Another crossover being treated to a ground-up redesign is the Kia Sorento. Billed as a 2011 model, the Sorento will be built at Kia's brand new West Point, Georgia assembly plant.
Kia has ditched the old Sorento's traditional SUV body-on-frame underpinnings in favor of a more car-like unibody with all-independent suspension, making it a textbook crossover.
Like Terrain, Sorento straddles the line between compact and mid-size, being three inches longer than its predecessor.
Styling is also fresh, wearing a larger, more expressive version of Kia's new smiling corporate front end treatment, similar to the Forte.
The simple rear end features wraparound hatch glass and tall wedge-shaped taillights.
Power comes from a choice of two engines: a 2.4-liter, 172-horsepower 4-cylinder shared with the Forte SX, or an all-new 273-horsepower 3.5-liter V6.
A six-speed manual is standard with the I-4, or opt for Kia's homegrown six-speed automatic, a V6 standard. Hill Start Assist and Downhill Brake Assist are standard, with a single-speed four-wheel drive system with locking center differential optional.
Inside, another new Kia tradition continues with the Sorento's well-executed cabin. There's more room than last year, accommodating up to seven, but the third row is for small children only.
When it goes on sale this winter, the 2011 Sorento will start right around $22,000.
