Road test: 2011 Kia Sorento
Stylish SUV runs silently
Just an hour south of Atlanta, this brand new plant started rolling vehicles off the line in just the last month of 2009, all being stockpiled for release now. And what a plant it is — a $US1-billion factory — which is even more startling because it sits on 890 hectares in an area of the South that has long been low-income farming and textile mill country; an area that, frankly, has been in slow decline for decades. The last vestige of industry is the textile mill that left town about 10 years ago.
Then Kia entered the picture. With its potential of 1,700 jobs (plus as many as 8,500 spinoff jobs), it was a godsend for a region that typically had an unemployment rate hovering around 15%. In fact, it was the mayor of the 3,500-resident town who told us that more than one lawn sported signs saying
“Thank You Jesus for Kia” as the complex was being built.
Still, jobs aside, Kia knows it has much work to do if it intends to keep the citizens working. The Sorento is in its eighth year and third generation, it has a decent design and, with an image of value for the money, it has carved a place in the market. But, frankly, Kia expects more of this truck, as does this plant, with a potential output of more than 300,000 vehicles annually.
Driving the V6 version of the Sorento, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. Indeed, special care has been taken to add thicker glass, insulation and sound-deadening material to the rear wheelwells to achieve this quiet cabin. This new body design has also significantly cut down on the wind noise. From the unibody and independent suspension up, the Sorento is also slightly longer and wider than its predecessor and has an all-new body.
Styling-wise, the new look starts with a brand-unifying characteristic — the “tiger nose” look, most recently seen on the Kia Soul. This feature is framed by a large two-tone bumper with mesh-type inserts around the fog lamps. The new upper body uses what Kia calls greenhouse accents, with a lot of glass around and above in a new twin-sunroof design. Meanwhile, a “flying wing” side crease gives the SUV a forward lean to its profile. Deep, protruding wheel arches get a black edge guard, adding to the tough look.
It’s pleasing overall.
Inside, a good interior has been made better with the use of improved materials, two-tone accents and ambient lighting. The seats offer firm support and have wide bolsters and easy-to-use, precise controls. There is also a noticeable improvement in fit and finish. That’s what Kia is after — overall quality.
Now, I’m not the first to notice the leaps in quality this company makes each time it updates one of its models; this has long been fodder for auto scribes. But it is interesting that Kia measures its own success in two categories: 1. Quality improvements; 2. Perceived quality improvements.
Perceived? How’s that? That’s where you ask customers to tell you who they think builds a quality car. Sounds simple, but the fact is that the public’s perception of things such as quality is often skewed and, worse, as much as 10 years behind reality. It takes many years to build a reputation and many more years before buyers realize that reputation equals a quality product.
Kia is wasting no time adding features such as windshield wiper de-icer pads, heated outside mirror, tilt and telescopic wheel, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel and electronics such as Ecominder, which shifts the transmission into neutral every time it comes to a stop; it then shifts into drive as you touch the gas, which saves fuel as well as wear and tear, says Kia.
Kia says it wants to be one of the Top Three automakers in terms of quality within three years and in the Top Five in perceived quality in the same time period. That estimate also shows how aware the company is of the public lag, though I think it’s being very optimistic.
For 2011, the Sorento gets the first kick at building the reputation by covering a broad range of needs and choices. Two engines are offered, a 2.4-litre four-cylinder that makes 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque and a 3.5L V6 that pushes 276 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque through a new six-speed transmission. Drive configurations start with FWD-only with each engine and carry on with AWD versions, including one with an electronic locking differential that will distribute torque to the front and rear wheels evenly while running at low speed.
One sign of Kia’s relentless drive toward greater market share and quality recognition is the number of Sorento versions available. It even comes with seven seats, if you like; I didn’t. I feel the real value lies somewhat lower on the features scale.
The 2011 Sorento starts at $23,995 for the LX FWD standard four-cylinder, while the top-of-line all-in EX AWD will set you back more than $39,000.
Look for them on dealer lots soon.
