When I get behind the wheel of a car, I’m not thinking about the engine or the transmission (those worries come later for me…when the car is in the shop). When I’m driving, I want a car that is comfortable, easy to maneuver, with features that make my life easier.
When Kia dropped off a 2012 Kia Sorento EX All Wheel Drive at my house a couple of weeks ago, I fell instantly in love.
I was heading out for a dentist appointment right after the Sorento arrived, and I was able to sit down, find everything I needed, and drive away comfortably within minutes. I LOVE a car with a low learning curve. The controls were exactly where I expected them to be – easy to find and manage. I even used the built in GPS system without even looking at the user manual.
First impressions of the Kia Sorento:
- The Sorento that I was loaned for a week was a gorgeous dark cherry – I instantly loved the color!
- The seats were very comfortable and easy to adjust (fully power-adjustable).
- Nice size – the SUV was smaller than my minivan, but still had a great amount of seating – a mid-sized SUV with 7 seats!
- The Sirius Satellite Radio and navigation system was addictive – so handy!
My kids fell even harder in love with the Sorento. As soon as they got home from school that first day, they wanted to take it for a spin, and begged me to buy one for us to keep. I expected the novelty of the SUV to wear off after a day or two, but the kids were literally just as excited about it on day 7 as they were on day one. I thought that the fact that two of the kids would have to climb over the middle row to get into the back seat would be a negative, but no one seemed to mind, and no one complained about seating arrangements (which is something we deal with EVERY time the kids get in our van). There was actually MUCH more leg room than I would have expected! So for a full week, I got to listen to my kids talk about how much they loved the Sorento and how awesome it would be if this was our car forever.
I have to admit, I started to feel the same way. I especially loved the back up camera and the push button start. I got accustomed to keeping my keys in my purse and loved not having to dig through my bag to find them when I got back to the car with groceries. I adored the push-button unlock/lock feature on the door handle.
One concern for me, as the mother of a family of seven, was the cargo space in the back. When all seven seats were being used, there wasn’t much storage space to speak of. On normal day-to-day outings, that wouldn’t be a problem, but if I were to take the family on a road trip or even a big trip to the grocery store, there would be problems. However, I do realize that my family is a little larger than most. Another concern was the limited visibility out of the back window, but the back up camera compensated for that nicely.
Sorento cargo area with third row seat in use
Sorento cargo area with third row seat stowed
Conclusion: If we were a 2 or 3 kid family, the Sorento would be an ideal vehicle for us. When the third row is folded down, the cargo area is more than sufficient, but when it’s carpool time around town, those two extra seats in back would come in VERY handy. The car is fun to drive, easy to maneuver and park, and has the features that I use regularly.
2012 Kia Sorento features:
- 2.4L gas direct injection 4-cylinder engine
- 6-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic
- 4-wheel drive
- Dual front advanced airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags (1st and 2nd row)
- Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
- Lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH)
- Automatic climate control
- USB/Auxiliary input jacks
- BLUETOOTH wireless technology
- Adjustable power driver’s seat with lumbar support
- 2nd row armrest with cup holder
- Push button start with smart key
- Back-up warning system
There are so many additional features that I could mention. The list goes on and on. The bottom line: I loved the Sorento and we’re all missing it!
Disclosure: Kia lent me a 2012 Sorento EX for a week to test drive for a week with my family. I used it on all of my day-to-day activities for a week and provided my honest opinions about the car from my (and my family’s) perspective. No compensation was received.
© 2012, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
Pretty! Can’t wait to review one in October!
Kas
Great review! My husband and I were just thinking about looking at Kias and after reading your post, I want to test drive the Sorento!
This looks perfect for my family. I would love to drive one, just to see how much difference it is compared to my current car.
We are shopping for a mid-size SUV right now so I loved your review. The compactness of this SUV but with it still being able to seat 7 is a huge plus. I can’t wait to check one of these out!
I loved seeing them at the Reviewer’s Retreat and I can’t wait to test drive my own Kia! They look amazing and I love all the fun accessories that come with it. Accessories? That’s not the right word but you know what I mean!
Looks like good legroom in the backseat, but yeah I’d have problems with my big huge stroller in that cargo space!
The back is exactly how my car is. We are only a family of 4 but bring our niece and nephew many places and there just isn’t room for travel (suitcases, etc). The car looks awesome and I too love the dark cherry color.
i love the back up cameras.that cargo net looks super nice too!
It looks like a great family-friendly vehicle.
We test-drove a Sorento a few months back and fell in love with it too!