2016 Kia Sorento Long-Term Update #3
It’s been a busy month for me, which means that it’s been a busy month for our long-term test SUV, the 2016 Kia Sorento.
I spent more time this month using features rather than discovering features. And I came to realize that a few of the features on the Sorento that seemed like nice extras when I took delivery have become indispensable to me.
Primary among my new “must-have” features is the Smart Key with Pushbutton Start.
Certainly, I’ve had this feature on many test vehicles in the past, but I’ve never had it on a long-term car or on a personal vehicle. The confidence and ease of use of the Kia Smart Key really suits me. I love being able to leave the key fob in my pocket at all times, and the simple, non-fussy operation. When I approach the Sorento with the key in my pocket, I just have to touch a button on the door handle, and the vehicle unlocks. Into the driver’s seat, foot on the brake, and a push on the “Start/Stop” button on the dash starts the engine. Throw the Sorento into park, push on the button, and the engine stops running. Open the door to exit, and the radio and dash display turns off. Close the door and touch the button on the handle, and the vehicle locks again, and the side mirrors fold in for safety. On many competitors, it’s not clear when the car is locked or unlocked, and I always wind up pulling the fob from my pocket to double check before leaving the vehicle. Because the Sorento gives me a visual cue (folded mirrors), I can tell at a glance that I’ve left it securely locked.
My next personal vehicle will have a Smart Key.
Another feature that felt like a luxury but now feels like a necessity is Surround View Monitor. Using multiple cameras and software stitching, this feature takes the standard Rear View Camera to a whole other level. When I put the Sorento into reverse gear, the dashboard monitor displays what looks like an overhead view of the vehicle, showing me what’s behind and beside me as I back up. This is great when I’m backing out of my garage, allowing me to detect pedestrians and cross traffic long before I can see them over my shoulder or in the rear facing camera. It has also helped my parallel parking – I seem to always wind up too far from the curb, or too close. I’ve scratched my share of alloy wheels, a source of great embarrassment. The Sorento’s wheels are scratch free after two months of driving, and will remain so during my time behind the wheel, because I can see how far away the curb is now.
Three additional features have proved their worth during a long drive this month. I had to go to a couple of vehicle launch events in Northern California. Normally, I would have flown to the events, but I decided to drive the Sorento instead. My first stop was up the coast in Monterey, a route of about 375 miles. From there, I continued north to Sausalito, another 175 miles. I then headed home down Interstate 5 (a long, boring road) for a further 450 miles. During this trip, I made extensive use of Sorento’s Smart Cruise Control. I was able to set my target speed at the speed limit, and then concentrate on steering instead of avoiding speeding tickets. I selected a two-vehicle following distance and the cruise control took a lot of the stress out of a long, dull drive. A lot of Californians drive in excess of the speed limit on I-5, and the California Highway Patrol was out in force during my drive, picking off speeders left and right. I contented myself with self-righteousness as I drove at 70 mph through the countryside, secure in the knowledge that I had nothing to fear from the CHP. I also appreciated the Lane Departure Warning system, which helped to keep me alert when my attention wavered. And when I needed to change lanes to avoid obstacles or slower traffic, the Blind Spot Detection System kept me from becoming entangled with passing traffic in the other lane.
Not all of the extra features on the Sorento have proved useful for me. In particular, I’ve disabled the Smart Power Liftgate, which opens the power liftgate automatically if it detects the Smart Key behind it for more than three seconds. The challenge was that the liftgate tended to open automatically as I went around the back of the Sorento in my garage on my way to the driver’s door, or when I passed by on my way to get something off of a shelf on the far side of my garage. It was more of an annoyance than a hazard, but showed how not all features are useful for all drivers.
I still have not made time to get the UVO 3 system up and running. I’ve downloaded the software into my iPhone 5S, but it seems like every time I try to use it, I am directed back to my computer for setup. I’ll take the time to figure this out next month, and report back.
See previous reviews and long-term reports on the 2016 Kia Sorento:
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