Road trips are a nice and fun way to travel and explore the world, and plenty of vehicles are up to the task. In the midsize crossover segment, Kia actually has two offerings: the 2021 Sorento and the 2021 Telluride. Though the Telluride gets a lot of praise, there are a few good reasons why your next road trip should be in a 2021 Kia Sorento. 

The 2021 Kia Sorento’s updated capabilities 

The Kia Sorento and Telluride are technically in the same segment, but the latter SUV is larger, according to MotorTrend. Kia was well aware of the similarities between the two. For the 2021 model year, the automaker aimed to push the Sorento in a new direction to make it more distinct from the Telluride. 

And Kia gave the Sorento more of everything, MotorTrend reported. It now has more safety tech and features, more power, more engine options, and more interior space, to name a few. However, all of that comes at a price, and that price is the removal of the Sorento’s cheapest trim configuration. 

The Sorento now starts around $30,500, a $1,700 hike from the previous year’s MSRP. That being said, because the Sorento is a three-row SUV, the new price means it’s still one of the most affordable SUVs in its class. And compared to the Telluride, the Sorento is still about $2,600 cheaper. The price increase was well worth the Sorento’s boost in power.

The Sorento’s growth spurt 

Kia has done a lot of work to improve the Sorento’s performance, and that mainly came in the form of adding more options and power. According to MotorTrend, the 2021 Sorento’s base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder harnessing 191 hp. That represents a small increase in power over the 2020 Sorento’s base engine. 

One of the new engines the Sorento has gained in the 2021 model year is a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that gets 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. The Sorento’s turbocharged four-cylinder gets almost 50 more lb-ft of torque than the Telluride’s V6, MotorTrend reported. That said, the Sorento’s turbocharged 2.5-liter engine might be too powerful for the SUV if it’s not equipped with all-wheel drive, MotorTrend warned. 

Additionally, MotorTrend said Kia plans to add a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid Sorento soon. These options will also be relatively powerful for an SUV of the Sorento’s size. But no matter the engine, the Sorento should be decently fuel-efficient as well.

Why the 2021 Sorento is good for road trips

Per MotorTrend, the Sorento and the Telluride share a common issue: Neither provides a comfortable ride. However, the publication also said neither ride quality was terrible, and though this isn’t ideal for long road trips, it’s also not the worst flaw. But thanks to the Sorento’s upgraded engines, it should perform a bit better than the Telluride.

Plus, because the Sorento is a three-row SUV, it can fit up to seven people and their luggage. The seats are also highly adjustable, so Sorento owners can configure them for more legroom or more cargo space. 

Add to that a decent infotainment system and a well-designed interior, and the Kia Sorento is a thoroughly comfortable vehicle that’ll keep folks entertained the whole trip.