Additional changes aimed at improving noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) were made in this redesign including additional window glass reinforcing. SX trims even get insulation in the side windows, and there is a noticeable difference between the SX models and others in terms of wind noise. In fact, wind noise seems dramatically reduced, something Kia attributes to the thick steel and panels, the glass insulation and aerodynamic improvements – which is why this Sorento is lower than last year’s.

The door has been redesigned as well, with a new two-piece manufacture process and a long lower skin section protruding down and wrapping around the bottom of the door sill. This wraparound decreases wind and road noise, but also did a great job of keeping slush and muck out of the cars on dirty, snow-covered Quebec roads.

The Kia Sorento was a genuinely serene place to ride and using the 115V power outlet in the rear I was able to do a significant amount of work on the long ride back to the airport the day after our test drives. For someone as easily distracted as me that’s a remarkable… SQUIRREL!

The “Dynamax” all-wheel-drive system is front-wheel-drive based and runs 95 percent front and 5 rear in normal driving conditions. It will send a maximum of 50 percent torque to the rear and can be locked in 50:50 split under 30 km/h. The fully automatic system has been refined to react quicker than the outgoing model but you’ll still find yourself waiting for it to catch up. If you want this one to turn your Sorento into a dorrifftuu rally weapon on the winding snowy roads up to your cottage you’re out of luck. If you want to drive comfortably out of the deep snow of the lodge carpark in the morning you’ll be well satisfied.

The Sorento has Advanced Traction Cornering Control that manages the torque split to the rear wheels and brakes the rear inside wheel to help reduce understeer. There are more sophisticated and performance-focused systems on the market but I found this adequate for normal driving on some fairly dicey roads. Most consumers will never need more than this system offers.

The rear seat access has been improved by allowing more sliding for the second row and I found it easy enough to climb in and settle down. At 5’6″ and 80 kg, I: A) need to diet and B) could fit comfortably in the back row. The second row is fiddly to maneuver, though – you need to slide the seat forward with the bar at the front and then tilt it forward with the control on the side of the seat.

Sitting “behind myself” I was comfortable in all three rows, but when the third row was not in use we found the second row downright cavernous. The interior materials are pleasing to the eye and touch, with only a modest amount of hard plastic even in lower trims.

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