2014 Kia Sorento SX: Family Road Trip Review

About a year and a half ago, we review the 2012 Kia Sorento and loved it for our family of 5.  It was roomy, it was sleek, it got great gas mileage, we were impressed.  Last week we had a chance to test out the 2014 Kia Sorento SX on a road trip of over 800 miles to and from the Kia Classic.  The upgrades and functionality was what we know and love from Kia and it’s a fabulous ride!

Some things my husband loves about the car is the engine of course:

New this year, the all-aluminum 3.3-liter GDI V6 produces a smooth 290 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and a stout 252 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,200 rpm. Power is routed to either the front wheels or, optionally, to all four using an enhanced Torque On Demand all-wheel drive system that seamlessly directs power to the tire with the most traction and now includes the benefit of Torque Vectoring Cornering Control (TVCC) that aids stability under certain driving conditions.

I felt the power when I stepped on the gas, but the amazing thing is that as you drive you feel like you’ve levitated off the ground and are flying.  The kids said on occasion, “are we even moving, it’s so smooth,” and “We’re already there?  That was quick!”  Highway 5 in central California is a long dark stretch at night and if you don’t watch out you’re going 85 and it feels like 55.

This is just bigger than the Sportage we just tried out and I could leap for joy when that 3rd row seat was pulled up from the trunk area.  A full bench seat did not have to be exposed just one side allowing for our 7 year old to have plenty of room (plus needed air controls she can reach) while we filled the rest of the space with luggage!

Road trips need that third row, while buzzing around town we can tuck that seat down and have plenty of room for groceries, baseball bag and equipment, and even a scooter.

115V power converter…yes please!  With 9 different electronics in the car on a road trip, something is bound to lose power.  Here’s some extra power in a very convenient way.  A switch in the center console activates the outlet. Brilliant.Having that 3rd row seat in use, the big kids sit in the middle and have their space defined by this console that with a push of a button turns into a drink holder.  My oldest said it’s soft and works great as a pillow too!The touchscreen is better than ever.  Low fuel alerts and the nearest gas station search takes one less step out of a necessary equation. The navigation system shows road speed limits, ETA for your route, and smart and accurate traffic alerts with detour information.  Oh and look at that side mirror feature that lights up when a car pulls into your blindspot!  This car’s brain is genius.Dialing hands-free with the Bluetooth is always a fabulous feature in the new Kias, I also love that my music apps stream through the system!  No downloaded music, but it still works, that’s if I can’t find anything on the tons of Sirius Radio channels.From your key fob, open and close the liftgate automatically or use button on the liftgate itself to close.Along with the technical features, my husband loved cruising with the panoramic sunroof open.  The improved sunroof has a soft mesh bug-guard, while another new feature is the pull-shades on the back windows.

Fitting that we encountered this sign on our trip!

Amazing ride, so comfortable, soft leather seats, the car will run about $36,700.00 with road trips giving you about 24 mpg with the specifications I noted. Head to your local dealer and try it out!  I bet you’ll love it!

Kia loaned the car for a week that included our road trip to the Kia Classic, all opinions are our own!