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The 2022 holiday season here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis has brought about opportunities to share time with loved ones and take in amazing displays such as the 10th year of Garden Glow and the lights at Anheuser-Busch. As the crossover SUV continues its dominance of the American auto market, the mid-size Sorento was well deserving of the spotlight from the Topspeed.com blog this past week. The 2024 model comes loaded to the gills with holiday goodies such as its turbo engine combined with a sensible hybrid system.
The standard engine is the 1.6-liter turbocharged model with a full hybrid system, which cranks out 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the pairing with a conventional CVT transmission that makes the overall driving experience a bit elastic and unpredictable, the Sorento sets you up with a conventional 6-speed model. The Car and Driver auto testing team was able to get the new model up to 60 MPH in just 7.6 seconds, with the momentum not wearing thin as speed builds.
The addition of the turbo is a massive help with acceleration, as the 6-speed automatic delivers a stepped-up and well-chiseled shifting process. The 2023 Sorento’s performance feels optimized like a traditional gas-powered car, and not a hybrid. As the industry begins the shift to electric power, this type of sensation will be even further behind, even as the advent of clean-sourced juice provides a unique breed of application. FWD comes standard on the X model and all-wheel drive is optional, with the all-wheel drive system using the well-honed torque vectoring setup.
The inclusion of Torque Vectoring allows for all the wheels to grip the road much better for handling and launch and is one of the extras that puts all Kia vehicles in a class of their own whether your drive is across town or across the country. Inside, satin aluminum and chrome accents add a nice modern touch to the interior. One of the options that we would have to recommend is a panoramic moonroof, allowing you to enjoy the sights outside to their fullest no matter the season.
The Sorento comfortably seats 6, and there are enough USB ports and drink holders to leave everyone feeling adequately situated for the drive. The second-row seats also slide and adjust to offer a greater amount of utility, and third-row passengers get to enjoy comfy recliners and USB ports as well. The NHTSA ranked the Sorento as a 4/5 for crashworthiness, and last year's model earned itself an IIHS top safety pick. The final verdict from the Top Speed crew was that the Sorento offers an ideal balance for any driver, along with class-leading warranty coverage and signature holiday stance!
