Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento

Manufacturer	Kia Motors
Parent company	Hyundai Kia Automotive Group
Production	2002–present
Class	Mid-size SUV (2002–09) Mid-size crossover SUV (2011–)
Body style(s)	4-door SUV

The Kia Sorento is a mid-size crossover SUV produced since 2002 by the South Korean automaker Kia Motors.

First generation (2002–2009)

First generation

Also called	Naza Sorento (Malaysia)
Production	2002–2009 2007–2009 (Russia assembly by Izh Auto)
Assembly	Hwasung Plant, Hwasung, South Korea Izhevsk, Udmurtia, Russia
Layout	Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine(s)	2.4 L I4 3.3 L Lambda V6 3.5 L Sigma V6 3.8 L Lambda V6 2.5 L Diesel I4
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic 5-speed manual 5-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,710 mm (106.7 in)
Length	2002–2006:4,570 mm (179.9 in) 2006–2009:4,590 mm (180.7 in)
Width	1,865 mm (73.4 in) 1,885 mm (74.2 in)
Height	1,735 mm (68.3 in) 1,815 mm (71.5 in)
Related	Hyundai Terracan

It has two transmission options: a 5-speed manual or 4/5-speed automatic transmission (pre-2005 models have a 4 speed automatic, whilst 2005 Sorentos come with a 5 speed tip-tronic style automatic transmission). Sorentos are equipped with a Hyundai-manufactured 3.5L 24-valve DOHC V6 producing 192 hp (143 kW) at 5500 rpm, and 217 lb·ft (294 N·m) of torque @ 3,000 rpm. The Sorento is very capable off-road, with an automatic four-wheel drive system featuring low range gearing. A sport package is available for the LX base model which adds a 5 speed manual transmission, fog lamps, alloy wheels, step bars, a leather wrapped steering wheel, a roof rack and remote keyless entry. All American Sorentos also come with dual front airbags and dual side-curtain airbags in the front and rear. The 4x4 system is a shift-on-the-fly knob located usually on the lower panel to the left of the steering column. Three modes available are Two-Wheel Drive, Four-High, and Four-Low. On-dash indicators show when the Four Wheel Drive System is active.

Common features of the Sorento family are 4 wheel disc brakes (standard on all models) Optional anti-lock braking system, and a 21.1-gallon (79.9 litres) fuel tank. Also standard is a battery saving feature which prevents wearing out the battery by leaving your headlights turned on (a shutoff engages when the key is removed from the ignition, even if the lights were left turned on). The chassis of the vehicle is also based on a ladder frame design which is more often used in building trucks. This lends a rigidity to the Sorento that other vehicles in its class lack, even at the same price point. (See Also: unibody)

2007

2007-2008 Kia Sorento LX (US)

The 2007 Sorento received upgrades, such as the transition from the 3.5L Sigma to the 3.8L Lambda that will almost double the Sorento's towing ability and boost horsepower from 192 to 262. Projector beams were added in the head lamps, along with new tail lamps. The 5 speed manual transmission is no longer available; the 5 speed Sportmatic tip-tronic automatic transmission is standard for all trims. The 2007 Kia Sorento earned a five-star crash safety rating, the highest rating possible, for all seating positions in the latest frontal and side impact crash tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

2009

2009 Kia Sorento LX (Canada)

The Kia Sorento received another grille facelift, and went on sale in August 2008 in Canada. The facelifted 2009 model did not begin American sales until April 2009.

Dimensions information from the Kia Motors Website:

DIMENSIONS	LX and EX
Wheelbase	106.7 in (2710 mm)
Track, front / rear	62.2 in (1580 mm)
Length	179.8 in (4567 mm)
Width	73.3 in (1862 mm) (LX) 74.2 in (1885 mm) (EX)
Height	68.1 in (1730 mm) (LX) 71.3 in (1811 mm) (EX)
Ground clearance	8.2 in (208 mm)
Approach angle	28.4 degrees
Departure angle	26.7 degrees
Head room (front/rear)	39.7 in (1008 mm)/39.5 in (1003 mm) 38.3 in (973 mm) /38 in (965 mm) (sunroof)
Shoulder room (front/rear)	58.9 in (1496 mm)/58.4 in (1483 mm)
Leg room (front/rear)	42.6 in (1082 mm)/36.1 in (917 mm)
Hip room (front/rear)	55.3 in (1405 mm)/58 in (1473 mm)
SAE volume, interior	138.4 cu ft (3.9 m3)
SAE volume, front seat	57.6 cu ft (1.6 m3)
SAE volume, rear seat	49.4 cu ft (1.4 m3)
SAE volume, cargo	31.4 cu ft (0.9 m3)
SAE volume, rear seat folded down	66.4 cu ft (1.9 m3)

Block quote

Second generation (2009–present)

Second generation

Also called	Kia Sorento R (South Korea)
Production	2009–present
Model year(s)	2011–present (North America)
Assembly	Hwasung Plant, Hwasung, South Korea West Point, Georgia, USA Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine(s)	2.4L Theta II I4 petrol 2.7L Mu V6 LPG 3.5L Lambda II V6 petrol 2.2L CRDI R-Line I4 diesel
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 6-speed manual 5-speed automatic 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase	2,700 mm (106.3 in)
Length	4,685 mm (184.4 in)
Width	1,885 mm (74.2 in)
Height	1,710 mm (67.3 in)
Related	Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai Veracruz/ix55

A redesigned Sorento (codename XM) was launched in South Korea in 2009. It is Kia's first model to be manufactured in the United States, in KIA's new 1 billion dollar West Point Georgia Factory (which also builds the sister vehicle to the Sorento..Hyundai's Santa Fe). The Sorento uses Kia's new corporate grille, known as the Tiger Nose, as designed by Kia's design chief, Peter Schreyer.

In the North American Market, there were no 2010 Model KIA Sorento's....the all new 2011 KIA Sorento was introduced in early 2010 as a 2011 model, no longer based on a truck frame as the outgoing 2009 was, but the new '11 Sorento is now a unibody construction.

The four-cylinder model returns to the lineup for North American models after being absent for 2007-2010. A preview was featured at New York Auto Show in March 2009. It uses a unibody instead of the old-style frame. The engine is transverse, and the suspension is all-independent. The change in body construction as well as the loss of a low-ratio transfer case means it weighs 475 pounds less than the old one model for model, to the gain in performance and economy. The vice president, marketing for Kia Motors America, said in an interview that Kia considered changing the name, because the Sorento replacement is a car-truck crossover, and the older model is a straight-up SUV. The new Kia Sorento went on sale as a 2011 model, and is the first to have Kia UVO. The XM Sorento has been awarded New Zealand Autocar magazine SUV of the Year, "great looker, does absolutely everything as it should. Engine is world class". The Kia Sorento EX V6 model earned an “Excellent” overall score by American magazine Consumer Reports ’ July 2010 issue.

As of January 2011 the KIA Sorento is available in 3 models, the LX, EX and top of the line SX models.

Safety

The 2011 Sorento has been awarded the maximum safety rating from the crash safety experts, European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) and Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The XM Sorento awarded 'Top Safety Pick' from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the US.

References

• http://www.internetautoguide.com/reviews/45-int/sport-utility-vehicles/kia/sorento/2004/
• http://www.autobuyguide.com/2005/09-aut/kia/sorento/

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Kia Sorento

• Kia Sorento Official Website
• Naza Sorento
• Kia Sorento (XM) minisite (Korean)