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Cars.comparison: The Box-Cars (Cars.com)
We’ve seen the Sorento that Kia will sell in Europe and the rest of the world, and they’ve even released a diesel hybrid concept of the small crossover. Now, we have fresh pictures of the U.S. version as well as some details.
The 2011 Kia Sorento will be 184.2 inches long — 3 inches longer than a Toyota RAV4 — and will be able to seat seven. We assume two rows will be standard and a third row will be optional like in the Dodge Journey and RAV4. Kia also says the Sorento’s cargo capacity will increase by nearly 5 cubic feet. The current model has 31.7 cubic feet; the Journey and RAV4 have 39.6 and 36.4 cubic feet, respectively.
Two engine choices will be offered: a 172-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 273-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. Both will be teamed to a six-speed automatic transmission and can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive.
Standard equipment includes a stereo with USB input and Bluetooth. Push-button start, navigation and a backup camera will be options.
More photos below.
While some early reviews of the 2010 Sorento have hit the web — check out Motor Trend’s thorough testing of a European model — Kia isn’t offering up much information about the U.S. version. However, we do have some images of the new SUV, which will seat seven with an optional third row, and come in four-cylinder and V-6 varieties.
The hybrid diesel concept, which was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show, is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel teamed with an electric motor and dual clutch transmission. Lithium-ion batteries are also part of the powerplant. Overall, the hybrid is 8% lighter than a standard Sorento, and there are aerodynamic under-floor panels to help with efficiency.
There’s little chance the diesel hybrid will hit the U.S., but it’s part of a new EcoDynamics range of hybrids, which will likely produce a typical hybrid version of the crossover at some point. Perhaps we’ll hear more at the Los Angeles auto show in December.
Hyundai and Kia both set records in terms of sales last month thanks to the federal government’s Cash for Clunkers program. In addition to the program, the two companies also had healthy incentives of their own on most models. That trend continues throughout September with most models getting at least $1,000 in cash-back offers. Hyundai is no longer offering its $1.49 gallon of gas promotion.
Some noticeable offers are $2,500 in cash back off the 2009 Kia Optima and $3,000 in cash back on the 2009 Hyundai Sonata. Kia is also offering $500 in loyalty and conquest cash for specific models.
All-new models like the Kia Forte and Kia Soul have 0% financing for 36 months but not cash back.
A full list of incentives is below.
Although Scion was first on the scene with the xB, Kia and Nissan have introduced their own low-priced small, boxy cars, the Soul and the Cube, respectively. Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays has spent time in all three and rendered his verdict on each. If you’re in the market for an economy car, though, he suggests you might want to look elsewhere.
“Nacho” from Auburn, Ala., begins this review by praising the new Soul for its innovative look and all the amenities it offers for a low price tag. As Nacho puts it so well, though, this car “is not the Holy Grail.” Nacho notes a number of areas where the car’s designers flubbed. Read the full review to find out why, on balance, the Soul earns a recommendation. Then post your own review here.
Kia is playing the PR game smartly. A day after news broke that Chrysler may build one of its most anticipated new models south of the border, in Mexico, the South Korean automaker announced "the name" for the crossover it will build at its new plant in Georgia. It will indeed retain the name Sorento for the 2011 model year.
The move serves as a reminder in the age of the American-Made Index that many foreign companies build their products stateside.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released its latest crash-test ratings, and the 2010 Honda Insight, Kia Soul and Toyota Prius all earned the group’s Top Safety Pick award. The title goes to any model that scores the top rating of Good in front, side and rear crash tests. The cars also must be equipped with electronic stability control. All three of these cars come with that safety feature standard, although the Insight features it standard only in the top EX trim level.
IIHS considers all three small cars, though the Prius’ interior volume rates it as a midsize in EPA designations. The three join seven other small cars that have earned the Top Safety Pick award, but of those only the Scion xB, Subaru Impreza and VW Rabbit feature stability control standard. The Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Lancer and Toyota Corolla offer it as an option.
2010|Honda|Insight
2010|Kia|Soul
2010|Toyota|Prius
Taking aim at the segment-leading Honda Civic, the Kia Forte tries to copy what the compact sedan from Honda does well, and then undercut its price. Does Kia succeed? Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley takes a big-picture look at the Forte to see how it stacks up, but sometimes that means looking at all those minor details that push one car ahead of another.
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