It has two transmission options: a 5-speed manual or 4/5-speed automatic transmission (pre-2005 models have a 4 speed automatic, whilst 2005 Sorentos come with a 5 speed tip-tronic style automatic transmission). Sorentos are equipped with a Hyundai-manufactured 3.5L 24-valve DOHC V6 producing 192 hp (143 kW) at 5500 rpm, and 217 lb·ft (294 N·m) of torque @ 3,000 rpm. The Sorento is very capable off-road, with an automatic four-wheel drive system featuring low range gearing. A sport package is available for the LX base model which adds a 5 speed manual transmission, fog lamps, alloy wheels, step bars, a leather wrapped steering wheel, a roof rack and remote keyless entry. All American Sorentos also come with dual front airbags and dual side-curtain airbags in the front and rear. The 4x4 system is a shift-on-the-fly knob located usually on the lower panel to the left of the steering column. Three modes available are Two-Wheel Drive, Four-High, and Four-Low. On-dash indicators show when the Four Wheel Drive System is active.
Common features of the Sorento family are 4 wheel disc brakes (standard on all models) Optional anti-lock braking system, and a 21.1-gallon (79.9 litres) fuel tank. Also standard is a battery saving feature which prevents wearing out the battery by leaving your headlights turned on (a shutoff engages when the key is removed from the ignition, even if the lights were left turned on). The chassis of the vehicle is also based on a ladder frame design which is more often used in building trucks. This lends a rigidity to the Sorento that other vehicles in its class lack, even at the same price point. (See Also: unibody)
The 2007 Sorento received upgrades, such as the transition from the 3.5L Sigma to the 3.8L Lambda that will almost double the Sorento's towing ability and boost horsepower from 192 to 262. Projector beams were added in the head lamps, along with new tail lamps. The 5 speed manual transmission is no longer available; the 5 speed Sportmatic tip-tronic automatic transmission is standard for all trims. The 2007 Kia Sorento earned a five-star crash safety rating, the highest rating possible, for all seating positions in the latest frontal and side impact crash tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Kia Sorento received another grille facelift, and went on sale in August 2008 in Canada. The facelifted 2009 model did not begin American sales until April 2009.
A redesigned Sorento (codename XMA) was launched in South Korea in 2009. It is Kia's first model to be manufactured in the United States, in KIA's new 1 billion dollar West Point Georgia Factory (which also builds the sister vehicle to the Sorento..Hyundai's Santa Fe). The Sorento uses Kia's new corporate grille, known as the Tiger Nose, as designed by Kia's design chief, Peter Schreyer.
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