The first-generation Kia Sorento was an oddity: a conventional body-on-frame SUV that was positioned to compete with car-based crossovers. As such, it was not competitive. While it had a nice interior and major advantages in towing and off-roading, the first Sorento could not match the car-based competition in terms of ride, handling, or fuel economy.
A second-generation Sorento is now arriving at Kia dealers. Now closely-related to the car-based Hyundai Santa Fe, it should prove much more competitive. The new engines appear to be very competitive in terms of performance and fuel economy–a 276-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 earns EPA ratings of 20/26 (19/25 with all-wheel-drive). Which borders on incredible.
I haven’t had the chance to drive the new Sorento yet, but was able to closely look one over. Though the same size as the Santa Fe, more rectilinear styling makes it appear larger and more expensive. The interior ambiance isn’t far off a premium brand’s. A third row is available, but as in the Santa Fe it’s tight back there.
So how much will all of this goodness cost you? The base model (that hardly anyone will buy) lists for $20,790, and a fully-loaded EX V6 lists for $34,805. Seems a bit pricey at first glace…but a similarly equipped 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe (no pricing for the 2010 yet) runs $550 higher. And TrueDelta’s Car Price Comparison Tool indicates that the Kia includes $2,300 in features that simply weren’t available on the 2009 Santa Fe: keyless access and ignition, a rearview monitor, interior ambient lighting, and so forth. Adjust for these, and the new Kia Sorento costs about $2,800 less than the Santa Fe.
A similarly equipped Chevrolet Equinox LT lists for $270 less, but the Kia has about $1,700 in additional features, including a third-row seat that’s not offered in the Chevy. Not included in these calculations: the Kia’s superior power AND fuel economy.
A Toyota RAV4 does cost less than the new Sorento–$3,445 less before adjusting for feature differences, about $800 less afterwards–but it’s also smaller and not nearly as nice inside. The new Sorento is more of a match for the Highlander–which lists for $4,554 more before adjusting for feature differences, about about $4,000 more afterwards.
The new Kia Sorento clearly offers a lot for the money, and should prove far more competitive for those who didn’t need the first-generation’s towing or off-roading capabilities.
To run your own price comparisons: