Interested in an SUV?
If you’re considering an SUV as the newest vehicle in your household, perhaps you’re interested in the dependability of these vehicles, or you have the desire for safe driving with a spacious interior for friends and family. Kia is a perfect choice because of its extensive lineup of reliable and award-winning SUVs and top-notch quality assurance. But, with Kia’s current lineup, you may be losing sleep over which model to purchase as all five offerings are excellent. For this, however, we will be focusing on the Sportage and Sorento, two of our favorite choices from the 2020 Kia SUV lineup.
The 2020 Kia Sportage
We admire the Sportage for its capabilities and well-built chassis constructed out of high-tensile strength steel alloys to make your ride both safer and more stable. Combined with improved traction control and a dynamic braking system for slippery surfaces, the Sportage should be heavily considered as your next SUV.
The Kia Sportage offers four trims to choose from, each one with different wheels and interior features such as heated seats and a sunroof. Alongside each trim, besides the SX Turbo, is the Sportage’s 2.4L 4-cylinder engine, which gets up to 181 hp. On the SX Turbo, you will get a 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI engine. This engine can crank out 240 hp with 260 lb-ft of torque and is available for your Kia Sportage at an extra $1500-1700 depending on your trim.
Each trim supports Kia’s Drive Mode Select, allowing you to switch between Eco, Normal, and Sport driving modes. Eco gives you the best fuel efficiency while the latter has a stronger throttle and tighter steering, making it ideal for highway travel.
Choices with the 2020 Sportage
Your choices begin with the LX starting at $23,990 featuring 17-inch Alloy Wheels with the aforementioned auto emergency braking technology and an 8-inch touchscreen displaying your rearview camera alongside your radio playback and Bluetooth calling. Starting with this trim, your outside mirrors and rear glass window are kept defrosted with built-in heating elements, expanding your visibility when you need it most.
The Kia Sportage “S” trim starts at $25,990 and increases the wheel size to 18-inch Alloy Wheels and offers a classy interior with such features as a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with paddle shifters and a Sofino leather seat trim making this a tempting option. Treat yourself to heated front seats with three heating levels to choose from for even the coldest night-time drives.
Moving up on the list, the 2020 Kia Sportage EX starts at $27,190 and will enhance your experience with a Harman Kardon premium surround sound ,which packs your car with eight 320 watt speakers meaning your music will be sounding better than ever. The front passenger seat is a comfortable 8-way power-adjustable seat, and your driver’s seat will be upgraded to a 10-way power-adjustable seat with 2-way lumbar support with an extensive amount of seating positions, so you’re bound to find one that works for you.
The highest-tier Sportage trim is the SX Turbo, which starts at $33,490 and comes standard with the 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine pumping out 240 hp and increases the wheel size again, this time to 19-Inch alloy wheels with a machine finish. The interior of your SX Turbo is a mind-boggling experience when you glance up at your large panoramic sunroof with a built-in power sunshade. The SX Turbo won’t let you down and is the ultimate trim for your 2020 Kia Sportage.
The 2020 Kia Sorento
We like the Sorento for many reasons, more notably its customization options and a standard 3-row seven-passenger seating arrangement that can be folded down to maximize your cargo space. No matter where you sit inside of this vehicle, you can expect great leg-room, USB charging ports, and even climate controls depending on your trim. The third row of seats has windows and speakers making it feel like a priority and not an after-thought. Drive Mode Select is featured again across all trims allowing you to change the shifting pattern of your engine on the fly. The Kia Sorento is the perfect choice whether you drive around six other people or perhaps just yourself and require 73 cubic feet of cargo space.
Depending on the trim you pick, you can expect the cheaper L and LX options to include a 2.4 liter 16-valve 4-cylinder engine outputting 185 hp with 178 lb-ft of torque. If you choose the S V6, EX, or SX trim, you will be treated to a 3.3-liter V6 engine, which gets an impressive 290 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque. Pair this powerful V6 engine with all-wheel drive, and you’re in for a smooth ride.
Choices with the 2020 Sorent0
Your trim selection for the 2020 Kia Sorento starts with the L trim, which starts at $26,690 and is available in four exterior colors. The L trim comes paired with 17-inch Alloy wheels that are created to withstand harsh terrains and inclement weather. Inside you’ll find Kia’s 7-inch touch screen for your car’s outside cameras along with radio controls and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This touchscreen also allows you to plug in an Auxiliary cable or a USB drive for your MP3 files.
The LX trim starts at $27,990 and takes the interior of your Sorento even further with available heated front seats and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Your ride stays quieter thanks to the sound-absorbing windshield glass, which is a nice touch for highway travel. The LX also hosts a variety of safety features with visual feedback such as auto emergency braking, blind-spot collision warnings, and rear cross-traffic collision warnings, which makes pulling out of a parking spot much safer.
The next trim is the S V6, which upgrades your engine to the previously mentioned V6, which has 290 hp and increases your wheel size to 19-inch black alloy wheels. The S V6 starts at $32,990 and grants you a smart key with push-button start, and heated front seats. If you’re transporting enough people that you are using the 3rd row of seats, your passengers will have their own climate controls so they will always feel comfortable.
Starting at $35,290, the EX trim for the 2020 Kia Sorento transforms the interior with leather seat trims and a panoramic sunroof spanning the length of the roof for total immersion. The Smart Power Liftgate feature finally eliminates the frustration of fumbling for your keys when carrying packages or groceries. All you have to do for it to work is stand next to your trunk with your Smart Key on you, even if it’s in your pocket and the trunk will open after a few seconds of detection. The EX also includes Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Lane Departure Warnings and even assists you in staying in your own lane.
The final trim for the Sorento is the SX, and we’ve saved the best for last. Starting at $39,990, the SX trim completely reimagines the term “premium,” with nearly every aspect of the interior being upgraded in some way. With this trim, you get Harmon Kardon premium audio speakers that completely surround you in crisp and clear audio, and the touch screen is now an 8-inch screen and can be used as a surround-view monitor. You will now have a wireless phone charging pad for your device, and your driver’s chair will be upgraded to a 14-way power driver’s seat with 4-way power lumbar support making it one of the comfiest seats in any car. Your front-seat passenger will also be upgraded to a 10-way power-adjustable seat with 2-way lumbar support.
What SUV Should You Buy?
Based on everything mentioned so far, no matter what you need, an SUV can get the job done. The best part about an SUV is its expandability, allowing itself to suit your needs when the time arises. Kia SUVs are among the highest-rated vehicles in the world, and their extensive lineup is sure to have something for you. If you don’t need to drive around seven people, perhaps a Sportage will get the job done. If you are the dependable driver who is always relied on for big groups of people, then something like the Sorento would make sense for you. No matter which one you choose, Kia will always come through.
