Киа соренто sx limited 2014
Last December, I had a 2013 Kia Sorento SX V6 in for review. This was an odd time to review it since the month before at the LA Auto Show, Kia introduced the 2014 Sorento which brought forth a number of changes and improvements. At the time of my review, I said to hold off on getting 2013 model and wait to see how the 2014 model fares. Well it has been almost a year since that review and I had the 2014 Kia Sorento, this time in the new SX Limited trim. Let’s find out if I made the right call or not. At first, you might be wondering what exactly did Kia do to the 2014 Sorento since it mostly looks like the outgoing 2013 model. Well there are some changes, some more apparent than others. First off, the overall shape of the 2014 model has been sharpened a bit, giving it a bit more of a European look to it. The front end sees the majority of changes with a revised grille, new headlights and foglights. The back gets a new tailgate and a set of reshaped taillights.
The primary focus on the 2014 Sorento was with the interior. In my review of the 2013 model, I said the interior felt much older due to some choices in materials and technologies. The 2014 Sorento sees massive improvements in both areas. Material choices are much nicer to look and touch, making it feel more premium. On the SX Limited the seats were trimmed in Nappa leather. On the technology front, the 2014 Sorento SX Limited gets a new small color display inside the speedometer to show key information such as trip computer, what you’re currently listening to, and navigation. The center stack features Kia’s UVO infotainment system and eServices. Much like my experience in the Cadenza back in the summer, I found the system to be user-friendly and quick to respond. Comfort and space hasn’t really changed from the 2013 to the 2014 model and that is a good and bad thing. The good is that front and second row passengers will be fairly comfortable with a decent amount of head and legroom. The bad news is that the third row is still only comfortable for small kids or being folded into the floor. Now the third row is an option and if you decide to skip it, you have an extra $1,000 in your pocket. I would skip it.
Under the hood of the Sorento SX Limited is a new 3.3L GDI V6 with 290 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system. Much like the Kia Cadenza that I drove earlier this year, the V6 in the Sorento is very punchy and has no problem of getting the vehicle up to speed. Other traits about the V6 that I like is how smoothly the V6 delivers the power and how refined it is. As for the six-speed automatic, it was quick to up or downshift. As for fuel economy, the 2014 Sorento SX Limited is rated at 18 City/24 Highway/20 Combined. My average for the week was 22.1 MPG, a noticeable improvement over the 20.5 MPG from the last Sorento I drove.
One place where Kia didn’t make any real changes is to the Sorento’s ride, which is a very good thing. The Sorento’s fully-independent suspension went over bumps and ruts with no problem. Also not seeing a real change is how quiet the Sorento is. Road and wind noise are kept to minimum, making it a perfect model to take on a road trip. As for the steering, it is what you expect in the crossover class; over-boosted and not that much feel. The SX Limited comes with the driver selectable steering which varies the weight from really light (comfort) to really heavy (sport). As I have written previously on other Hyundai and Kia models with this system, I’m not a big fan of the system. I left the system in normal as I found the other two on the extremes. I like the idea of this system, it just needs some finessing. There is one concern with the Sorento SX Limited I have and that is the pricetag. As tested, this model rings out to $41,600. Ouch. If you drop the third-row seat option, you’re looking at $40,600. What do you get for that price? Well pretty much everything from Kia’s UVO service, Nappa leather, nineteen-inch alloy wheels, heated seats for the second-row, the list goes on. For some people who want everything, the SX Limited is perfect. For myself, I would be very happy with SX which comes with most of the features of the Limited and an extra $2,000 in my pocket.
But as a whole, the 2014 Kia Sorento is much better than the model it replaces. The major problems and faults have been rectified by Kia, making the Sorento a very compelling model in the midsize crossover class. Just be warned you might have to spend some cash to get it. Disclaimer: Kia Provided the Sorento SX Limited, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2014 Make: Kia Model: Sorento Trim: SX Limited Engine: 3.3L DOHC GDI CVVT V6 Driveline: Six-Speed Automatic, All-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 290 @ 6,400 Torque @ RPM: 252 @ 5,200 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined — 18/24/20 Curb Weight: 5,468 lbs Location of Manufacture: West Point, Georgia Base Price: $39,700.00 As Tested Price: $41,600.00 (Includes $850.00 Destination Charge) Options: 3rd Row Seat & AC — $1,000.00 Cargo Net — $50.00 William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.
2014 Kia Sorento
The Sorento’s no longer the striking value it once was, but a well-equipped V-6 with front-wheel drive and a rearview camera still stickers well below $30,000. Stick with the Sorento EX, and choose your options wisely.
features & specs
The 2014 Kia Sorento gets a quick fix for its minor flaws: they brighten the cabin and soften the ride.
The 2014 Kia Sorento is not only the Korean company’s most popular crossover utility vehicle, but a major update with some new underpinnings, significant upgrades under the hood, a new interior, and additional safety features and infotainment options. Kia says more than 80 percent of the Sorento’s parts are significantly redesigned or brand new for 2014, and the result is a thorough reworking that keeps the Sorento competitive in one of the hottest segments of the market.
You might not know the Sorento’s been so heavily reworked just by looking at the exterior, though. The 2014 model is a clear continuation of the Sorento design in place since 2011—with a few fresh details that knowledgeable shoppers will be able to pick out. New front and rear fascias and low body work both serve to make the Sorento look a bit lower and wider, while the ‘tiger-nose’ grille gets either an anodized metal or black mesh look, with a cross-hatched pattern in the lower valance. Kia has also added LED combination taillamps and redesigned wheels. Inside, the Sorento gets a new instrument panel, while EX trims and above get a new reconfigurable seven-inch TFT LCD gauge cluster.
The interior of the 2014 Sorento grows incrementally, with slightly more leg room and good seats, now with heating offered on the first two rows and ventilation available up front. We like the Sorento as a five-seater, where it has plenty of legroom and headroom for adults, front and back, yet leaves plenty of cargo space when the back two rows of seats are folded down on three-row versions. There’s not much room behind the third-row seat when it’s used for passengers, though.
The most meaningful difference for many families may very well be the introduction of a more fuel-efficient V-6. The all-aluminum 3.3-liter GDI V-6 makes 290 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque. A 191-hp, 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder engine is standard, but likely to be rare—and rightly so, since the V-6 almost matches it on gas mileage, and far outpoints it in pure power. The Sorento delivers its power to the road with the help of a well-sorted six-speed automatic transmission; it’s either configured with front-wheel drive or with an enhanced torque-vectoring version of the all-wheel-drive system.
Other key upgrades help the Sorento ride less stiffly and steer more swiftly. The Sorento’s hydraulic power steering system has been swapped out for an electric system, and on the Sorento SX it’s driver-adjustable through a range of three modes (Comfort, Normal, and Sport), to nominal effect. Ride and handling have been improved through a more rigid body structure plus the addition of a front strut-tower brace and a new independent front suspension with an H-shaped sub-frame cradle; new bushings have been added to the multi-link rear suspension. It’s much calmer, and more capable of rounding off pavement burrs than before, though it’s still a slightly firm setup compared to the gooey ride of a Highlander.
All versions get standard Bluetooth, satellite radio, and power features; a panoramic sunroof is a new option. The top Sorento SX Limited adds some of the top-lux features gained by the Optima SX this past year; it includes Nappa leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and a wood-trimmed heated steering wheel, plus a soft-touch headliner. On the outside it’s distinguished by its HID headlamps, red-painted brake calipers and special 19-inch chrome wheels.
The rest of the Sorento line gets an expanded feature set for 2014, and especially of note is that infotainment has been upgraded, with a large new eight-inch touch screen that combines navigation, real-time traffic, Infinity premium audio, Bluetooth, and next-generation UVO eServices features that ditch Microsoft’s kludgy software for smartphone-driven access to Google maps—for free. A 115-volt power inverter, second-row sliding sunshades, a panoramic sunroof, and dual-ventilated air-cooled front seats are among the other new features for 2014.
Review: 2014 Kia Sorento SX Limited
If you’re a long-time reader of the site, then you know that we’re big fans of Kia. It’s ironic, because five years ago, I couldn’t imagine making such a statement. But the Korean automaker has come a long way from their humble beginnings, and today they’re putting out world-class vehicles that can stand with the best of them.
Case in point, the 2014 Kia Sorento, Kia’s 7-passenger SUV. The Sorento is a great looking vehicle that makes a compelling argument to potential minivan drivers who need seating for seven – You don’t have to sacrifice style for functionality. The Sorento gives you the best of both worlds, along with pretty decent gas mileage (18/24 MPG) and an attractive starting price (that can grow quickly if you option it out).
The 2014 Kia Sorento is no mere refresh or facelift, it boasts an all-new chassis, a powerful new GDI V6 engine that puts out a smooth 290 horsepower and a stout 252 lb-ft of torque, a substantially restyled interior, a next-generation infotainment system, and a much-appreciated blind spot detection system. The changes are immediately noticeable, really elevating the Sorento to new levels of sophistication.
Our loaded-to-the-gills 2014 Kia Sorento SX Limited came in at an eye-popping $41,600. But in it’s defense it had every option you could ever ask for. If you’re just looking for a no-frills people hauler, you can get into a base Sorento LX 2.4L GDI I4 for $24,100. And if you want AWD, that’ll cost you an extra $1800.
That said, after a week with our SX Limited, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The 19″ chrome alloy wheels, rear LED tail lights, Xenon HID headlights, and rear spoiler really set off our Kia Sorento, and it got lots of attention from passerbyers, many which we caught checking out our Snow White Pearl beauty. Seriously.
The SX Limited package offers a number of interior upgrades as well. We’re talking premium Nappa leather seats, 2nd-row heated seats, a leather & wood heated steering wheel, heated & ventilated front seats, UVO eServices Infotainment System w/ NAV, a 10-speaker Infinity surround sound audio system, and more.
But the changes to the 2014 Sorento aren’t just aesthetic. As I mentioned, there’s an all-aluminum 3.3L GDI V6 that puts out 290HP at 6,400 rpm and 252 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm, and it hustled our 5500lb Sorento with nary a complaint. The 3.3L engine is available as an option on the LX model, and comes standard in the LX V6, EX V6, SX and SX Limited. Given the 100HP increase over the base engine, this is a no-brainer.
Our car came equipped with an enhanced Torque On Demand all-wheel drive system that seamlessly directs power to the tire with the most traction. The system now includes the benefit of Torque Vectoring Cornering Control, that aids stability under certain driving conditions.
Overall, we were really impressed with the 2014 Kia Sorento. I can’t say enough about how luxurious this car looks and feels, both inside and out, and this was a sentiment shared by other passengers who rode with us. It’s amazing how far Kia has come in the past few years!
If you’re in the market for a new SUV, I highly encourage you to visit your local Kia dealership and test drive the 2014 Kia Sorento. You might just end up driving home with one.