Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

Actually, it was that "slightly condensed form factor" that was a major factor in our choice of the Sorento over the CX-9, Highlander, and the VW Atlas. The Sorento is nearly a FOOT shorter than the CX-9 while providing more passenger room in the third row, the second row, and overall cargo capacity.
53
Norm T: Actually, I'm a Mazda fan, having owned several Mazdas over the years. And the Signature trim is fairly impressive. But frankly, I find the turbo 4 more suited to the Mazda6 than to the CX9. I wouldn't necessarily say the CX-9 is "under powered"; it's adequate for the vehicle's mission. But even with the substantial torque it's hardly impressive. Further, for highway cruising it's not an especially smooth engine, especially when compared to the V6 in the Sorento. Finally, I just don't get the fact that the CX-9 is so large on the outside without corresponding interior space. The length appears to come from a long hood and an extended rear end behind the hatch. I can only assume that's done for styling purposes but it certainly adds nothing to the vehicle's functionality.
13
Brian Fish: You make a good point. When one gets serious about a purchase it's important to rely on more than published specs for your specific priorities. For my family it was important to have a vehicle that could accommodate four or five teenage girls for local trips. That eliminated two row midsize options like the Ford Edge and Grand Cherokee. At the same time, my wife felt the CX-9 and the VW Atlas were simply too damn big for convenient parking and local traffic. And while the Highlander claims to seat eight, that claim seems to be based on having three seat belts in the third row rather than considering fitting real human beings in the space. For us, measuring the bed for hockey gear wasn't an issue. :)
5
gerryblocker: I won't dispute Brian's comments regarding his experience with his hockey gear. But I'd urge you to take a look at the Sorento and judge for yourself. I'm actually a Mazda fan, having owned three of them over the years. But I just don't understand how the CX-9 can be so large and have less actual interior space than the Sorento. As for the Traverse, it's clear it has more capacity than either the Sorento or the CX-9. Have to say, though, that if it's available in yellow it would be indistinguishable from a school bus. :)
4
@fento r I'd recommend you drive both. In terms of interior quality and refinement I think the Sorento SX-L is at least the equal of the Pilot's top trim, if not better. And I strongly suspect that if you sit down for serious negotiations rather than relying solely on MSRP prices, you'll find a significantly better deal from a KIA dealer. Moreover, that difference won't be wiped out by resale value five or more years down the line. The Sorento is more compact than the Pilot. (It's about 7.5 inches shorter.) But unlike the Mazda, Honda has done a great job of offering a roomy interior. If you need the cargo space behind the first row, it's a very good choice in an efficiently designed package. Furthermore, Honda has done an excellent job of targeting families with the Pilot. If you have several children, especially young kids, Honda has a number of features designed specifically for you. e.g. Rear seat dvd screens, a PA system for getting your kids' attention even if they are wearing headphones, a fisheye rear view mirror to see what they're up to, etc. And I believe if you need to accommodate child seats, the Honda is more convenient. We bought our Sorento earlier this year before the 2019 Pilot was available. It appears that Honda has upped its game recently rather than relying solely on its strong reputation from the past. If we were making the same decision now I think we'd still go with the KIA but it would be a close call.
3
@scokill1 If you need room for six or seven passengers AND their gear for an extended trip, none of the so-called "midsize" crossovers (with the possible exception of the VW Atlas) is really a good choice. My family (two adults, a teenage daughter, and a big dog) doesn't use the third row regularly but the fact that a couple of adults (or even three teenage girls) can be reasonably accommodated for a local trip can be a HUGE convenience when the alternative is to take two vehicles or strap someone to the roof. And like you, the overall length of the Sorento allows us to fit it easily, even with a three bike rear rack, in our garage AND close the door. All in all, the "Goldilocks" size of the Sorento fits our needs perfectly. Maneuverable in city/suburban traffic, easy to park in the supermarket or mall parking lot. And for the occasional trips to Costco or Ikea it swallows just about anything we're foolish enough to drag home.
3
It's longer, alright. But it has less interior and cargo space.
2
MIcah: More accurate to say that it has three belts in the third row. Unless the third row is being used as a torture chamber, the real capacity is two and the Highlander seats seven, max.
2
@Brian-jv8iy The problem with generalizing based on a single experience, including my own, is that it's a lot like asking your friends who they're voting for. It's not a reliable method. But for what it's worth I put over 75,000 miles on Kia Sorento with no engine problems, whatsoever. And I've owned two GTI's since 2013 with another 80,000 miles and, again, not a single engine problem.
1
@marmac2768 I think you're mistaken about the navigation system but I'm not surprised at your error. My GTI works as you describe for your Santa Fe. Put in a few letters of a city, for example, and a list of matching cities appears. Then move on to the street, etc. When we bought our 2018 Sorento I was disappointed to see that it apparently required me to type the entire city (or street) before completing entry. However, my wife discovered that it doesn't. Fill in the first few letters along with the first few letters of a city then the first few letters/numbers of a street and a numerical address. Then hit "done." The Nav system responds with a set of choices or selects the only available match using the city, street, and number. The difference is that the Sorento provides a single screen for the entire set of address parameters while my GTI requires entry as separate steps. Give it a try.
1
hlee3098: My wife and I cross-shopped the Ford Edge Sport and the Kia Sorento. The Edge does not have third row seating. It is very close in terms of size to the Sorento and provides about the same cargo capacity. But for my family the superior interior of the Sorento and the availability of the third row for occasional use gave it the "edge."
1
It's true that the Highlander third row seats do recline slightly. However, it doesn't help the comfort of that row much since reclining the seat can put an adult's head in contact with the rear window.
1
@Fento L Good luck, my friend. Hope you're as happy with yours as we are with ours. We live in the Puget Sound area where winters are wet and messy but seldom severe. So AWD is a convenience but not usually a necessity. This week, however, we were hit by the biggest snowstorm in 40 years (!) and about a foot of accumulated snow and ice. Gave me a chance to really test the Sorento's AWD with its center locking differential in our hilly neighborhood. Came through like a champ through some seriously adverse conditions even with less than ideal all season tires.
1