Monday, April 15, 2013

2014 KIA Sorento has arrived in St. Louis



Jim Butler KIA is receiving truckloads of the new and improved KIA Sorento . With similar looks and the same 106.3-inch wheelbase, KIA calls the updated Sorento “80 percent new.” This includes a new chassis, a new V-6 engine, new interior materials, new telematics, and new infotainment.

The modestly restyled body shell on the 2014 Sorento has been broadly re-engineered. By improving the subframe to support the front suspension, a new strut-tower brace, and a higher percentage of high-strength steel, results in an 18-percent improvement in the torsional rigidity, according to the engineers. Jim Butler KIA is excited for the new improvements that have been made to the 2014 Sorento and to offer it to our St. Louis KIA customers.

The track has been expanded slightly to lend a more action-ready look to the Sorento’s stance. Spring rates and shock absorbers have been revised to enhance steering response while the electronic power-steering system is also new and standard on all models.

Under the hood the KIA Sorento has the mid-level direct-injection 2.4 liter four as the new base engine, offering 191 horsepower and 181 Ib-ft of torque. Last year’s port-injection 272-hp 3.5-liter V-6 is replaced by a 3.3-liter direct-injection V-6. An oversquare design with a lofty 11:5:1 compression ratio, the new 3.3-liter V-6 is rated for 290 horsepower and 252 Ib-ft of torque. Other refinements are the options of power folding windows and a power lift gate.