Driving Impressions

With either V6 under the hood, the 2009 Kia Sorento has plenty of power for both city traffic and swift highway cruising. The suspension provides a pleasant ride and adequate handling on smooth pavement, but when the road gets rough, the ride gets bouncy, with a good deal of the bumps transmitted directly into the cabin. The Sorento's brakes might also be a cause for concern; in previous testing, we noticed significant brake fade after just two panic stops from 60 mph. Drivers who plan on any traversing of mountainous roads should keep this in mind.

The Sorento's steering feel, however, is satisfying and there's a minimum of body roll when cornering. Thanks to the Sorento's low-range transfer case and truck-based origins, off-road excursions can be tackled with relative ease, but the Sorento's capabilities still fall short of those possessed by more competent vehicles like the Xterra and FJ Cruiser.

    See also:

    Air cleaner
    Element cleaning This element may be air cleaned or replaced, depending on its condition. Unless it is very dirty, merely shake it to remove foreign particles. Each time this filter is inspecte ...

    Door locks
    Operating door locks from outside the vehicle • Turn the key toward rear of vehicle to unlock and toward front of vehicle to lock. • If you lock the driver’s door with a key, all vehicle ...

    Air cleaner
    Filter replacement It must be replaced when necessary, and should not be cleaned and reused. Replace the filter according to the Maintenance Schedule. If the vehicle is operated in extremely d ...