It can be said without a doubt that SUV's
definitely have to be well-rounded to keep their stately perch after they earn
one in today's market. Some may mistakenly think that since the genre is so
popular, that any thrown-together and beta-tested finished product can fare
well in the marketplace. But we agree as the review staff from Cars.com said
in a recent article, “myriad strengths” need to let a model stand out from the
competition. Safety features, comfort, and technology were the areas that the Sorento
really won them over with.
One of the biggest changes for 2019 is a third row
that is now standard on all trim levels, along with some styling update on the
exterior, small tweaks to the interior, and a new eight-speed automatic
transmission paired with the optional V-6. Trims to select from are L, LX, EX,
SX, and SX Limited. The class that it is designed to do battle in included the
Honda Pilot, Chevy Traverse, and the Cars.com Best of 2018 award
winner, the Volkswagen Atlas. If you ask all of us here on staff at Jim Butler what some of our favorite
features on the Sorento
are, we will tell you the grille: it's always prominent and very characteristic
when one is rolling up!
The testing team got to make use of an SX Limited,
by way of the larger of the two available engines. This is the 3.3-liter V6
that cranks out 290 horsepower, and 252 lb-ft of torque. It is the standard
engine on the EX and SX trims, and optional on the LX. The lower engine option
is a 2.4- Liter inline four that generates 185 horsepower, and is still going
to get you through the daily drive with plenty of spunk and vigor. The
dedicated drive squad also said that the V-6 definitely “pours on power easily,”
avoids the over-assisted feeling you get from other electric power steering
setups. It gels well with the suspension, and gives the Sorento a ride that is
comfortable as well as a very-well planted driving experience.
After you experience a test drive for yourself,
you will notice how surprisingly quiet the cabin is: wind, tire, and road noise
simply are not an issue during the drive. Fuel economy ratings have gone up for
this year, as the new 8-speed transmission helps to add 2 mpg combined over last
year's V-6. It is now EPA-rated at 19/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD,
and 19/24/21 mpg with AWD in action. The Sorento
boasts a multimedia system that has standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay,
and the menus and controls have a very straightforward feel and presentation.
Ask us how value is one really amazing trait that shines through after closely
examining the features of the Sorento: all competing vehicles in this category
are undercut by nearly $4,000, and this vehicle rides with a luxurious enough
stance that it stacks up easily against the top trims of its opponents!
