Sorento LX ($23,150) and LX AWD ($25,350) come with Yes Essentials fabric upholstery, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio with Sirius Satellite Radio, auxiliary and USB audio input jacks, Bluetooth connectivity, tilt and telescope steering wheel, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, trip computer, body-color heated outside mirrors with turn signal indicators, auto up and down driver's window, power locks with remote keyless entry, illuminated visor mirror, 60/40 split folding rear seat, rear map pockets, second-row armrest with cupholder, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The Convenience Package for LX ($1,650) upgrades to the 191-hp engine, and adds roof rails, rear parking sonar, auto-dimming inside mirror with rear-view camera display, heated front seats, and fog lamps. A similar package for LX AWD ($1,150) adds the same conveniences but sticks with the base engine. Also available is the Sorento LX V6 ($24,950) and LX V6 AWD ($26,650).

Sorento EX ($25,950) and EX AWD ($27,650) upgrade to automatic dual-zone climate control with ionized air purification, fabric/leatherette seats, eight-way power driver seat with lumbar controls, foglights, automatic headlights, interior accent lights, rear spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, push-button start, 18-inch alloy wheels, UVO voice-activated infotainment system, roof rails, and the reversing sonar and camera. The EX Premium Plus Package ($3,800) upgrades to real leather seats for the first two rows, heated front seats, memory driver's seat and outside mirrors, navigation system with real-time traffic, 550-watt Infinity premium surround-sound with 10 speakers, power front passenger seat, split-folding 50/50 third-row seat, auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, power-folding side mirrors, and 18-inch chrome wheels.

Sorento EX V6 ($27,950) and EX V6 4WD ($29,650) make the third-row seat and rear air conditioning standard. The Premium Package for EX V6 ($3,300) includes leather seats, heated front seats, rearview camera, and a panoramic sunroof; adding the Limited Package ($2,000) adds to this voice-activated navigation (in place of UVO) with Sirius XM traffic, the Infinity premium surround-sound, power folding outside mirrors, memory driver seat and side mirrors, power front passenger seat, and an air-cooled driver seat.

Sorento SX ($33,150) and SX AWD ($34,850) come standard with leather seating for the first two rows, a power front passenger seat, heated front seats, air-cooled driver's seat, memory driver's seat and outside mirrors, heated wood-trimmed steering wheel, unique instrument cluster with stitched dash visor, cloth-covered A-pillars, the Infinity audio, voice-command navigation with Sirius XM Traffic and rearview camera, auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, power-folding side mirrors, stainless steel pedals, and stainless steel sill plates with illuminated scuff trim. The SX also sports a more distinctive external appearance, with deeper, body-color bumpers accented in stainless steel; body-color side sills; unique foglight design; chrome roof rails; chrome tailpipe finisher; LED taillights; and mirror-finish alloy wheels. To this list the SX Premium Package ($1,500) adds the panoramic sunroof.

An optional third-row seat ($800) is available for models that don't come with one. Roof racks, cargo mats and organizers, side steps, and floor mats are available as dealer-installed accessories.

Safety features include the mandated dual front airbags plus side-curtain airbags for head protection and front-seat side-impact airbags for torso protection. Active safety features that come standard include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, electronic brake-force distribution, hill-start assist control, downhill brake control. Optional safety features include rearview camera, all-wheel drive.

The grille is flanked on both sides by sly-looking upper complexes for headlights and turn signals. Lower complexes contain foglights and are finished in matte-black to match the grille mesh.

A dark plastic faux skidplate wraps up from below the vehicle to about halfway up the foglight nacelles on LS and EX models.

The SX dispenses with this design element by stretching the lower air opening and the body-color part of the bumper down closer to ground level. A smaller, stainless steel skidplate defines the bottom of the enlarged lower grille on the SX, and SX foglights are five-sided instead of round, and accented by splashes of body-color trim. More subtle is the change in the upper grille on the SX, where the trademark Kia tiger-nose shape seems to float within the grillework, rather than outlining the border as it does on lesser models.

To maximize interior volume, particularly in the third-row seats, the Sorento roofline makes only a slight taper downwards at the rear. Similarly, the rear passenger doors extend back over the wheel housing to optimize access to third-row seats.

Sorento's shape is more than just a pretty face; it slips through the air at highway speed with minimal wind noise.

We found the driver's seat, with eight-way power adjustment and lumbar support, to be excellent, firm, supportive, confidence-inspiring. There's lots of legroom here, making the Sorento a good choice for exceptionally tall drivers. The front passenger seat on the top models is powered, but adjusts only four ways as is common.

The second-row bench seat was comfortable, though even with the front seat well forward, second-row legroom was so-so. Good for small children, not so good for tall teen-agers.

The third-row seats are a compromise, as they are in any but the most grandiose three-row vehicles. Tilt-folding the second-row seats forward to access the rear involves a bit of calisthenics, as the seats are fairly heavy. Once the unlucky, last-row galley slaves are in place and the second-row seats slam down and lock, the latches are hard to release and fold forward from the rear row. Headroom in the far rear is minimal, as well. The third row should be adequate for kids but adults won't like it back there.

The navigation system with rearview camera lacks some of the more sophisticated onscreen visual aids for backing while turning found on premium crossovers. The Infinity deluxe audio system is superb. The climate control works flawlessly, offering strong fan volume when requested. Vanity mirrors in the sun visors were lit, but only after you turn them on with a button. Similar units in some other vehicles light automatically upon being opened.

Cargo space with all seats folded down is 72.5 cubic feet.

The suspension is nicely tuned to muffle and damp pavement irregularities. On smooth curves when driving a bit more aggressively, the Sorento feels agile and easy to control. Much of this is thanks to Kia's firm, spot-on steering effort, the independent rear suspension, and the rigid unibody construction.

Steering is power-assisted but isn't too light: It requires the driver to make forthright moves to left or right so there's no wandering or numbness of any kind. First-class.

We found the standard four-cylinder engine adequate, though not exciting. This old-school, port-injection 2.4-liter engine is EPA-rated rated 21/29 mpg and generates 172 horsepower.

The new 191-hp 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder produces 10-percent more power than the base engine and slightly better fuel economy. More telling are the torque numbers: The base engine peaks out at 169 pound-feet at 3750 rpm; the GDI ups this only 7 percent, to 181 pound-feet at 4250 rpm. In short, it appears as though the GDI may deliver more goods but it has to rev higher and work harder at delivering them. We suspect its most desirable virtue will be its improved fuel economy: 22/32 EPA-estimated City/Highway mpg on front-drive models, which is as good as our previous benchmark, the four-cylinder Chevrolet Equinox.

The V6 engine makes the Sorento feel crisp and energetic. A Sorento V6 may be the quickest SUV in its class. Rated at 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque at 5000 rpm, it delivers ample acceleration performance handy when merging onto the freeway in fast traffic. Fuel efficiency drops to an EPA-rated 18/24 mpg with 4WD, 20/26 mpg with 2WD. That's slightly better than the Chevrolet Equinox, however.

The 4WD models use full-time all-wheel drive, which makes them excellent all-weather alternatives.

The four-wheel disc brakes of the Sorento brought it to a firm halt from highway speed with good controllability. We found the nose dives down under heavy braking, but the vehicle was stable in panic braking, and on dry pavement the anti-lock brakes worked appropriately.

Ted West filed this report to NewCarTestDrive.com after his test drive of the Kia Sorento near Newport Beach, California.