2011 Kia Sorento Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Kia Sorento overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Sorento, and includes Kia Sorento safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

After living on an off-road capable, truck-based chassis in a crossover world for it’s whole life, the Kia Sorento is redesigned for 2011 to serve as a pavement-pounding, crossover SUV. The lineup is expanded to include Base, LS, EX and SX models, and the 2011 Sorento gets a couple of new engines. A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is standard on the Base model, and a 3.5-liter V6 is standard on all other Sorentos. Overall, the redesigned Sorento looks, feels and performs better than it ever has. Officially a crossover SUV that’s bigger than a Honda CR-V but not as bulky as a Honda Pilot, the 2011 Sorento features an optional third-row seat for the first time – something families and carpoolers everywhere can embrace.

The 2011 Kia Sorento is offered in four trim levels: Base, popular LX, luxurious EX, and sporty SX. All but the Sorento SX come standard with a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. A larger V6 is available on the LX and EX, and is standard on the SX. All-wheel-drive is optional on all models and with both engines.

Every 2011 Sorento includes Bluetooth, power windows, power door locks, power side mirrors, air conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a trip computer, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Parents will want to take note of the Sorento’s cloth upholstery, which is treated for stain resistance. Entertainment also takes the standard stage with a CD/MP3 player, satellite radio, a USB port, and an auxiliary audio input jack.

The Base model was discontinued during the course of the 2011 model year, making the Sorento LX the least expensive model. The mid-level LX adds heated side mirrors with LED turn signal indicators and a second-row armrest with integrated cupholders. The key here is that the LX is the ticket to significant upgrades in terms of optional features. For example, the popular Convenience Package adds a reversing camera embedded into an auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear park assist sensors, heated front seats, fog lights, and roof rails. A third-row seat is also optional on the LX model.

The top-of-the-line EX has everything the LX does plus dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless entry and ignition, a power driver’s seat, leather trim for the steering wheel and shift knob, floor mats, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Fog lights, automatic headlights, a rear spoiler, a HomeLink universal remote, and rear park assist sensors are also included. Plus, the Sorento EX is equipped with Kia’s new Microsoft-powered UVO infotainment system with rearview camera display. Get the V6 engine, and your Sorento EX is equipped with standard air conditioning for the second-row seat and a third-row seat for seven-passenger carrying capacity.

For Sorento EX models, an optional Premium Package adds some posh with leather upholstery, navigation, a reversing camera, a premium Infinity surround sound system with HD radio, heated front seats, a power front passenger’s seat, and power folding outside mirrors. With a V6 engine, the Premium Package also includes a panoramic sunroof. If you really want to trick things out, the Limited Package – only available if you’ve already gotten the Premium Package – adds a ventilated driver’s seat, ambient interior lighting, a special Mocha colored interior, and slick 18-inch chrome wheels. A rear-seat DVD entertainment system is available on the EX V6, but only if you haven’t gotten the Premium Package since you can’t have both the panoramic sunroof and entertainment system.

The Sorento SX is the sportiest and most luxurious model, equipped with unique design details, a sport-tuned suspension, and metallic interior trim combined with shinier 18-inch wheels, LED taillights, and a leather-and-wood steering wheel. Additionally, the SX is equipped with everything in the EX Premium Package plus a ventilated driver’s seat, and the SX can also be outfitted with an optional panoramic sunroof.

The standard engine for the 2011 Sorento Base, LX and EX is a new 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque, which is merely adequate for a crossover that weighs about 150 pounds shy of two tons. The Base trim matches this engine to a six-speed manual transmission while the LX and EX trims come with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard, but the LX and EX are available with all-wheel drive (AWD).

Also new for 2011 is a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 276 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque to the front or all four wheels. This engine is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission, is available as an option on the LX and EX models, and comes standard on the Sorento SX.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2011 Kia Sorento with the standard 2.4-liter engine, transmission manual gearbox, and FWD is rated to get 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. With an automatic, mileage improves to 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. With AWD, the same engine should deliver 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Considering the additional power and performance, there’s not much of a fuel economy penalty with the 3.5-liter V6 engine. It’s rated to get 20 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway with FWD, and 18-mpg city/24-mpg highway with AWD.

One of the great things about buying a Kia is that they include an outstanding five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty with free roadside assistance, and a ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. That’s worth consideration if you’re comparing a Sorento to other models on the market.

Safety features abound in the 2011 Sorento. The usual array of airbags is standard, though it should be noted that the side curtain airbags protect only the first- and second-row occupants. Additionally, the Sorento is equipped with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, stability control, traction control, hill descent control and hill-start assist.

There’s excellent news on the crash protection front. The 2011 Kia Sorento earns a Top Safety Pick title from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) thanks to top performance in frontal-offset, side-impact, rear-impact injury prevention, and roof strength tests. For 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revised the way it conducts crash tests, raising thresholds for performance. In the new tests, the 2011 Sorento receives an overall score of 4 Stars based on a 5-Star scale. With front- or all-wheel drive, the Sorento receives 4-Star ratings in each of the crash test categories: frontal impact, side impact, and rollover resistance.

According to Consumer Reports, the 2011 Kia Sorento is expected to provide average reliability. That matches the prediction from J.D. Power and Associates.

We know there are many changes to applaud on the 2011 Sorento, but we’d first like to thank Kia for upgrading its crash-test performance and finally receiving a Top Safety Pick title. Fuel economy and reliability are also improved for 2011, which makes us equally happy. Aside from that, we think the new Sorento could be a real force to be reckoned with in the crossover space. With a low price tag, a generous warranty, and an available third-row seat, it’s already ahead of many competitors.

By Courtney Messenbaugh and Christian Wardlaw