2021 Kia Sorento SX Prestige FWD Review - What's It Really Like?

[@megajig]

Thank you for this video. The engine sound and exhaust note were something I couldn't find anywhere else.

[@AutoAcademics]

Thank you for watching, megajig!

[@sandyg6820]

Just got one just like this one and I love it. Just one problem I wish it had Ambient lighting in it. But over all I'm glad I got it😁💖

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for sharing, Sandy G, and for watching, too!

[@the85erfied94]

Great job on the review. Your reviews are right down to the point and there was no need to scroll past certain parts. A+ review!

[@AutoAcademics]

We appreciate that, The85erfied. Thanks for watching!

[@DarioCruzII]

Nice review, got mine in black on black for that stealthy look.

[@AutoAcademics]

Nice! Enjoy your new car, Dario Cruz, and thanks for watching!

[@Torsee]

No Steam Punk for you! Got it! Sending a memo immediately! 😂 Nice car! Like the AC vents! Great review as usual!

[@Torsee]

I borrowed a 2019 RAV 4. It had a heated steering wheel, but it was only at the 9 an 3 positions. Very annoying!

[@AutoAcademics]

🤣 Good looking out, Torsee! And funny how many variations of heated steering wheels you can randomly come across. The ones in this Sorento definitely work. Possibly too well. As always, thanks for watching!

[@petrostheodore7086]

Great thorough review

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching, Petros Theodore!

[@joskjj3625]

Awesome review man

[@liambassitt5919]

Love your videos man!!

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching, Liam Bassitt!

[@thesteambox856]

Nice kia is killing it !

[@AutoAcademics]

They sure are, THE STEAM BOX. Thanks for watching!

[@bbrownasu]

Never cease to amaze me bruh!!! And I hate Kia...they are getting a lot better with their designs and interior. I feel as if they over compensate on the interior to sell the vehicle due to past mechanical history. In other words, I think they feel as if they can sell the vehicle cosmetically, they don't have to do so much with the engine and power train.

[@AutoAcademics]

This brand has come a long way, bbrownasu. Are they absolutely perfect? No, but as a maintream car company, they're doing quite a bit right. Reliability is always a challenge ncern in a daily driver, but Kia's new car warranty definitely helps ease concerns. Styling is fantastic IMO, stirring way more emotion than some of the competition, which always ranks high for me. If I feel good getting in and out, I can ignore small quirks that I nitpick in my reviews. 😅 Hope you and the fam are well and thanks for watching!

[@benitosez8538]

Great review. Thank you!

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching, Benito SEZ!

[@Coronet_1969_]

Chris, that blue really pops....$42k fully loaded for FWD only scares me a bit, gotta be honest...car and truck prices are crazy.....also, great footage on your hoops court and see that you're a Lakers fan.....hope you're enjoying the title because the Celts are coming for you this season.

[@AutoAcademics]

Ha! Actually, this isn't our property, but the owners are Lakers fans. 😒 We roll with the Sixers here at AutoAcademics.👍🏾💪🏾 And we agree, prices are high, David T, even with cars. When we got our first $40k Camry for review a couple of years ago, we knew things had changed. Oh, well. Thanks for watching and Go Sixers!! 🤣

[@Lizzyluau]

Just got the red one. Very Nice! Interior is a off-white color.

[@AutoAcademics]

Congrats on your new car, Elizabeth Snyder. Thanks for watching!

[@stephenhendricks103]

Excellent vehicle and review, my friend. Some comments. () Unless you consider the Ford Edge, the Hyundai Santa Fe, and the Toyota Venza "compact" crossovers, all of which are about 188"in length the Sorento isn't a "compact" SUV. (5:19). At slightly over 189" in length it's among the large group of smaller midsize crossovers but it's certainly NOT a "compact" SUV, a category that includes the Honda CR-V, the the RAV4, the Subaru Forester, and the KIA Sportage (among others) each of which is at least half a foot shorter than the Sorento. What makes the Sorento unique among the group of smaller midsize SUVs is its standard third row of seats while each rival offers two rows. And while the Sorento's third row is undeniably "cozy" it's worth noting that it offers more 3rd row legroom (29.6" vs 27.7") than the Toyota Highlander, a midsized crossover that's half a foot longer than the Sorento and as much as the Mazda CX-9 with a length that exceeds the Sorento by 10". () The US spec Sorento is very well equipped, especially the SX-Prestige and X-Line top trims. Unfortunately, however, KIA has eliminated several features that are not only available in global versions of the Sorento but were features of the previous generation in the US. Most notably is the elimination of seat memory for two drivers, extended thigh support, and reduction of 4 way lumbar support to 2 way support. Of these missing features elimination of driver seat memory is probably the most important loss. In a "family" SUV where multiple drivers of different heights is common, it's a serious issue. And notably it remains a standard feature in comparable trims of the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe. The Sorento's new platform and drivetrain combined with stiff price competition from Japanese rivals that KIA does not face in many international markets largely explains dropping some of these features. But the elimination of driver seat memory is a major error, I believe. () The replacement of the Sorento's previous 3.3L NA V6 with the 2.5L turbo is especially noteworthy. It provides both better performance and fuel efficiency than the last generation. And while some may bemoan the loss of the V6, KIA (along with Hyundai and Genesis) obviously have a lot of confidence in its durability considering that it's offered in the K5 GT, the Sorento N-Line and more importantly in the Santa Fe, the Genesis GV-80, the GV70, and even the G80. All with the Korean brands' well known 10 yr/100K mile powertrain warranty (in the US.) The biggest negative impact of the loss of the V6 is a reduction in the two rating from 5000 to 3500 lbs. On the other hand, if serious towing is a major priority there are far better choices than the Sorento (including the larger, heavier Telluride). () KIA makes AWD an option on each of its five trim levels in the US where it adds $1800 to $2000 to the MSRP of each trim. For the highest SX-Prestige trim it's bundled with the X-Line features that pushes MSRP for the feature to $2000. Is it worth the additional cost in mild climates? The answer is almost certainly yes if it's mated to the 2.5L turbo engine and an owner wants to benefit fully from the additional torque and HP without torque steer and wheel hop. (In Canada there's no choice to be made. All Sorentos come with standard AWD.) Here in the Pacific Northwest we don't face major winter weather challenges like the northern tier of the US (and almost all of Canada) but occasional ice and frequent messy winter driving makes AWD a significant benefit especially for occasional trips to the mountains. I wouldn't do without it in a relatively heavy vehicle in this climate. If I lived in Texas, Florida, or Southern California and didn't want to spend for the extra performance of the turbo engine it might be a different matter.

[@AutoAcademics]

We appreciate your informative comments, Stephen Hendricks, and agree with you that the size is hardly compact anymore. We only refer to the Sorento as such because that's how Kia continues to classify it in their press information. But as we know, all of these vehicles that used to be smaller are not so much anymore. LOL The Honda Accord moved on from its midsize classification and into the large category nearly 10 years ago. At any rate, these are really nice vehicles that still have room for a few more improvements like memory seats. Thanks for watching!

[@stephenhendricks103]

@@AutoAcademics Sorry, my friend. I don't think that explanation passes the laugh test. It's certainly true that the classifications of sub-compact, compact, midsize, and so-called "full size" SUVs are somewhat arbitrary. But leaving the definitions up to the press materials distributed by individual automakers is no way to arrive at a consistent categorization for the purpose of comparison. As noted in the OP the Sorento at 189.4" in length is longer than a Ford Edge and a Hyundai Santa Fe, each a vehicle that's conventionally classified as a "midsize" crossover. It's only inch shorter than a Honda Passport. None of those vehicles is categorized by anyone as a "compact" crossover. On the other hand, the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Chevy Equinox, and the Nissan Rogue, the top selling "compact" crossovers, are all between 181" and 183" in length. KIA's own compact SUV is 176" long. In short, the Sorento is larger than several vehicles conventionally considered to be "midsize" crossovers and close to the size of others. At the same time it's considerably larger than the largest of the vehicles categorized as "compact" crossovers. Finally, It's true that vehicles tend to grow in size over multiple model years. But that's why the category definitions are not static. The midsize sedan category, for example, includes several vehicles that are larger than they were a decade ago and their lengths now rival that of the tiny (and low selling) "full size" mainstream group. But I've never heard anyone refer to the Accord a "large" sedan. It's firmly in the midsize category along with its main rival the Camry and other sedans like the Altima. BTW, none of this takes away from your excellent review.

[@skjdhdh]

Great review as always. What about the brake system?

[@AutoAcademics]

Brakes felt fine. Nothing remarkable in a positive or negative way. Thanks for watching!

[@aluandjalal1324]

What’s the point of suv without 4 wheels drive

[@FelixBaez510]

Cheaper prices, think of customers that don't deal with snow.

[@XX-166]

@@FelixBaez510 think of not offering it for customers in other regions. AWD isn’t just for snow alone.

[@BobbyHTTC]

thanks for the video. I'm waiting for my local dealer to get stock on the X-line... not sure why it's taking sooooo long. 🤔😫

[@AutoAcademics]

Hang in there, Bobby Doan. It'll be worth the wait. Thanks for watching!

[@alopedealopedet4346]

Great job

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching!

[@rossdax47]

Hey Chris! Great video, thanks! Any thoughts on FWD vs AWD for winter performance? Always been an AWD fan in Colorado, but can I get away with the FWD hybrid and good winter tires?

[@AutoAcademics]

First disclaimer, this info is coming from people who currently live in GA.🤣 Second, while Chris lived in PA for many years, he realizes that Philly's snow was still nothing like Colorado, so take what follows with a grain of salt. Front wheel drive with good winter tires should do just fine in the snow...in most places, Ross Grainer. But in Colorado, you guys get quite a bit and quite often which would steer us more towards AWD. We assume your streets there are maintained well after a snowfall so that will help, but if most people seem to be driving AWD/4WD and that's what your primary experience is with, that may be the way to go. If you see people in cars with FWD managing fine after a notable snowfall, then you may have nothing to be concerned about. Of course, if you travel off the beaten path from time to time, the added capability of AWD and snow tires might be best. Snow tires are great, but AWD with snow tires is better. Hope this helps a bit and thanks for watching!

[@Hokenweazen]

I am getting the 2021 AWD SX Prestige X-Line in all Black (if they can find one that's Black Exterior with Rust interior I will take that) I really wish KIA would start to offer all colors at the highest trim level. For what I am paying for mine I should have been able to get it in Sapphire Blue with X-Line trim :)

[@AutoAcademics]

I think that would be a good idea, as well, to offer more colors for the X-Line. Or offer AWD (and the natural woodgrain :)) for the SX Prestige that comes in more colors. Thanks for watching, Hokenweazen!

[@Hokenweazen]

@@AutoAcademics Thank you for the videos and for doing them at 60fps :)

[@AutoAcademics]

@@Hokenweazen Chris is a techy person, which is how we got started with video in the first place, even though none of us knew anything about it when we started. 😅 We appreciate your support!

[@joskjj3625]

Such an awesome vehicle

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching, Joskj j!

[@joskjj3625]

@@AutoAcademics no problem my good sir 👍

[@calvinsc5105]

You know KIA came up with the new logo. Do you know when it will be applied on Sorento?

[@AutoAcademics]

That question always asked during a press briefing, Calvin Sc, but we can't remember which vehicle they said it would debut on. Sorry we can't help more, but thanks for watching!

[@tomernst577]

New logo debuting on the new carnival, 2022 for everything else.

[@mathewoliver3903]

6:59 something sitting heavy

[@XX-166]

AWD all day, you don’t need it till you do.

[@AutoAcademics]

Exactly! Chris tends to prefer 2WD on cars, but AWD/4WD on crossovers and SUVs, X X. Otherwise, the latter's just a "big station wagon." His words, not ours. 😅 Thanks for watching!

[@jakeb8551]

All depends on where you live. Overall,AWD is grossly overrated.

[@XX-166]

@@jakeb8551 4 wheels with traction instead of 2 wheels with traction will ALWAYS win out in safety. Your inflated stats are grossly overrated

[@jakeb8551]

@@XX-166 hahaha you aren't that bright Pal

[@XX-166]

@@jakeb8551 you aren’t either if you think 2 wheels active are better then 4 wheels active in all terrain/weather Einstein

[@longNguyen-qr1uv]

I just prefer red colour

[@srtredghost5492]

Nice

[@AutoAcademics]

Thanks for watching, Srt Blue Ghost!

[@PmPbreeze]

Don't get it in front wheel drive. Get A.W.D instead. I have it in blue A.W.D.

[@AutoAcademics]

Nice! Thanks for sharing and for watching, Pmpbreeze Ogah!

[@alopedealopedet4346]

❤❤❤❤

[@beefchuck]

Kia could have came up with another trim name than Prestige. Just wrong.

[@robertb.4202]

Front wheel drive in an SUV is a bad idea.

[@fuzzbunn6034]

Black

[@akuapiatas]

why FWD? pathetic really