Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento

The 2011 Kia Sorento straddles the line between compact and midsize SUVs. Available seating for seven and its exterior size say midsize SUV, but its price and standard four cylinder engine say compact SUV. Though the Sorento can cost more than $29,000 if you opt for the highest trim, a modestly equipped base model is quite a good value. Reviewers like the new Sorento so much that they say it gives the class leaders a run for their money.

The Sorento looked like a car-based crossover, but body-on-frame construction, a two-speed transfer case, and a live rear axle dwelled beneath the Mercedes-inspired sheetmetal. The upshot: superior off-road capability, but subpar fuel economy and ride quality. Well, the Sorento has been redesigned, and as with the Sportage before it the trucky bits have been tossed in favor of a Hyundai car-based foundation. Specifically, the 2011 Kia Sorento is now a Hyundai Santa Fe beneath the surface. Now that it’s much like all of the others, why buy the Kia?

Ironically, the second-generation car-based Kia has more angular, and so truckier, exterior styling than the original did. It looks more upscale and sophisticated than the utterly forgettable Santa Fe, but doesn’t induce double takes. Inspiration has been drawn from many other SUVs, including those from Acura, BMW, and Lexus, such that this time there’s no clear source. But there’s nothing obviously Kia here aside from the badge, either.