According to Kia, aside from the increased head and legroom, the 2011 Sorento also boasts nearly five cubic feet more in cargo capacity (9.1 cu.ft. with all seats up; 37.0 cu.ft. with the third row down; 72.5 cu.ft. with all rows down).
The U.S.-spec model will be offered with two gasoline engines that can be mated to either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations.
The line-up includes an entry-level 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine outputting 172 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 166 lb-ft of torque at 3,750 rpm that can coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox or optionally, an electronically-controlled six-speed automatic transmission.
The FWD Sorento 2.4 returns 21mpg city and 28mpg highway with the manual gearbox and 21mpg / 29mpg with the automatic while the 4WD model with the auto box, 20mpg / 28mpg respectively.
The range-topping Sorento comes with a larger 3.5-liter V6 unit producing 273 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 247 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Offered exclusively with a six-speed auto, the Sorento 3.5 returns an estimated fuel economy of 20mpg city and 28mpg highway for the FWD model and 19mpg / 27mpg for the 4WD version.
The vehicle's standard equipment in the States will include an AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sat audio system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities with three months complimentary service, auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for connecting personal MP3 players, and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls.
Available options include push button-start ignition; voice-activated navigation; rear sonar back-up cameras; air ionization purification technology and a large panoramic sunroof.
