2012 KIA SORENTO LX

The 2012 Kia Sorento SUV adds an optional gasoline direct-injection (GDI) 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine to the lineup earning top marks for horsepower and fuel economy. Also new this year is the addition of YES essentials fabric that provides anti-bacterial, anti-soil and anti-static properties. Last year’s base-model Sorento and manual transmission are dropped for 2012.

Well-mannered, well-balanced, easy to maneuver and easy to live with, the 2012 Kia Sorento – coming with a choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) – is truly a driver-friendly travel mate. The new gasoline direct-injection 2.4-liter 4-cylinder has more horsepower than the standard 2.4-liter engine, pumping out 191 horsepower yet achieving laudable fuel economy. We like this engine very much and think most people will be quite satisfied with its power and smoothness. The 3.5-liter V6 adds considerably more enthusiasm in either configuration without exacting too much of a fuel-economy hit and ups the Sorento’s maximum tow rating from 1,650 to 3,500 pounds. The 2012 Kia Sorento SUV’s wide track and fully independent front and rear suspension give it a smooth, controlled ride with only the slightest hint of excessive lean occurring during hard cornering. The Sorento’s low-key stability control allows for some measure of reasonably spirited driving. However, even modestly rough roads tend to produce more noise and impact harshness than you’d expect in the Sorento’s otherwise notably well-isolated cabin. Although lacking a low-range transfer case, the Sorento’s torque-on-demand all-wheel-drive system does include a lockable center differential.

UVO infotainment system
Introduced on the 2011 Sorento, Kia’s answer to Ford’s SYNC also is built around Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Automotive software and offers a full spectrum of user-friendly features, expanded voice-recognition capability and is easy to update.