Background and Identification
The Kia Sorento is a five-door mid-size crossover SUV (sport utility vehicle) produced by Kia Motors, a South Korean automobile manufacturer, since 2002. Until 2009, the Kia Sorento was classified as a compact SUV.
When it was introduced in February 2002, the Kia Sorento was a traditional truck-based body-on-frame SUV. All Sorentos sold in the United States included dual front airbags and dual side-curtain airbags in the front and rear. Sorento vehicles also had optional four-wheel-drive systems with low range, adding to the car’s off-road ability. The first-generation Sorento was sold with either a five-speed manual or four- or five-speed automatic transmission. 2005 Sorentos included a five-speed tip-Tronic style automatic transmission.
The second-generation Sorento was released in April 2009 as a 2010 model. The second generation was Kia’s first model to be produced in the United States. It was also the first Kia vehicle to offer Kia UVO, an infotainment and telematics service offered on select vehicles sold in the U.S. market. The second-generation Sorento was available in a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive layout. The 2011 Sorento received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Kia automobiles can be identified by the Kia emblem, which includes the name “Kia” in capital letters (and stylized so the ‘A’ does not include a horizontal line) inside of an oval.