New Jersey Residents – Exploring the New Kia Sorento?  Everything You Need to Know 

Are you exploring the new 2021 Kia Sorento? The Kia Sorento has always been unique, but the new version stands out even more. As a New Jersey Kia Dealer, we have everything you need to know. Find out about its features, price, and what makes it stand out. 

It Has a Great Size

The Kia Sorento is considered a midsize crossover but has never fit neatly into that category. This is the same in the all-new, fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento. It’s still a midsize crossover,  has three rows of seats, but it’s not as big as other three-row family crossovers, including the Telluride. It’s 8 inches shorter in length than the Telluride and 4 inches narrower. It also has ample legroom, with 44 inches in the front, 39 inches in the 2nd row, and 32 inches in the 3rd row. It also has a cargo space area behind the third row of 12.6 cubic feet, an average for the midsize crossover. 

Learn more about the Cool Features of the Kia Telluride That Make It the Best SUV On The Market. 

It Comes With a Lot of Variety

The biggest change for the 2021 version of the Sorento is the amount of variety it comes in. The new X-Line trim model, similar to a Subaru Outback or a Toyota RAV4 Adventure,  gets an extra inch of ground clearance for 8.3 inches total, standard all-wheel drive, more functional roof racks, and a different style. All the other trims get new styles as well, with the SX featuring glossy black trim and wheels. The interior is very different visually and has all the latest technology. If you’re considering a smaller, compact SUV or a bigger three-row family crossover, the new Sorento is a smart alternative to consider. 

The Engine Has Changed

With this new version of the Sorento, Kia made huge changes under the hood. The base four-cylinder is bigger and more powerful, while the V6 engine gets an upgrade to a 2.5-liter turbo inline-four with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. It blows all the bigger three-row crossovers out of the water, including the Telluride. 

The new Sorento even goes green, with an estimated 37 miles per gallon combined, joining the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer. Then there’s the new Sorento Plug-In Hybrid, which is the only three-row plug-in hybrid SUV from a non-luxury brand. It can go 30 miles on a charge, which is more than enough for a day of errands without using the turbocharged engine.

The Interior and Technology Have Been Revamped

The Sorento’s interior was already very sleek, and the 2021 version brings with it a more distinctive look with the same high-quality materials. The main difference between trim levels, besides the features, is the dash trim in front of the passenger seat and upholstery’s fanciness. Besides cloth or leather, it has quilted leather on the SX. The hybrid models also get a rotary transmission selector instead of the traditional stick.

Technology is also upgraded for the 2021 model. The Upper trim models include a 12.3-inch all-digital instrument panel and the same 10.25-inch touchscreen found in the Telluride. The screen is very user friendly, filled with features, and even includes eight USB ports (except in the LX, which has 6).

The new tech-savvy features include a  10.25-inch infotainment display, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a Blind-view monitor (a blinker-activated camera view that displays the next lane in the instrument panel).  

Other technology features include a Bose 12-speaker audio system with a UVO Link that can connect you to information, including weather and traffic updates, as well as communicating with Amazon-Alexa and Google-Assistant. 

Other technology features include a Bose 12-speaker audio system with a UVO Link that can connect you to information including weather and traffic updates, as well as communicating with Amazon-Alexa and Google-Assistant. 

It Has Great Performance

The 2021 Sorento LX and S trim models feature a 2.5-liter inline-four with 191 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. A traditional eight-speed automatic and front-wheel drive are standard, with all-wheel drive an option. This makes the engine get the Sorento from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 9.5 seconds, indicating its greater weight. The fuel economy is estimated to be 24 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined with four-wheel drive and 23 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined with all-wheel drive. 

The EX and SX models bring a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. Its 0-62 time is 7.4 seconds, faster than the other models.  Front-wheel drive is standard. All-wheel drive is optional on the EX and SX and is not available on the SX Prestige and standard on SX X-Line. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is also standard. Fuel economy is 22 /29/25 with FWD and 21/28/24 with AWD.

The Sorento Hybrid has a 1.6-liter turbo inline-four with an electric motor for a total system output of 227 horsepower in the Hybrid S and 228 hp in Hybrid EX. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is not available.  Fuel economy estimates are excellent at 39 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and 37 mpg combined.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid also has a bigger battery and electric motor to the same turbo engine, increasing the output to 261 horsepower and providing an all-electric range of 30 miles, making it the most efficient three-row crossover.

Features and Price

As a Kia Dealer in New Jersey, we have an in for the new Sorento’s exclusive price. Pricing for the 2021 model starts at $29,390 and top around top out around $41,500 for the SX Prestige. There are six trim levels for the non-hybrid models. The LX 2.5, S 2.5, EX 2.5T, SX 2.5T, SX Prestige 2.5T and SX Prestige X-Line 2.5T. The SX Prestige stands out for having an extra inch of ground clearance, more functional roof rails, more rugged styling, and standard all-wheel drive. 

Standard features on the LX include:

•  17-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Rear privacy glass,
• Manual height-adjustable driver seat
• Cloth upholstery
• Third-row seats
• Second-row bench
• Six USB ports
• 8-inch touchscreen, 
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system.

The S and EX also have more appealing choices. The features for the S include: 

•  18-inch wheels 
• Gloss-black exterior trim
• Roof rails
• Proximity entry
• Dual-zone climate control 
• Eight-way power driver seat 
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Leather upholstery 
• In-car Wi-Fi 
• Satellite radio 
• Eight USB ports 

The EX differs by adding the turbo engine and second-row captain’s chairs that reduce their seating capacity to six. The SX trims have those, too, but slather on additional luxury niceties.  

There you have it, all the special specs of the new Kia 2021 Sorento. It has everything you need in a midsize crossover in a smaller package. Come check it out at Nutley Auto Kia, a specialized, family-owned Kia dealer for 15 years. Go to www.nutleykia.net, call 973-241-3222, or visit us at 66 Washington Avenue in Nutley, New Jersey. 

Sources

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/09/25/2021-kia-sorento-review/

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/5-facts-you-should-know-before-buying-a-2021-kia-sorento/

Posted in Car Tips | Comments Off on New Jersey Residents – Exploring the New Kia Sorento?  Everything You Need to Know