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2012 Kia Sorento User Reviews

Overall Rating: 3.5 (1 Reviews)

KD

Kayza Dixon

2012 Kia Sorento

3.5

Posted On: May 18, 2024

My Kia sorento

Pros

I love the interior that came with my Kia. I love the color I have a space dark grey. I’ve had this suv for 7 years now still with low miles and good for traveling., I’m a mom of 4 and I love that my Read more

Cons

My bearings went out pretty quick and I don’t know the cause of it., I don’t like the cruise control on the Kia it’s not as good And my Kia was stolen twice they are easy to steal


I’ve had my Kia since 2012 and I absolutely love it. This Kia has made my life so much easier having 4 children ages 9 years old and under . We take a lot of trips on my suv with comfort, everyone has space. I have grey seats and black details on the interior. I love that I have a nice fabric on my seat and makes spills and mess an easy clean. I love that my doors lock when the vehicle is moving,... Read more

2012 Kia Sorento Review


The Kia Sorento falls into a niche and uncharted SUV segment that can seat seven passengers without compromising on luxury and spaciousness inside the cabin. The new Kia Sorento comes packed with an extensive list of features that make the brawny SUV even more enticing. The 2012 iteration of the Sorento vaunts economical fuel figures, an optional V6 engine, and nimble handling.

The Kia Sorento falls into a niche and uncharted SUV segment that can seat seven passengers without compromising on luxury and spaciousness inside the cabin. The new Kia Sorento comes packed with an extensive list of features that make the brawny SUV even more enticing. The 2012 iteration of the Sorento vaunts economical fuel figures, an optional V6 engine, and nimble handling.

Whether it is the Kia badging upfront or the uniqueness in the Sorento’s practicality; the Kia SUV has been garnering a lot of attention. However, the Sorento isn’t all merry, it features a stiff suspension which causes the ride to be a little too firm sometimes. In its segment, the Sorento competes with the likes of the Dodge Journey and the Ford Edge.

Pricing and Features
6.0/10


The Kia Sorento is available in four different trims namely the Base, LX, EX and SX. The SUV is available with three distinct engine options, all of which promise to deliver exceptional performance figures. Even from its base variant the Kia Sorento feels heavily equipped. Standard features include cruise control, keyless entry, variable speed intermittent wipers and all season front and rear tires. Other trim-wise features include:

Trim

Base

LX

EX

SX

MSRP (2WD I-4)

$21,250

$23,150

N/A

N/A

MSRP (AWD I-4)

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

MSRP (2WD I-4 GDI)

N/A

$23,150

$25,950

N/A

MSRP (AWD I-4 GDI)

N/A

$25,350

$27,650

N/A

MSRP (2WD V6)

N/A

$24,950

$27,950

$33,150

MSRP (AWD V6)

N/A

$26,650

$29,650

$34,850

Key Features

Cruise Control

Cruise Control

Cruise Control

Cruise Control

 

Adjustable Steering Wheel

Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers

Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel

Electrochromic rearview mirror

 

Keyless Entry

Keyless Entry

Rearview camera

Rearview camera

 

Intermittent Wipers

Heated mirrors

Rear Parking Aid

Rear Parking Aid

 

Privacy Glass

Steering wheel controls

Fog Lamps

Fog Lamps

 

All season tires

All season tires

Optional Premium Sound System

Premium Sound System

We Recommend

We recommend buying the EX-trim with the V6 engine and an all-wheel-drivetrain to get the most out of your robust SUV. The V6 engine on offer feels powerful and adds punchiness to the drive, while the AWD variant adds all-weather and all-terrain durability to the SUV. It comes heavily equipped with features like fog lamps, rearview camera and a rear parking aid.

Engine and Performance
7.4/10


The engine on offer with the Kia Sorento depends on the variant one chooses from. Kia offers two potent engine options, a 2.4 L I-4 engine that is capable of churning out 175 hp of power and 169lb.-ft of torque. A more powerful 3.5L V6 engine is also available at the buyer’s disposal, which has higher power and torque output at 272 hp and 248lb.-ft respectively. 

The V6 engine is capable and can pull the 3977lbs weighing Kia Sorento to the 60MPH mark in 7 seconds which feels adequate for the SUV considering its body structure and size. The Sorento manages to complete the quarter-mile run in 13.5 seconds.

Model

Kia Sorento

Dodge Journey

Ford Edge

MSRP

$29,650

$29,995

$32,930

Engine

3.5L V6 

3.6L V6

3.5L V6

Drivetrain

All-wheel-drive

All-wheel-drive

All-wheel-drive

Transmission

6-speed automatic

6-speed automatic

6-speed automatic

Power

272 hp

283hp

285hp

Torque

248lb.-ft

260lb.-ft

252lb.-ft

0-60 MPH (seconds)

7 seconds

7.7 seconds

7.6 seconds

Quarter mile (mph)

13.5 seconds

N/A

N/A

Top speed (mph)

N/A

N/A

N/A

In the segment, despite its least powerful engine, the Kia Sorento is the fastest car. The Dodge Journey and Ford Edge both produce higher power values at 283hp and 285hp respectively but take 7.7 seconds and 7.6 seconds in the 60 MPH acceleration test. In terms of drivetrain and transmission, all three cars come channeled as all-wheel-drive variants and with a 6-speed-automatic transmission.

Fuel Economy
7.0/10


To expect brawny and beefy vehicles to have fuel efficiency at par with the smaller sized SUVs in the market would be rather unfair. Yet, the Kia Sorento manages decent fuel economy both in the city and on the highway. In the city, the Kia Sorento manages an average mileage of 18 MPG and that of 24 MPG on the highway. 

Combined, the Sorento manages 20 MPG which is what most cars in the segment average. Its 18-gallon fuel tank is the lowest in the segment and it can cover a total distance of 324 and 432 miles in the city and on the highway.

Model

Kia Sorento

Dodge Journey

Ford Edge

MPG (city)

18

17

18

MPG (Highway)

24

25

25

MPG (Combined)

20

20

21

Fuel Capacity

18 gallons

20.5 gallons

19 gallons

Range (City/highway)

324/432 mi

348.5/512.5 mi

342/475 mi

In comparison, it is the Ford Edge that one-ups the Sorento and Dodge Journey averaging a combined mileage of 21 miles per gallon of fuel. In the segment the Dodge Journey has the largest fuel tank at 20.5-gallons and coupled with its fuel efficiency, the SUV manages to cover a total range of 348.5 and 512.5 miles in the city and on the highway.

Interior
7.5/10


On the inside, the Sorento feels upmarket, practical, and modern. The central control that houses the infotainment system and the air conditioning has been made with attention to the minutest of details. The seats feel comfortable and given that the Sorento rides quite smoothly, there is very little chance that the seats will stand to disappoint you. There is an optional third row of seats available with the Sorento that allows for seven passengers to travel but it isn’t the best rear seat. 

Like most SUVs, the rear seat feels cramped and is best suited for kids. The leather-wrapped steering feels exquisite in grip and is also pretty responsive. The Kia Sorento has a total head-, shoulder- and legroom of 39.2/59.3/41.3, 39.2/55.9/37.6, and 36.6/53.8/31.7 inches for the front, middle and rear passengers respectively. Perhaps, the Sorento’s biggest letdown is its small cargo capacity. With all seats in an upright position, the Sorento has a mere 9.1 cubic feet of cargo volume which can be increased to 72.5 cubic feet.

Model

Kia Sorento

Dodge Journey

Ford Edge

Seating Capacity

7

5

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

39.2/59.3/41.3

40.8/57.5/40.8

40/58.9/40.7

Second Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

39.2/55.9/37.6

39.9/56.9/33.6

39.3/58.7/39.6

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

36.6/53.8/31.7

N/A

N/A

Cargo Capacity to 3rd seat (cu-ft)

9.1

N/A

N/A

Cargo Capacity to 2nd seat (cu-ft)

37

33.1

32.2

Cargo Capacity to 1st seat (cu-ft)

72.5

67.6

68.9

In the segment, while the Kia Sorento has the most amount of space for the seat passengers, at the rear, it is the Ford Edge that leads the pack with that extra bit of head-, shoulder- and legroom at 39.3/58.7/39.6 inches. In terms of cargo capacity, the Kia Sorento has the largest capacity followed by the Ford Edge and Dodge Journey at 68.9 and 67.6 cubic feet.

  • Adjustable Steering wheel 
  • Cruise Control
  • Cloth Seats 
  • Air conditioning
  • Steering wheel controls 

How intuitive is the 2012 Kia Sorento’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment system on the Kia Sorento like other cars of the brand feels sought after and practical. It is evident from the layout and a responsive setup, the amount of attention that Kia has put into curating a system that performs exceptionally well.

Standard features on the Sorento include AM/FM stereo, auxiliary audio input, and a CD player. Other standout features on the Sorento include:

  • Optional premium sound system (available as standard with top trim)
  • MP3 Player 
  • Satellite radio
  • CD Player
  • Auxiliary audio input 

Exterior
7.5/10


The new Kia Sorento like other cars of the brand feels sublime and subtle. It looks aerodynamic with the butterfly grille upfront. While the head and tail lights look distinctive and feel refreshing, the aluminum alloy wheels break the monotony in the designing elements.

The Kia Sorento stands at a total length of 183.9 inches with a wheelbase that measures 106.3 inches. It is 74.2 inches wide and stands at a total height of 67.3 inches. Its 7.5-inch ground clearance compliments its off-roading capabilities.

Model

Kia Sorento

Dodge Journey

Ford Edge

Curb Weight (lbs)

3878

4054

4234

Length (in.)

183.9

192.4

184.2

Width (in.)

74.2

72.2

76

Height (in.)

67.3

66.6

67

Ground Clearance (in.)

7.5

7.2

7.9

Wheelbase (in.)

106.3

113.8

111.2

In comparison, the Ford Edge is the heaviest car in the segment at 4234 lbs, followed by the Dodge Journey and Kia Sorento at 4054 and 3878 lbs respectively. The longest car in the segment is the Dodge Journey and consequently, it also possesses the longest wheelbase at 113.8 inches. The Edge is also the widest car in the segment at 76 inches and also has best-in-class ground clearance. 

Safety
9.3/10


The Sorento’s four-star rating in the crash test conducted by the IIHS raises the buyer’s spirit about the safety and reliability quotient of the Sorento. As standard, Kia has equipped the Sorento heavily. Basic safety specifications include emergency brake assist, tire pressure monitor system, and dusk sensing headlamps. Other salient features include:

  • Integrated turn signal mirrors 
  • Traction control
  • Child safety locks 
  • Engine immobilizer 
  • Vehicle anti-theft system

Final Verdict


The Kia Sorento may not prevail, but it sure makes its place in the segment with its above par acceleration and decent fuel economy. While space is ample, the third row of seats feel cramped and have restricted space. But keeping its only flaw aside, the Sorento in its 2012 iteration is an absolute drive to be in.