Introduction

They don’t make cars like they used to. That’s true enough, at least if you ask an old guy with a jones for Detroit iron. Nope. They don’t make cars like they used to – and neither, for that matter, does Kia. And that’s a very good thing, if you’re into buying high value vehicles with loads of content. At the 2006 New York International Auto Show, Kia trotted out their latest upgraded vehicle, and, from the looks of it, the 2007 Kia Sorento will win it’s share of fans. Few will be surprised by that anymore, especially considering that Kia has hit record sales three months running, and have just announced a partnership with Sirius that will make satellite radio available in all 2009 models. As for the Sorento, it already has a lot going for it, with new sheet metal and grille, an upgraded interior design, more power and – at least according to Kia – better fuel efficiency. Len Hunt, Kia’s US top man said that the 2007 Kia Sorento, at 262 horsepower, enjoys more power than Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner. That’s impressive on paper – we’ll see what it’s like on the road.

What It Is

As a main bread and butter vehicle for Kia, the new Sorento gives the Korean automaker a serious contender among major sellers such as the Ford Escape the Toyota Highlander. With more power, room, interior upgrades and a slew of standard safety features such as full-length side curtain airbags, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control (TCS), tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), active front headrests, and a driver knee airbag.