more about this model
Pros Smooth and powerful V6, quiet and comfortable ride, commanding driving position, usable third-row seat, attractive standard features.
Cons So-so base four-cylinder isn't a very appealing alternative to the V6.
Kia's meteoric rise to genuine respectability over the past few years has been something to behold. While GM and Chrysler were going bankrupt, this Korean upstart was busy transforming its value-centric reputation by churning out a series of all-around impressive cars. First came the likable Rondo family vehicle, and then the funky Soul hatchback, and more recently the jaw-droppingly competitive Forte economy sedan. Now Kia has turned its attention to its venerable family SUV, and at this point no one should be surprised to hear that the 2011 Kia Sorento is one of the best affordable crossovers on the planet.
Ostensibly a follow-up to Kia's outgoing body-on-frame SUV of the same name, the new Sorento is really an entirely different product, from its carlike unibody construction to its on-road-biased available all-wheel drive (the old Sorento had off-road-ready 4WD with low-range gearing). It competes in the affordable crossover segment, which has been dominated for years by two models: the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. Kia has clearly studied these icons closely, because the Sorento shares some of their most notable virtues. To wit, the Sorento's elegantly simple dashboard layout is a nod to the CR-V, and the Sorento's strong V6, third-row seat (standard on EX V6) and ample dimensions are all pages out of the RAV4's playbook.
Indeed, our initial impressions of the Sorento leave us struggling to come up with things that need improvement. There are no obvious foibles here, none of the beginner's mistakes that we'd expect from a company that only started selling cars in the U.S. in 1994. The base four-cylinder engine isn't as impressive as the rest of the vehicle, but even so, its underwhelming performance likely won't be a deal-breaker for those on a tighter budget. Kia is really making moves these days; the 2011 Kia Sorento is just the latest example.
Performance The 2011 Kia Sorento EX V6 is powered by a new 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out 273 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only available transmission. Our seat-of-the-pants impression is that the RAV4's V6 is still the standard-bearer in this class, but the Sorento's V6 is certainly closer to the Toyota's than to the torque-deprived Chevrolet Equinox's (223 lb-ft). This is an impressive engine, as well it should be given that it will soon be powering all manner of Kia and Hyundai products. EPA fuel-economy estimates are solid as well: 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway for the front-wheel-drive EX V6, and 19/25 with the optional all-wheel-drive system.
On the road, the Sorento rarely calls attention to itself, which is a recipe for success in this segment. The hydraulic power steering (thank you, Kia, for resisting the electric revolution) feels trusty and accurate, and overall handling is just fine for a family-oriented crossover — uninspiring, but safe and secure. One particularly notable element of the Sorento driving experience is its classic elevated driving position. This is a big reason why people are drawn to crossovers, and the Sorento delivers, providing a commanding view of the road ahead. All the major boxes are checked here; the Sorento is a wholly competent crossover from behind the wheel.
Comfort On the highway, the 2011 Kia Sorento EX V6's cabin remains laudably quiet. The suspension is neither floaty nor firm, striking a pleasant balance of controlled comfort at speed. The door armrests could use more padding, a complaint we've aimed at other Kia products. The front seats are above average, though, providing consistent support even after a couple hours of driving.
The second-row seat is also praiseworthy thanks to its relatively high cushion, which is a boon for longer-legged passengers. And the EX V6's standard third-row seat (it's optional on most other trims) turns out to be a useful addition — normal-size adults can fit back there for short trips, though their knees may be in their chests, and kids should have no problem. Given the ample second-row room and the usable third-row seat, we wonder whether most families really need anything bigger than the Sorento. It's an intriguing way to save some serious money over larger, more expensive crossovers.
Function The Sorento EX V6's gauges are easy to read, and Kia's signature red illumination adds some visual interest, though the center-stack readout won't agree with all polarized sunglasses. The standard dual-zone automatic climate control system is as simple as it gets — two big knobs, clearly marked buttons and a sensible display. Our test car lacked extra-cost options like the navigation system and Infinity stereo, but the base stereo delivers adequate sound, and inexpensive, portable navigation systems are good enough these days that we'd hesitate to pony up the extra cash for a factory setup. Standard high-tech niceties like Bluetooth and a USB port further sweeten the deal.
In real-world functionality, the 2011 Kia Sorento shines. Its 73 cubic feet of maximum cargo space is good for this class (and a whopping 9 cubes more than the Equinox has to offer), and both the second- and third-row seatbacks fold down with minimal fuss. Notably, though, there's little cargo space available with the third-row seatback in place, so owners will likely keep it folded when not in use.
Design/Fit and Finish The Sorento's exterior styling delivers the tough SUV look that crossover shoppers seem to appreciate, though in reality the Sorento is, of course, a "soft-roader." One thing it's not is a "cute ute," even though it's priced like one. This should make it even more appealing to those who might otherwise be tempted to buy a bigger rig. Inside, the Sorento's dashboard is simple but sleek, and the subtle faux-wood trim piece that bisects it is a welcome upscale touch. The plastics are all hard, but they look good and are certainly class-competitive. Our test car was a pre-production model, yet fit and finish impressions were positive.
Who should consider this vehicle The 2011 Kia Sorento EX V6 merits consideration from all shoppers looking for an affordable crossover SUV. It drives well, can seat up to seven, gets good fuel economy and comes with plenty of standard features.
Others To Consider
Chevrolet Equinox LT V6, Honda CR-V EX, Subaru Forester 2.5 XT, Toyota RAV4 V6.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Used 2011 Kia Sorento listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2011 Kia Sorentos for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 900 used and CPO 2011 Sorentos listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 4,999 and mileage as low as 36,060. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2011 Kia Sorento. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 304 on a used or CPO 2011 Sorento available from one of 2,633 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2011 Kia Sorento ?
Save up to $304 on one of 61 used 2011 Kia Sorentos for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $6972 as of Apr 19, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 99 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2011 Kia Sorento trim styles:
The used 2011 Kia Sorento LX is priced around $9691 with average odometer reading of 114690 miles.
The used 2011 Kia Sorento EX is priced around $11519 with average odometer reading of 90699 miles.
The used 2011 Kia Sorento SX is priced around $13997 with average odometer reading of 93818 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2011 Kia Sorento?
Available Kia Sorento 2011 Submodel Types: SUV
Available Kia Sorento 2011 Trims: SX Limited, Limited, LX, L, EX, SXL, SX, Base
Exterior Colors: Remington Red, Platinum Graphite, Blaze Blue, Sparkling Silver, Sangria, Satin Metal, Ebony Black, Dark Cherry, Wave Blue, Bright Silver, Titanium Silver, Metal Bronze, Pacific Blue, Polished Walnut, Snow White Pearl, Spicy Red, Baltic Blue, Alpine Gray, Black, Clear White, Midnight Blue/Pewter Gray Cladding, Spark Blue, White Sand Beige, White/Pewter Gray Cladding, Clear Silver/Pewter Gray Cladding, Clear White/Pewter Gray Cladding, Clear White/Stone Beige Cladding, Diamond Silver Metallic, Diamond Silver Metallic/Pewter Gray Cladding, Indigo Blue, Sand Beige, Sand Beige/Stone Beige Cladding, Silver/Pewter Gray Cladding, Spicy Red/Pewter Gray Cladding, Tuscan Olive
Interior Colors: Satin Black cloth, Stone Beige cloth, Satin Black leather, Gray leather, Black Metallic premium leather, Black premium leather, Stone Beige leather, Black cloth, Satin Black premium leather, Light Gray premium leather, Black leatherette/cloth, Gray cloth, Beige cloth, Beige leather, Black leather, Beige leatherette/cloth, Gray, Ivory premium leather, Beige, Merlot premium leather
Popular Features: 5000lb Towing Capacity, Blind Spot Monitoring, Power Liftgate/Trunk, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Keyless Entry/Start, Cooled Seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Upgraded Headlights, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Bluetooth, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, USB Inputs, 360-degree camera, Remote Start, Post-collision safety system, Back-up camera, AWD/4WD, Towing Hitch, Parking sensors, 3500lb Towing Capacity, Heated seats, Auto Climate Control, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Power Driver Seat, Third-row seating, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Navigation, Upgraded Stereo
Engine/Mechanics: 4, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded
Drivetrains: all wheel drive, front wheel drive, four wheel drive, rear wheel drive
Used 2011 Kia Sorento Overview
The used 2011 Kia Sorento is offered in the following submodels: SUV. Available styles include LX 4dr SUV AWD (2.4L 4cyl 6A), EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A), and EX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Sorento models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2011 Sorento comes with all wheel drive or front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic.
