Now that we have a kid and are still in discussion about having more, it’s time to start thinking about upgrading our family vehicle. I currently drive a Honda Civic, but want something with a little more room and storage space. I recently reviewed the 2013 Kia Sorento, and I believe I have found my next vehicle!
When this beauty rolled into my driveway last week, I was very impressed. I am not a huge fan of the color of this one, but Kia has several exterior options. I think the silver or blue looks really sharp on this SUV. I love the body style – and how it isn’t at all boxy like many of the other SUVs out there. The black trim pops from the vehicle, especially with a lighter color exterior.
Once I was able to see the inside of the Kia Sorento, I was able to confirm my love for this vehicle. The space throughout the vehicle is abundant. We had no problem getting Sawyer in and out of the back seat, and there is lots of leg room. The baskets on the seats are nice for books and other activities. There is a third row option if you have 2-3 kids – or do the mommy carpool thing.
Also, I love the dark interior. My car is currently tan inside, and it’s a nightmare to keep clean! The seats are very comfy and I’d have no problem sitting them for long drives.
The back of the vehicle is amazing when it comes to storage, if you have the third row down, like in this photo. I think I’d opt out of the third row so that I could have this amazing amount of storage – with one child, it’s not really necessary for us.
There were accessories included with this model, such as the cargo cover and net. I really like the idea of the cover, as it shields my possessions from any random person that happens to walk by the vehicle in a parking lot. If you go for the third row, you will see there are cupholders, vents, and air controls for the passengers sitting back there.
One of the things I love about the Sorento is the folding side mirrors. No longer do you have to worry about getting them knocked off when you are parallel parked, or about hitting them as you enter an enclosed space. Hitting the lock button your key fob twice will fold these babies in automatically!
Also, having a light for the blinker on the mirror adds a nice element of safety!
Now, one of the reasons I would absolutely LOVE to have the Kia Sorento – check out all of these features! I love Sirius Satellite Radio (my husband’s car spoiled me) and I’m happy to see it’s offered on the Sorento. On the screen is also a navigation system featuring Sirius traffic. This would be our family car – so it’s very important we have a GPS system in the car!
Dual air controls is another big pro for me. James and I have very different temperature preferences. It’s difficult at home where we set the temperature for each room separately. It’s nice to know that I don’t have to freeze while he sweats in the car though!
Also, all the way to the bottom are the heated seat controls. But there’s an extra element to the driver seat – it’s got cooling capabilities. This is perfect for leather seats in the South.
Below the radio/temperature panel is a storage space, perfect for change, gum, phone, etc. There’s a hookup here for your cell phone or other device. There are also two outlets located there. The cup holders are large enough to hold my Nutrisystem water bottle, so I was very happy about that! It’s impossible to get it to fit in my Civic’s cup holders.
One other thing I like, but couldn’t get a good photo of is the two sun roofs – yes, said two! There is one over the front seats and another over the middle. Only the front one opens but it’s a nice change. I haven’t had a sun roof since my first car back in 2000.
The Kia Sorento I reviewed had a V6 engine, which definitely gave it some get up and go! It’s one of those vehicles where you think you are going slow until you look at the odometer and it shows your going 5 over the speed limit. Definitely have to get used to that if I switched from my Civic to this SUV.
When we are ready to upgrade our car to something bigger, I am going to seriously consider the Kia Sorento. Their Optima Hybrid is nice too, but I think I am ready to take a step up – and this gives me the room I want without having to go the minivan route!
Disclosure: I received a test vehicle for one week to facilitate my review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% mine.
About Kecia
How fun! It is a beautiful car, but it looks like it has some horrible blind spots in the back?
Kia makes awesome cars. I drive a ten year old Spectra (their now “retired” compact hatchback), and while it doesn’t feature all the bells and whistles of the newer Kias, and definitely doesn’t stand a chance in terms of engine power, it still rocks, and when it comes time to replace it, I definitely have my eye on a Sorento or one of the other Kia SUVs or crossovers.
I agree that Kia is awesome, and they’ve up’ed their quality even more in the past few years. Unfortunately, the Kia Spectra James had in the past didn’t seem that great, but I think the reason was it wasn’t properly taken care of before he got it.
I absolutely LOVE this vehicle. I got to test drive one and it is awesome. If I was in the market for a new toy, I would be trying to get one of these.
Now that is a seriously cute car!
That looks like it would be so much fun to drive, and it looks great too!
Wow! This looks like a really nice vehicle! I have never even been in a Kia that I recall – they are much nicer than I envisioned! Thanks for sharing!
Dawn
http://www.cheapisthenewclassy.com
Cool car!!