to Utah on a snow skiing vacation. We stayed in a cabin in Duck Creek Village, UT where the elevation is 8,507 feet, and the daytime temperatures never got above 25 degrees Fahrenheit. While other SUV’s might claim to provide safe and comfortable transportation for families who venture off the beaten path, our 2019 Kia Sorento AWD delivered. It transported us in luxurious comfort, exceptional traction-control, and whole-cabin climate control up into the snowy mountains.

Through LA, Las Vegas, and open roads across the Southwest of America, we put over 1,200 miles on the Sorento- while carrying a variety of people and loads. The overall length (189.0”) of this upgraded 2019 Sorento worked equally well in tight urban streets and parking lots, and on cross-country trips. The overall height (with roof-rails) is 66.5 inches, so it slides comfortably beneath under-ground parking garage beams and still provides optimal ride heights and headroom.

The Sorento gives a raised view of the road for all passengers through large windows and excellent visibility for the driver. The side view of the Sorento exterior is almost wagon-like, and the visibility is not compromised by rising belt-lines or huge angular D-pillars. These proportions were introduced in a 2016 remodel and inspired by the strikingly simple Cross GT concept from 2013. The tweaks for 2019 are mostly in fascia and trim pieces, and new LED lights. The new adaptive LED headlights were brilliant for mountain driving, illuminating around corners before we reached potential hazards.

Our family of 4 adults and 3 children in car seats had adequate seating space with enough leg and headroom. Even though the Sorento is not a mini-van, the tilt-and-slide 40/20/40 middle row seats worked well in providing ingress and egress from the 3rd row. There was room for 8 bags of groceries or 3 duffels behind the 3rd row when all of us were on-board. With the seats folded flat, there is 73 cu.-ft. of cargo space- large enough for bulky cargo. The 7-passenger 3-row seating is now standard on all trims.

On our night drives home from dinner, with ice, snow, and -7° temperatures on the digital readout, the Sorento never slipped or searched for traction around corners or up the grades. The computer-controlled all-wheel drive system continually moved torque from front to rear tires. It always delivers power to all-four wheels from 0-10 mph for more stable launches. Kia’s Torque Vector Cornering Control (TVCC) system uses a yaw and a steering sensor to keep the SUV from developing dangerous understeer or oversteer.

There is a center differential lockup override available if the driver encounters some deeper mud or snow, but I never needed it for our on-road adventures. On all surfaces, the revised electric motor “rack-and-pinion” style system has better feedback for the driver and communicates where the front wheels are going. .

Our 2019 AWD Sorento SXL came with the larger of the two Kia venerable engines. Although their 2.4-liter inline-4 GDI works well in other applications, the 3.3-liter V6 GDI is the right powerplant for this SUV. The 2.0-liter turbo I-4 has been dropped from the Sorento lineup and can be found in sportier Kia and Hyundai models. There is also a new clean-burning diesel engine in the works, but there is no need to wait because the 3.3-liter engine is one of the best on the market. This Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) high-compression engine cranks out 290 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque. It pulls the Sorento and up to a 5,000-pound trailer without much struggle. All this happens on regular-grade gasoline.

The transmission is also impressively smooth with 8 gears and not a lot of noticeable hunting around when driving over mountains or on freeways. This 8-speed automatic transmission is shared with the Cadenza luxury sedan and is well-matched to this SUV’s task. Additionally, the AWD powertrain is estimated at 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. With all the various loads, extreme weather, and slippery road conditions described above, we averaged a solid 23.5 mpg. Impressive for a 7-passenger SUV.

Even though traction and power were never an issue, small things separate a crossover like the Sorento from a true sports-utility vehicle. For example, due to the ground clearances under the Sorento, deep road ruts and larger rocks can scrape the undercarriage. With a 2.5” clearance between the 19-inch tires and the wheel-wells, mud and snow accumulated after just a day on the frozen mountain. True off-road SUV’s are designed for such things, and modern SUV/Crossovers are engineered more for on-road use. The AWD Sorento hits the sweet spot between form and function.

As for nice additions to the 2019 model, Kia has added new driver-assist features like Driver Attention Warning and Lane Keep Assist. It is a little weird to have the car watching you while you are watching the road. However, a gentle reminder suggesting a coffee break was not too intrusive. The same is true for the computerized steering assist helping keep the SUV between the lane lines. Both these features can be disengaged without going through several menus which could further distract the driver. In fact, the Sorento has clear, simple, and logical controls. Larger buttons, knobs, and a 7 or 8-inch touchscreen assist the driver in getting things adjusted while driving- without a course on infotainment interfaces! This might be Kia’s greatest safety feature.

As for luxury for the masses, our SXL model came with the new Harman Kardon audio system with QuantumLogic™, wireless charging, and an upgraded navigation system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The available heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, 14-way power driver and 8-way power passenger seats, and 4-way headrests were all welcome and warm extras. The seat memory also remembered the power driver thigh extension setting so my 5’2” wife and I could easily switch drivers. This is one of the most comfortable Nappa leather seats on the market. Kia is thinking about the needs of many different sized drivers.

Speaking of the needs of the many, Kia delivers a host of safety features to help protect occupants inside the Sorento and to protect those who get in the way. Their suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is now standard on EX trims and higher. This includes Forward Collision Warning System (FCWS) which worked flawlessly even with snow on the windshield; Smart Cruise Control (SCC) which worked well in stop-and-go traffic; Blind Spot Collision (BCW); Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning; and a clever 360° view monitor that can be customized. Additional technologies such as a Roll Over Mitigation (ROM) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC) system was working in the background and fortunately did not fail us.

The Sorento stands out as a quiet, comfortable and composed SUV with great road manners and hardly any road noise. This SXL is exceptionally quiet at high speeds, and wind noise was only heard when gusts exceeded 40 miles-per-hour. (This added to our artic conditions.) If buyers want a medium-sized SUV that does almost everything well and actually has more than 2 persons to transport, I recommend checking out the 2019 Kia Sorento.

Instead of simply putting more video monitors in the headrests of a truck to distract the children, how about engaging them with a view of the world out the windows or out the panoramic glass roof and teach them something. I believe the future “needs of the many” will be to learn how to explore the world beyond small screens and fantasy games. In short, the new Sorento is the right size for most families. So let us travel together.