2011 Kia Sorento
It’s a clear sign of the times. Kia, responding to current market tastes, has redesigned their compact Sorento without its original body-on-frame SUV chassis, opting instead for a crossover utility unibody. Now Kia hopes this move will greatly expand the Sorento’s appeal. But does being more like a car, and less like a truck, make for a better Sorento?
Besides its chassis transformation, the second generation 2011 Kia Sorento is also the Korean brand’s first vehicle to have its assembly transferred to American soil. That takes place at a huge new facility in West Point, Georgia.
Still, Sorento enters an already crowded compact CUV segment, and faces stiff competition from other quality entrants like the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and also new Chevrolet Equinox. Like the Equinox, the Sorento is called a compact, but it’s nearly mid-size both outside and inside. Using a chassis shared with the Hyundai Santa Fe, Sorento’s length of 183.9 inches is over three inches longer than before, if slightly lower for better aerodynamics.
The totally refashioned exterior echoes Kia’s new, bolder, front-end theme begun with the Forte. The grill and flared-back headlights form a continuous arch that is most appealing.
Based on the KND-4 concept from the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, the production Sorento has a similar sweeping profile and athletic stance. Roof rails are optional. The rounded rear-end also exudes lots of presence, with large LED taillights that extend into the liftgate. Wheels are 17 and 18-inch alloys, with a mirror finish optional on top EX trim.
While the original Sorento offered a pair of V6s, the 2011 allows a more varied choice. Standard is a 2.4-liter inline-4 shared with the Forte SX. Output is 175 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque.
Optional is an all-new 3.5-liter V6 with a best-in-class 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. But even with it, trailer towing takes a beating: 3,500 pounds, down from 5,000 last year.
A six speed manual is standard with the I-4. Kia’s first home-grown six-speed automatic is an option, and standard with the V-6. A single speed four-wheel drive system with locking center differential can be fitted to either engine. And, even with front drive, useful Hill Start Assist and Downhill Brake Assist are included.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings for our front-drive four-cylinder automatic are good at 21 city/29 highway on regular gas. We saw a respectable 24.3 miles per gallon in real world driving. But, you do pay for that efficiency on the track. Our I-4 Sorento huffed from 0 to 60 in a long 10.1 seconds. And the quarter mile dragged out to 17.7 seconds at 78 miles per hour. The Sorento felt breathless all the way down the track. Shifts were lazy and power-robbing.
The Sorento’s new unibody employs a MacPherson strut front, and multilink rear suspensions. Electronic Stability Control is standard.
Unfortunately, none of this helped inspire a high level of confidence in our handling tests. Steering was quick enough but with little feedback, and body roll was excessive.
The one bright spot in Sorento’s track performance was braking. The all-disc, ABS brakes delivered arrow-straight, near fade-free stops of a short 120 feet on average from 60 to 0. The pedal was firm with positive feedback.
On normal roads, the Sorento is a lot more self-assured. It’s comfortable and quiet, feeling well anchored at even elevated interstate speeds.
That comfort continues inside, where Kia used the extra body length for more cabin space and versatility. With both five- and first time three-row seven-passenger models, it’s now a big family-mover. The modern, tech-inspired dash is defined by overlapping gauges and practical controls. Our EX model’s well-padded seats came with standard eight-way power for the driver, and optional heat.
Standards include a tilt/telescoping wheel with audio and Bluetooth controls. Satellite Radio and a USB port are on board too. A 550-watt Infinity upgrade, navigation, and even a dual sunroof, are available. Our EX added push button start, and a backup camera with rear view mirror display.
Those in the 60/40 second row will find it quite roomy, with a welcomed increase in legroom. Kids will like the 50/50 split folding third row, but not adults. Behind the third row is 9.1 cubic feet of space that expands to 37 cubic feet when folded, and an excellent 72.5 with all seats down. A reversible load floor and handy underfloor compartment add to this CUV’s overall practicality.
And that practicality also speaks to Kia’s value pricing. In fact, the base price for the 2011 Sorento is down from last year starting at $20,790. Sorento base prices top out at $29,690.
Combine that with Kia’s vastly improved quality reputation, and one of the best warranties going, and it’s no wonder they continue to chalk up sales gains. The new Sorento’s track performance may be lacking, but we have no qualms with its packaging. So, the 2011 Kia Sorento is indeed a better answer to what today’s family buyers want. And, yes, it’s a better Sorento, too.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.4-Liter Inline-4
- Horsepower: 175
- Torque: 169 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 10.1 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 17.7 Seconds @ 78 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 120 Feet
- EPA: 21 MPG City/ 29 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 24.3 MPG
2025 Subaru WRX tS
Subaru’s “World Rally eXperimental” Gets Tecnica-Tuned Tech
Building on its global rally heritage, WRX has been a standalone Subaru nameplate, marketed separately from garden variety Impreza, for two generations now. And while the current WRX still lacks the full STI treatment, this WRX tS serves up some of that high-performance spice we’ve been longing for.
Before we go flat out into our Track Test of this 2025 Subaru WRX tS, lets open the Subaru dictionary so we’re all on the same page. “tS” stands for “tuned by STI;” and “STI” is an acronym for “Subaru Tecnica International,” the brand’s high-performance sub-group best known for upgrading the WRX— oh, that stands for “World Rally eXperimental,” in case you didn’t know.
All that said, STI has been largely dormant for this WRX generation, but this tS sprinkles more of their engineering magic into the mix. No, that doesn’t mean extra power, but does mean significant chassis-related improvements.
First, electronically controlled dampers, adjustable through the 11.6-inch tablet-style infotainment screen. That meant a softer “comfort” mode on the 10+ hour commute to and from Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway. But once we were there, it was the firmer “Sport+” setting all the way, heightening response from the WRX’s throttle and already quick dual-pinion power steering system. There’s still some body roll for rally-esque weight transfer, but it’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Though if you do autocross your tS, which we implore you to do, you might feel the six-piston front, two-piston rear Brembo brakes first. The bite is strong, giving good rotation in the corners and plenty of “halt” for this 3,400 lb. compact with minimal fade, keeping us on track all week…until some unfortunate winter weather passed overhead. No worries here, as Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system got us to the track for some powdered deserts: Frosted donuts served up Michelin style, a set of winter tires different from the grippy Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber the tS typically rides on. Some prior hot laps of California’s Sonoma Raceway gave credence to those Bridgestones, and showed us what this hot-compact can do in ideal conditions.
It’s well sorted and provides the “toss-ability” you want in a WRX.
Other tS enhancements are cabin-based, namely these beautiful blue Recaros. Most of our staff appreciated their moderately-aggressive bolstering on both street and track. And they’re even heated, too. Another tS-only appointment is this 12.3-inch digital gauge display. It mimics the standard analog gauges with some additional info, but can switch to a navigation mode for more convenient route guidance.
We do wish our tS came in the new Galaxy Purple or the trademark World Rally Blue, but this Crystal White paint wasn’t too shabby, contrasting its Cherry Blossom Red badging and blacked-out lip spoiler. Otherwise, the tS is like any other WRX, down to the hood scoop funneling air to the top-mounted intercooler.
Underneath is the same turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four in all other trims, boxing at 271 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The freak winter weather stopped straight-line testing, but a 0-60 time estimate of 5.5 seconds is about as spry as you realistically need, pulling strong through most of the tach; though the 6,000 RPM redline required attentive shifting of the six-speed box, which the tS comes exclusively with. The throws are precise, if a little long, and the clutch is wonderfully weighted.
With discontinuation of the Base trim, pricing for the WRX now starts with Premium at $36,920. The tS is at the top of the lineup with the automatic-only GT, both starting at $46,875. All WRXs continue to be made in Gunma, Japan.
If you’re an enthusiast itching to do the tuning yourself, perhaps the 2025 Subaru WRX tS is not for you. But if you want a plug-and-play experience, this is it. While it won’t exactly bestow the loose-cannon, top-level driving skills exhibited by famous WRC drivers upon you, the tS moves this WRX’s game in a direction we’ve so desperately wanted Subaru to take.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter flat-four
- Tranmission: 6-speed manual
- Horsepower: 271
- Torque: 258 lb-ft
