2016 Kia Sorento SXL AWD Review

2016 Kia Sorento SXL AWD | #DriveKia | getinmymouf.com

This post is made possible through a partnership with the awesome folks at DriveShop and Kia, who provided us with a vehicle to test drive for a week. You can follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #DriveKia.

Between this Sorento and the 2015 Optima SX we were able to test drive last fall, Tina and I have been surprisingly impressed. Full disclosure, there was a lot of overlap in what we enjoyed with this SUV and the sedan. So, for fear of this sounding repetitive to the last review, let’s start out with something a little different: Out of the two vehicles, I would definitely choose this Sorento over the Optima in a Zombie Apocalypse situation.

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $46,495
MPG Estimate: 17 – 23 MPG
Engine: 3.3 L V6 GDI Engine
Power: 290 hp @ 6,400 rpm | 252 ft-lbs @ 5,300 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed Sportmatic Transmission
Color: Titanium Gray
Options: SXL Technology Package (Xenon HID headlights, lane departure warning system, forward collision warning system, electronic parking brake, surround view monitor, smart advanced cruise control)

Click here for the 2016 Kia Sorento Brochure

Comfort

No complaints from the comfort department. Of course, if you’re being chased by zombies you probably wouldn’t have time to realize how nice the seats feel for long stretches of driving. And you’re hands will also be too sweaty from the adrenaline that you wouldn’t need to use the heated steering wheel. However, the ventilated seats are nice for cooling your tuckus during tense situations.

Also, the third row of seating could easily fit children, but you’d probably want to save that room for food rations, weaponry, and ammunition.

Amenities

In terms of bells and whistles, there were two major perks that I will miss most. The first is, well, the first thing you notice when you enter the car: The Panoramic Sunroof. It’s a cool feature that really makes the car feel open–the extra glass almost feels like a mid-century modern home (minus the pool). The roof is also big enough that a few people could–hypothetically–stand up simultaneously and wave to a passerby like a boss. Or, alternatively, one could shoot down zombies with a machine gun…like a boss.

Not a boss.

The second feature that stole my heart away was the surround view monitor, which provides a 360 degree aerial view of the SUV. For someone who predominantly drives smaller sedans, it definitely made me feel better about squeezing the Sorento into tight spaces. When I drive SUVs I always feel like I’m about two cementers away from hitting every car in the parking lot. Not so in this SUV. It’s also great for ensuring that no zombies are lurking in search of brains in your blind spots.

No zombies…this time.

Performance

For a big guy, the Sorento SXL had enough umph that I really wanted to floor it around a corner and try and flip the car.

I did not try this (nor should YOU), but the spirit lives on.

For every day purposes, changing lanes and merging was no problem. Gas mileage was acceptable at about 21 MPG for our test week, which included mostly stop-and-go commuting and some short weekend road trips.

And yes, you can also use that umph and good gas milage to efficiently run over zombies.

Dog Friendliness

The biggest surprise was not the SUV itself, but rather the fact that we were able to coax Cooper into the back. He hates SUVs and doesn’t trust automatic lift gates. But, with enough treats, we got him to sit in the back for a short ride.

The pictures don’t show it, but he is terrified.

Anyway, if your dog is not a coward, he or she would love all the room in the back. Coop’s a big guy and he was able stand up without any issues (aside from mental issues). It’s also good practice, we’d hate to leave him behind during the Zombie Apocalypse…although it might be cool to have a zombie dog for a pet.

Food Friendliness

Not worried about the Zombie Apocalypse? Fine, let’s say you want to escape from becoming an office zombie at work. Go grab some Popeyes and take the Sorento out to tailgate at a park for lunch.

Who Should Buy This Car

Although a very versatile vehicle in a Zombie Apocalypse, the Kia Sorento is a fine choice for a normal suburban life as well. It all comes down to the fact that it’s an affordable SUV with luxury car amenities and a solid warranty. We now understand why there are so many Kia Sorentos in our neighborhood.

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Disclaimer: As noted above, we were provided this vehicle courtesy of DriveShop and Kia. Other than being allowed to test drive this vehicle, we were not provided any monetary compensation for this post. As always, all opinions remain our own.

Car Reviews

2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD Review

2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD | getinmymouf.com

This post is made possible through a partnership with the awesome folks at DriveShop and Mazda, who provided us with a vehicle to test drive for a week. You can follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #DriveMazda.

You know all those car commercials, where the car speeds up and down winding roads on the edges of cliffs? I got to do that in Northern California with this car and it was awesome…

2013 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD | getinmymouf.com

Bixby Bridge – Big Sur

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $32,340
MPG Estimate: 27 city – 32 highway
Engine: 2.0L Skyactiv-G, 4 cylinder
Power: 146 hp | 146 lb-ft torque
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Color: Soul Red Metallic
Options: Navigation, Sirius Satellite Radio, Grand Touring I-Activesense Package (Radar Cruise Control, Smart City Brake Support, Smart Brake Support, Lane Departure Warning, Auto-On/Off Headlights, High Beam Control, Variable Rain-Sensing Wipers)

For more info, click here to view the 2016 CX-3 Brochure.

Amenities

Like my last post on the CX-5, the amenities in this mini “SUV” are essentially the same. We exclusively used the navigation system to get us around Northern California, from SFO down as far as Big Sur, and we didn’t get lost. The voice command function works fine, although I wish I could navigate to an address all in one sentence, rather than having to say “Navigate to Address” and then wait for the prompt to ask me for the address. A small complaint that maybe only saves 30 seconds, but worth noting ’cause that’s 30 less seconds I have to wait to start driving (which is REALLY fun).

Your ears are taken care of by a Bose sound system. You can never go wrong with Bose, so in my opinion, jumping up to the Grand Touring trim is absolutely worth it.

Comfort

Given the size of the CX-3 and our experience with its older brother, we expected the ride to be a little rough. Fortunately, cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway was smoother than fresh churned butter from a grass fed cow. I could have easily taken a nap if I didn’t have so much adrenaline pumping through my veins from tearing up the twists and turns of Highway 1 (but, we’ll get to performance in a second). We also found the seats comfortable, hugging us better than my old Mazda 3, with the suede sections helpful for keeping us from sliding around–an issue that is all too common with leather seating.

Since we were on vacation, we got to test the hauling capacity and it was a perfect fit for what we had: 1 large suitcase and 1 carry-on fit snugly in the hatchback. The back seat was definitely tight and not something a full-size adult or large dog would enjoy for extended periods of time. But, seriously, if you’re getting one of these, it ain’t for the size.

Performance

Honestly, all that other stuff (amenities, comfort, sound) matters about zero percent once you get behind the wheel. Three words: Handling. Handling. Handling. If I could get a job driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway along Big Sur, I would gladly take it if it included this Mazda CX-3. If you don’t know or quite understand the term “road feel” then go test drive one of these immediately.

For Mazda, driving really does matter. What’s remarkable about the CX-3 (er, most Mazdas, really) is that they achieve a fun driving experience without cheating with a turbocharger or a gas-guzzling V6. I mean, sure, I wouldn’t complain about a turbocharged Mazda CX-3 with a stick shift…(seriously, just MazdaSpeed the whole line up). When you drive almost every other competing car in the segment, none of them entice you to drive as much as this little guy.

17-Mile Drive – Pebble Beach

Gas mileage was also great and near the top of its class–we averaged 30.1 MPG during our nearly 500-mile trip up and down the coast. It was mostly highway, but there were some smaller trips around Carmel Valley and Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Who Should Buy This Car

This car might be a good match for you if your top priorities include i) being fun to drive, ii) getting decent gas milage, and iii) being comfortable. You probably don’t care too much about space, but covet a hatchback. The addition of AWD and slightly taller stance also benefits those who might need to deal with snow and/or some light dirt road duty.

Disclaimer: As noted above we were provided this vehicle courtesy of DriveShop and Mazda. Other than being allowed to test drive this vehicle, we were not provided any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions remain our own.

Car Reviews

2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Review

Also, one of the cool things about testing out this Mazda, was that upon receiving the vehicle, we were provided with a $25 charitable gift card redeemable at OneOC.org/givingcards to donate to the charity of our choice. The Mazda Drive for Good charitable program has helped raise more than $7.6 million and has resulted in over 120,000 charitable service hours pledged since 2013.

Given that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and this is a food blog, we chose Food & Friends. The organization is dedicated to helping men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling. What does that entail exactly? They deliver meals year-round, six days a week (including holidays) and since inception have delivered 18 million meals to over 26,000 individuals. Thus, the impact is huge, but they can’t do it without volunteers and generous donations! To learn how you can help, visit their website for more info.

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Full disclosure: I owned a Mazda for almost a decade. Does that create bias? Maybe. Does that also create some higher-than-normal expectations. Maybe. So, everything should balance out…

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $32,340
MPG Estimate: 24 city – 30 highway
Engine: 2.5L Skyactiv, DOHC 4 cylinder
Power: 184 hp @ 5,700 rpm | 185 lb-ft @ 3,250 rpm
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Color: Titanium Flash Mica
Options: Grand Touring Technology Package (Navigation System, Smart City Brake Support, LED headlights with auto leveling, Adaptive Front-lighting System, LED fog lights, LED daytime running lights, LED combination tail lights and auto-dimming mirror)

For more info, click here to view the 2016 CX-5 Brochure.

Amenities

The entertainment system works really well, keeping in mind it does take some time to get familiar with navigating through everything. So, it’s not quite as initially intuitive as others, but I easily learned what I needed within a few days of driving. No biggie for a car you’ll keep for a decade.

Voice commands also worked easily for making calls and entering addresses for the navigation system.

In my opinion, a huge plus is the fact that the Grand Touring comes standard with a Bose sound system (it’s also optional in the Touring trim). I love me some Bose. I’ve got a pair of Bose computer speakers that can shake our house. So, needless to say the system in the CX-5 is plenty good enough to rock out, hip hop, or blast whatever your preference is.

Comfort

Although the seats were comfortable, the ride is a bit harsh, but that’s the trade off you get for some of the zoom zoom that’s discussed later.

The A/C was decently cold and I only bring that up, because my old Mazda’s only fault was its air conditioning. Quite the testament to how much I enjoyed that car, as I spent nearly a decade enduring long, sweat-filled summer commutes. This car was a sweat-free zone. Except when I took that one hairpin turn at 80 MPH. Kidding. Or am I?

Oh and not sure if you’re into safety, but the 2016 CX-5 was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, which means this car could save your life. Especially during those 80 MPH hairpin turns. KIDDING. Drive safely.

Performance

This is quite a deceiving little SUV. First impressions would likely lead one to believe that this little go-getter is a suburbanite’s dream, ready for trips to big box warehouse stores, home improvement shops for weekend warriors, and carting the little ones (two and four legged) around town. But honestly, all that stuff seems to bore the CX-5. Not that it won’t do all that stuff well, but it seems to do the chores almost begrudgingly.

The CX-5 yearns to stretch its legs and search for winding roads, rural scenary, and areas where there might not be a road at all. During our time with the CX-5, the most fun we had was exploring the curvy roads on our way to visit Potomac Point Winery, and soaring across a grassy field, escaping the hellacious parking situation of a just ended Renaissance Festival.

I really wish we had some snowfall to play with like in this video.

Oh, and the gas mileage. Was it good? Well, for an AWD compact utility vehicle, I was pretty happy with our average of 26.8 MPG. That included five days of commuting to and from work (32 miles round trip) along with two longer trips with mostly highway.

Because of the nature of this car, my only complaint on the performance is the lack of a little more umph. And sure it might be gratuitous, especially for those who want to retain the solid gas mileage, but oh the fun you could have with a turbo-charged MazdaSpeed CX-5…

Smashing Good Looks

Co-workers and neighbors were happy to compliment the looks of the CX-5. The light Parchment color interior was noted on more than one occasion to be sexy. Also, the Titanium Flash Mica exterior made the car look almost like a mini-tank, which was cool. B-Y-O-Rocket Launcher.

And personally, upgrading to the Grand Touring model is worth it for the wheels alone.

Who Should Buy This Car

This might be the car for you if you need a little more suburban hauling capacity, but you’re not ready to sacrifice the handling of a smaller vehicle. You might want to check this car out if you enjoy taking weekend trips off the beaten paths and you’d rather take the long way versus a highway. And in all honesty, I was very close to purchasing this vehicle a couple months ago. Had it not been for our dog’s extreme fear of change and anything remotely resembling an SUV, I might own one right now.

More care reviews…

: 2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD

: 2015 Kia Optima SX

: 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander SE S-AWC

Car Reviews

2015 Kia Optima SX Review

I didn’t really know much about Kia before driving this Optima. I did notice that a ton of people in our neighborhood have Kia Optimas. Like, a ton. And after getting to know this car for a week, I completely understand why.

Specs

MSRP (as tested): $31,310
MPG Estimate: 23 city – 34 highway
Engine: 2.4L Gas Direct Injection, 4 cylnders
Power: 192 hp @ 6300 rpm | 181 ft-lbs @ 4250 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed Sportmatic Transmission
Color: Remington Red
Options: SX Premium Technology Package (power folding mirrors, Infinity audio system, UVO Service w/ Telematics, HD radio technology, Navigation with SiriusXM, rear camera, blind spot detection system, driver’s seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, power front passenger’s seat, heated outboard rear seats, and back-up warning system)

Comfort

The seats are really comfortable. REALLY comfortable. Surprisingly comfortable, even. Here’s a challenge: Put on a blind fold and go sit in this car along with three other luxury brands. I bet it’ll be tough to tell which one’s the Kia.

And on top of seats that are luxury-quality comfortable, they’re also cooled. Yes, cooled seats. On a hot day, they’re basically like an ice cold lemonade for your back and butt. Weird metaphor, but accurate.

Amenities

The UVO entertainment system is a really well-designed and user-friendly system that looks good, is intuitive, and WORKS. I’ve come to expect most voice-comand functions in cars have a 50% success rate. I was able to easily add a new destination to the navigation on the first try. You’ve been warned, Siri.

And the mirrors fold in and out automatically. Which I suppose is functional for tight parking spots, but it just also looks cool and made me feel like I was driving a spaceship.

Starting the morning w/ a new toy thx to @DriveShopUSA & @Kia #driveKia pic.twitter.com/fbRVQP0rNc

— Evan Shaw (@getinmymouf) September 18, 2015

Performance

190 horsepower and 181 ft-lbs of torque provide plenty of get-up-and-go to get you around, but aren’t so much that you’ll be living at the gas station. Our average gas mileage over the course of the week was 25.5 MPG, which isn’t that bad (if you want better mileage, then check out the hybrid version). Personally, I’d take the extra juice if it meant spending a bit more at the tank.

Steering feel and handling are a tad looser and not quite as responsive as I prefer, but others may take that sacrifice for the softer ride. I missed some of the nimbleness that my 2006 compact car has, but the Optima is quite a bit larger.

Food Friendliness

Often an overlooked aspect of vehicles, a lot can be said for a car that is really comfortable to eat in. Sometimes you need a quick, quiet, and comfortable place to escape from the insanity of work/school/your own children. Enter the Kia Optima.

With the seat reclined and moved back, the center console made for a nice counter to hold a sandwich. In fact, I recommend using one of the memory seat positions for “lunch mode”. Did I mention the seats were comfortable?

(BTW – You can see more interior car/eating pics in our review of McDonald’s Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich.)

The cabin is also spacious, so I’m sure that somehow prevents you from accidentally bumping your elbow on something and spilling ketchup on your white button-up shirt.

Who Should Buy This Car

This is definitely going to sound like standard commercial copywriting, but if you want luxury amenities at an affordable price, then you should give a hard look at this car. Although the MSRP tops out at about $31k, nobody actually pays MSRP. In fact, internet prices for the same version of this car, WITH THE TURBO ENGINE (274 hp and 269 ft-lbs of torque) is about $27,000. That’s almost ridiculous, especially when comparable luxury vehicles would easily double the price tag. Overall, this was a fine car. A fine car, indeed.

And for what it’s worth, Kia ranked #2 in the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study. Yup, Kia was right behind Porsche and just ahead of Jaguar.

Gratuitous Dog Pictures

Get in my Mouf

Food Stories

2016 Kia Sorento SXL AWD Review

2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD Review

2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Review

2015 Kia Optima SX Review