I also appreciated Sorento's generous helping of standard safety features. Kia did an impressive job of covering the bases with front and rear side-impact door bars, front driver and passenger de-powered airbags, curtain-type side-impact airbags, plus the 4-wheel, power-assisted ventilated disc brakes with ABS I mentioned previously. Remote keyless entry and an anti-theft electronic immobilizer are also standard.

A 217-hp 3.5-liter, DOHC, V6 engine powers the Sorento LX, with ample get-up-and-go for day to day driving. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

In addition, the Sorento is loaded with interior and exterior features. In LX trim it's not that exciting to look at, but nevertheless still functional. The 8-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system delivered good quality sound but nothing to boast about. It played my CDs without a fuss, mind you, and considering some rivals don't even offer standard CD changers I really can't complain.

In LX trim the Sorento's interior is not that exciting to look at, but nevertheless still functional. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

Other standard features included air conditioning, steering wheel-mounted cruise control, power windows, power door locks, in-dash digital clock, an under-floor storage compartment, cupholders, locking glove box, front cloth bucket seats (very comfortable for the bumpy ride), tilt steering, illuminated vanity mirrors located within the sunvisors and the list goes on.

On the exterior, I found the P245/70R16 all-season tires and 16-inch alloy wheels to be an asset. They are clean looking and added to its styling. In dry conditions, the tires gripped the road quite well, but in wet conditions they were not as sticky as I wanted them to be. I had to keep in mind that they are all-season tires and the grip will never be as potent as winter or specific off-roading tires - depending on application. Even so, they are good city tires. A full-size spare is also standard.