A one week vehicle loan was provided to facilitate this review, no monetary compensation was received. All opinions are mine.
2016 Kia Sorento Crossover – Prices start at $24,900 – MPG 19/25 – Seats 5 (seating for 7 available in other models)
Hey guys, I’m back with another car! This time, it’s the 2016 Kia Sorento SXL. I’m very familiar with the Kia brand, as I own one, so I was looking forward to spending some time out on the road with the Sorento. First impression? WOW! The first thing I noticed was the Grill- it really stood out. The overall look is very sleek & sporty. The Kia Sorento is the highest ranked SUV in initial quality, by J.D. Power. It’s also been awarded a 5-star safety rating.
Once you’re inside the Sorento & buckled up – you can really begin to enjoy all the features, beginning with the navigation system with 8″ display! There were tons of USB ports to charge our phones & tablets- we LOVED it. The Merlot Nappa Leather seats were extra comfy, the driver’s seat has a power lumbar support that I’m really missing, since returning the car. Good lumbar support makes driving long distances a lot easier on my back. The Infinity Surround Sound System was crisp and we were jammin’ to our favorite tunes on SiriusXM. 
Have I mentioned the Panoramic Roof with with Power Sun Shade? I had no idea such things even existed! The entire roof is retractable…my little guy loved that the sun roof extended all the way past the back seat and he could see the sky above him. 4 cameras … the Kia Sorento has four cameras, front, rear, & sides. Backing up & parking were a breeze with so many cameras & once I gave the car back, it took me a while to feel comfortable driving without them. I definitely want ALL the cameras in the next vehicle I purchase, I just feel safer. The car was nice & roomy, lots of headroom up front, the second row seating was ample & the trunk space was massive! (This is the Turbo model of the Kia Sorento, all other models have 3 rows of seats, compared to 2 in this one).
The Kia Sorento SXL AWD handled well. I decided to put it to the test by venturing high into the Northern California hills. It gripped the road nicely on all the sharp twists & turns, great traction. The Sorento is equipped with a lane departure warning system, forward collision warning system, blind spot detection system, hill-start assist control & many other high tech advancements. Safety features are one of my main concerns, so I was really feelin’ this car! The fact that it has a heated steering wheel, heated & ventilated seats, voice command navigation, and towing capacity were just icing on the cake!
What Hubby Liked: He liked the bold look of the 2016 Kia Sorento and the fact that it was roomy and not a minivan!
What I Liked: Safety features were a big one for me, all those cameras. The car has tons of power & I felt really empowered driving it.
What Our Little Liked: Hands down, the Panoramic Roof! He also liked the roomy trunk and kept dreaming of all the goodies he could buy and haul in it!
This is a great car for families, especially those that don’t want to purchase a Minivan- but still wants lots of space.
