Game-Changer Redux – The 2021 Kia Sorento

The all-new redesigned and reimagined 2021 Kia Sorento sends a clear message to the highly competitive SUV market: The bar just got raised. Considerably.

Kia designers and engineers made sure this fourth generation Sorento checks off a lot of boxes that consumers hold dear: Rugged capability, bold and confident styling and more standard state-of-the-art safety features and technology. A wide range of powertrain offerings. Great fuel economy. Not to mention fun to drive.

“The 2021 Sorento will appeal to so many different audiences – city-dwelling professionals, families, first-time SUV buyers, boomers – the list goes on,” says Russell Wager, Kia’s head of marketing operations. “Sorento just fits into everyday life. It is big enough to be capable, but not cumbersome, yet it still retains its fun-to-drive proposition while offering all the safety, tech and comfort features consumers look for in an SUV.”

One of Kia’s best-selling models, the Sorento now stands poised to attract a whole new audience of SUV shoppers. Since the arrival of Telluride, Kia has completely reimagined its SUV lineup. Telluride is the only SUV to ever win World Car of the Year, North American Utility of the Year, Motor Trend SUV of the Year, Car and Driver 10 Best and Automobile All-Stars in the same awards cycle. Next came the 2021 Seltos, packing similar capability to Telluride but at a far lower price point, it set sales records for three consecutive months. And now comes Sorento. “With its chiseled good looks, more capability, more powertrains and more torque than Telluride, it’s poised to complete Kia’s outstanding SUV lineup in fine fashion,” says Bill Peffer, vice president of sales operations. 

The primary goal in redesigning the Sorento, most recently updated in 2016, was to provide consumers with an attractive, comfortable and much more capable SUV that was fun and easy to drive; big enough for all their friends and gear; and offered a wide variety of powertrains that would appeal to drivers in all stages of life, Peffer says. “Following on the heels of Telluride, Sorento is now the second in our lineup to be completely designed, developed and assembled in the U.S. and we are very proud of this accomplishment.”

Penned at Kia’s California design studio, Sorento delivers in the looks department with sharp, modern lines and bold fascia that give it a muscular and athletic profile – think of it as ruggedly elegant, suitable for both T-shirts and tuxedos. But it’s not a triumph of style over substance; the new Sorento can hold more cargo than its predecessor and offers best-in-class overall passenger volume. Moreover, optional second-row captain’s chairs give consumers the option of 4+2 or 5+2 seating configurations that best suit their lifestyles.

In terms of technology, Sorento delivers with more standard advanced driving-assistance systems that consumers demand, such as forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning and rear-occupant alert.

For off-road aficionados, Sorento offers an X-Line trim, which features an inch more of ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles, advanced all-wheel drive with snow-mode and a more robust roof rack.

“Kia is a proven purveyor of highly capable, adventure-ready SUVs. We are now competing head-to-head with those who have touted their vehicles’ trail readiness for decades and people are viewing the Kia brand differently,” Peffer says. “Sorento is the best expression of Kia’s rugged and capable SUVs to-date.”

The new Sorento also offers four powerplant options – two internal-combustion engines and two electrified motors. In the former category, a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers 191 horsepower and combined 27 mpg (a 2-mpg increase compared to the outgoing model) and a 2.5-liter turbo option produces 281 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque, but still managing to achieve  25 mpg (a 3-mpg increase). The latter is mated with a segment-exclusive, 8-speed, dual wet clutch transmission for more responsive driving both around town and in mountain passes.

For consumers interested in even better fuel economy, the Sorento also offers a turbo-hybrid powertrain that offers 37 mpg – nearly a 50 percent increase compared to the outgoing Sorento base engine. But with 227 horsepower, it doesn’t sacrifice muscle for mileage. A PHEV model, available next year, will offer 261 horsepower and about 30 miles of pure-electric driving range.

Kia officials are bullish on their SUV lineup and there is more news to come. “We are excited for the future of Sorento and will debut several rugged new concepts to our network at the upcoming virtual national dealer meeting this month,” notes Peffer. Kia believes the new Sorento will continue the momentum generated by the highly successful Telluride, introduced in 2019. Sorento shares some design cues with Telluride, still the fastest-turning SUV in the industry after nearly two years, so we anticipate high consumer interest in the new Sorento.” 

“The Telluride grabbed the attention of both industry observers and consumers, and both began looking at Kia in an entirely new way,” adds Wager. “We have heard of cases where luxury vehicle owners are trading in vehicles from established luxury brands including Volvo, Cadillac and even Range Rover for a Telluride.

“Sorento is the vehicle for those that don’t need a larger SUV,” he continues.  “Because of its smaller size and weight compared to the Telluride, the Sorento offers a more dynamic driving experience without compromising on capability.” 

Assembled at Kia’s manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia (along with the Telluride and new K5 sedan), Sorento has been a mainstay in Kia’s lineup since its debut in 2002. It was the first Kia to sell 10,000 units in a single month and the first to sell 100,000 in a year. Overall, consumers have purchased nearly 1.5 million Sorento models, Wager points out.

There is no doubt that the mid-size SUV segment is a challenging market, with the Sorento squaring off against competitors like the Subaru Outback, Ford Edge and the new Chevrolet Blazer. But Peffer points out that Sorento has held its own with a solid 7.7 percent market share.

“In October, Kia’s light-truck portfolio accounted for 64 percent of our total sales volume,” he says. “We expect the all-new Sorento will add incremental volume to our growing SUV sales.”

Over the last decade, Kia hired the best designers, engineers and assembly-line teams and we quietly perfected our process and improved our product line,”  Wager says, “The big and bold Telluride was the first outstanding result of those efforts and the recently introduced Seltos SUV, K5 midsize sedan and, of course, the all-new Sorento, represent a continuation of those efforts.”

“Sorento boldly answers the call of consumers looking for more rugged and capable SUVs,” Peffer adds. “We kept everything current Sorento owners love about their vehicle but amped it up in every way.”

Looking ahead, Wager is confident that the Sorento is a home run – that it will stand on its own as well as stand out against the competition, thanks to the variety of powertrains and more trim levels and available options than the outgoing Sorento. There’s also Kia’s industry-topping 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, he points out.

“There’s a Sorento for every driver,” he concludes. “Being the newest kid on the block doesn’t hurt when it comes to getting customers to take a look at the Kia brand. And we feel that once they delve into the Sorento, the multiple-segment exclusives will make them see their old SUV could stand for an upgrade.”