2003 Kia Sorento

When is a Japanese sport-utility vehicle not a Japanese sport-utility vehicle? When it's the new 2003 Kia Sorento. Upon its introduction, Kia's executive vice president and chief operating officer Peter Butterfield said "The Sorento will set a new standard for value in the midsize SUV segment," and he wasn't kidding. The best thing about the Sorento is that it's about the same size as a Toyota Highlander, yet costs thousands less. The Sorento starts right at $20,000, while a base model Highlander goes for just under $24,000.

Besides being an excellent value, the Sorento has one other very important quality going for it: good looks.

Besides being an excellent value, the Sorento has one other very important quality going for it: good looks. When people go to buy a sport-utility vehicle, they tend not to be concerned with how well the vehicle can go off-road or whether it can pull a loaded trailer with ease. Although the Sorento can actually do both of these, most buyers go for looks first and the Sorento comes through with flying colors in this category.


The other area SUV buyers are hot on these days is safety, and the Sorento also does well in this category. The Sorento earned five-stars, the federal government's highest side-impact safety rating, for the front seat occupants and rear-seat passengers in the new side impact crash tests, according to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The side crash tests are part of NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that provides consumers with safety information about the most dangerous injury-causing crashes.


The Sorento was one of only three new models to recently receive the five-star rating for side impact crash protection. The other two were the Mercedes-Benz C240 sedan and the Volvo XC90 sport/utility. The major reason for the Sorento's excellent crash performance is its dual front and side curtain airbags that protect both front and rear seat occupants during a crash.


Sorento is powered by a DOHC 3.5-liter V-6 engine that generates 192 horsepower and is coupled to an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. This combination delivers adequate acceleration, but nothing to really brag about. In addition, the fuel mileage is less than stellar, carrying a rating of 15 miles-per-gallon in the city or 18 on the highway.