10 Things You Need To Know About The 2016 Kia Sorento

There's always a risk involved in redesigning one of your strongest-selling automobiles, but the 2016 Kia Sorento proves that sometimes it's a chance worth taking. The mid-size people mover has grown in stature and character in order to better service families seeking to step up from compact crossover fare, and it also enjoys a new turbocharged engine option to go with its sleek exterior and upgraded passenger compartment. Through it all, the new Kia Sorento has managed to stay on-point in terms of value, with pricing that reflects significant savings compared to several of its rivals.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2016 Kia Sorento.

It wasn't that long ago that Kia elected to refresh the Sorento's looks, so the evolutionary steps taken by the 2016 Kia Sorento are more focused on the vehicle's DNA than mere cosmetics. This includes a complete overhaul of the Kia Sorento's sheet metal, using the Cross GT concept as a template for the muscular look of the new vehicle. Up front, LED running lights frame a more powerful grille that features the egg crate polygon design found across the Kia line-up, and although the rear of the Sorento isn't quite as focused it's still in keeping with the crossover's overall styling improvement.

Part of the 2016 Kia Sorento's new look is its enhanced road presence brought on by a longer wheelbase as well as an overall length that has been increased by three inches. An extended wheelbase translates into better interior room - in fact the Kia Sorento's 74 cubic feet of total cargo space represents an improvement of 1.5 cubes - but it also allows the vehicle to compete harder against other mid-size SUVs in its class, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Toyota Highlander. Even with all three rows of seating occupied, the vehicle's 11 cubic feet of cargo space between the hatch and the rear bench are two cubic feet better than the year before.

Yes, that's right - the 2016 Kia Sorento maintains the availability of seven passenger seating across three rows. For 2016, the Kia Sorento's stretched platform adds a half inch of last-row legroom, and the second row sliding seat makes it easier for passengers to find their comfort zone on longer trips. Ordering a seven passenger edition of the Sorento is a little different this year, however: all six-cylinder editions of the crossover come with three rows of seating (as they did in 2015), but if you want a four-cylinder version of the Kia that seats more than five, you have to avoid the newly-available turbocharged engine on the order sheet.

The 2016 Kia Sorento's newest engine option is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder unit that has been tuned to provide 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque - a motor that will be familiar to anyone who has browsed a Kia showroom in recent years, as it is also available in a number of other automobiles built by the brand. The motor represents a sizable upgrade over the base four-cylinder mill, and it manages to do so without dropping more than a couple of miles per gallon from each respective efficiency measure (the turbocharged Sorento is rated at 20-mpg in stop and go driving and 27-mpg on the highway). A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with the turbo version of the crossover.

If you'd rather avoid turbo power, then the 2016 Kia Sorento can also be spec'd with the same four and six-cylinder options that were available in 2015. Specifically, the entry-level Kia Sorento is outfitted with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder motor that generates 185 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque while returning 22-mpg round town and 29-mpg on the highway. The top-tier 3.3-liter V-6 boosts output to 290 horses and 252 lb-ft of twist while posting fuel mileage of 18-mpg in city driving and 26-mpg during highway cruising. As with the turbocharged Sorento, these two engines are matched with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Each and every version of the 2016 Kia Sorento offers the availability of all-wheel drive, regardless of how powerful an engine you choose to order. Nominally, the Kia Sorento's all-wheel drive system directs most engine power to the front wheels, until a loss of traction causes it to shuttle more power to the rear axle. The setup can also make use of its torque vectoring capabilities to improve stability during high speed cornering, and Kia has installed a manual locking feature that splits torque 50/50 between the front and the rear wheels.

The 2016 Kia Sorento L represents the value-focused based model of the crossover, and it offers LED running lights, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, cruise control, air conditioning, an adjustable steering wheel, and is restricted to five passenger seating. The Sorento LX introduces a quieter cabin, a touchscreen infotainment system, additional USB ports for charging personal electronics, and a rearview camera, while the Sorento EX adds rear parking assistance, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats (with power adjustments for the driver), an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual automatic climate control, leather upholstery, 18-inch rims, and the ability to order a third row of seating.

The Kia Sorento SX is very well equipped, with a power liftgate, blind spot monitoring system, an LCD screen in the gauge cluster, power folding mirrors, a navigation system, a panoramic sunroof, a louder stereo system, 19-inch rims, LED taillights, keyless ignition and entry, and more fine tuning for the power driver's seat all added to the equation. The Sorento SX chromes the crossover's 19-inch rims, installs a cooling feature for the front seats (and heaters for those seated in the second row), and provides nicer leather throughout the cabin.

If you'd like to spruce up a more affordable version of the 2016 Kia Sorento without committing to the glitz and glamour of its top trim level, then you can avail yourself of one of its many options packages. The Kia Sorento LX offers the Convenience package (leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, power driver's seat, rear parking assistance, an auto dimming mirror, the option of adding a third row seat), while the EX can be had with both the Premium package (keyless ignition and entry, power liftgate, sunshades, blind spot monitoring system, power folding mirrors, LCD screen in front of the driver), and the Touring package (dependent on ordering the Premium package, but which includes a touchscreen navigation system, a more impressive rearview camera, an Infinity sound system, and a panoramic sunroof). The Sorento Limited features an available Technology package that will net you HID headlights, advanced parking camera assistance, adaptive cruise control, additional safety features, and an electronic parking brake.

The 2016 Kia Sorento offers a full complement of airbags, including side curtain airbags that protect first and second row passengers, as well as side-impact airbags up front and a set of dual forward airbags. Electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and traction control are also included with the Kia Sorento. If you're looking to access the crossover's available active safety equipment, you'll have to start with the EX trim level, which makes a blind spot monitoring system available as an option. Those who purchase the Sorento Limited also get the chance to order a lane departure warning system and forward collision warning feature by way of the Technology package.

The 2016 Kia Sorento L starts at a very affordable $24,900, which makes it significantly less expensive than a base Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, or Jeep Grand Cherokee. Moving up the trim ladder, even the luxury-laden Kia Sorento Limited with a V6 engine costs a reasonable $41,300 - a significant different when compared to the entry-level edition, but still considerably less than one would pay for a similarly-equipped seven-passenger crossover from almost any other manufacturer. Value has always been an important part of Kia's brand identity, and that continues to hold true with the all-new Sorento.