Video: 2011 Kia Sorento

If you live in a cold weather climate like this, you might want an SUV with four wheel drive, which the Sorento has. It's also competitive in price, cargo, and mileage, with everything in the class. Even those with all wheel drive. The Sorento's new look is beefier and bolder than before. It's got Kia's new grill and headlight treatment from the rest of their updated line. It also has 17 inch wheels standard, 18s are optional. And trust us, it's actually a good looking SUV if it weren't this color. This is actually called white sand beige, and it's got to be one of the oddest colors I've ever seen in my career reviewing cars. And trust us, we've seen it in dark gray, silver, white, and black, and other more traditional colors. It is an attractive SUV. Just don't get this color. (upbeat music) The base Sorento starts under $20,000. But that only has a manual transmission. If you want an automatic, you move up to just a little bit over $22,000. And if you want the four wheel drive, that'll start at $24,000. Now those are all equipped with a 175 horsepower, four cylinder engine. The top of the line EX model we have here has a 276 horsepower V6 engine. I've been testing it for a week. It's really powerful. And the six speed automatic transmission is really smooth. It's right up there with the best in the class. Now with the four by four, the mileage is rated only at 19 miles per gallon city, 25 miles per gallon highway. But believe it or not, that's pretty good for the class. If you stick with the four cylinder, the best it gets is 21 miles per gallon city, 29 highway. And that's almost at the top of the class. (upbeat music) Kia is continuing to improve their interiors. The new Sorento is definitely as nice as a Ford Escape or a Toyota RAV4 on the inside. And it's far superior to Dodge's Journey crossover, which also has a third row like the Sorento. Now the cool thing is, even the base Sorento with a manual transmission for under $20,000 has standard stuff like a USB port for your iPod, steering wheel audio controls, and Bluetooth. At 37 cubic feet with the second row up, the Sorento has one of the largest cargo areas in the segment. Beats out the RAV4, Chevy Equinox, Ford Escape. Only the Dodge Journey actually has more. Put the seats down, overall cargo volume, only the RAV4 has more. But overall it's a really usable space. I went Christmas shopping this weekend, fit a ton of presents back here, no problem. The cool thing is it has actual third row, which is optional, but it's really innovative, and believe it or not, it's pretty usable. (upbeat music) You can only get in from the passenger side. Once in the third row and you put the second row in place, give that passenger some room up there. You actually have quite a bit of space. Your legs are really pitched up high. So your knees don't bang into the seat in front of you. There's also a lot of headroom. In a world where almost every crossover has all wheel drive, Kia's smart to offer something with four wheel drive for those that really need it. But matter which Sorento you get, it's a lot of value and it's a really good price. (engine humming) <v Announcer>For more car related news, go to cars.com or our blog, kickingtires.net.