What Is It?
Kia Sorento Surf
What's Special About It?
Our early driving impressions suggest that the Sorento is a roomy, solidly constructed midsize SUV that behaves itself on pavement while offering excellent off-road ability. And considering that you can get it well equipped for about $22 grand (or less if you don't care about four-wheel drive) and fully loaded for well under $30K, we expect it to have broad appeal. In an effort to demonstrate its new sport-ute's far-reaching potential, Kia has created the Surf, essentially a Sorento with enough aftermarket equipment to make it seem an ideal companion for family adventures at the beach.
On the outside, the Surf is identified by Sunset Silver metallic paint, dark-tinted glass, body-color wheel flares and bumpers, mesh grille, blacked-out reflectors in the headlight clusters, dual stainless steel exhaust outlets and a roof-mounted black whip antenna. A high-capacity tubular roof rack with a basket and tasteful oval-shaped lights, tubular aluminum step bars and an aluminum skid plate complete the aesthetic package while providing added utility. The Surf is also equipped with a raised suspension and a set of knobby 16-inch off-road tires to ensure that confrontational sand dunes pose no threat. Pop the hood, and you'll find blue anodized engine components, braided-steel hose covers and a body-color engine cover — all of which should be a hit with mechanics.
Inside, the Sorento Surf has all of the conveniences of the EX production model, along with leather upholstery (on the seats, headrests and door panels) accented by color-coordinated, perforated inserts and plenty of faux marbled aluminum trim. The cargo bay is lined with a neoprene mat (comprised of the same material used for the Rio Cinco Swim's seat upholstery) that can accommodate wet towels and beach toys, and new heavier-duty floor mats are better suited for the rigors of beach life. For entertainment, the Surf offers an upgraded Delphi sound system (above and beyond the 10-speaker setup that comes standard in the EX, apparently) with MP3 compatibility and satellite radio.
Why Should You Care?
The Sorento Surf is not intended as a future production vehicle, but rather as a way of showing prospective owners how they might personalize a Sorento by adding a few aftermarket parts here and there — such that it morphs from relatively inexpensive family transportation into a downright likable vehicle. Various bits of the Surf are apt to show up in future option packages for the Sorento EX. But we at Edmunds tend to be cheapskates, so we'll stick with the basic LX and spend the rest on the kids. — Erin Riches
Kia Sorento Surf
What's Special About It?
Our early driving impressions suggest that the Sorento is a roomy, solidly constructed midsize SUV that behaves itself on pavement while offering excellent off-road ability. And considering that you can get it well equipped for about $22 grand (or less if you don't care about four-wheel drive) and fully loaded for well under $30K, we expect it to have broad appeal. In an effort to demonstrate its new sport-ute's far-reaching potential, Kia has created the Surf, essentially a Sorento with enough aftermarket equipment to make it seem an ideal companion for family adventures at the beach.
On the outside, the Surf is identified by Sunset Silver metallic paint, dark-tinted glass, body-color wheel flares and bumpers, mesh grille, blacked-out reflectors in the headlight clusters, dual stainless steel exhaust outlets and a roof-mounted black whip antenna. A high-capacity tubular roof rack with a basket and tasteful oval-shaped lights, tubular aluminum step bars and an aluminum skid plate complete the aesthetic package while providing added utility. The Surf is also equipped with a raised suspension and a set of knobby 16-inch off-road tires to ensure that confrontational sand dunes pose no threat. Pop the hood, and you'll find blue anodized engine components, braided-steel hose covers and a body-color engine cover — all of which should be a hit with mechanics.
Inside, the Sorento Surf has all of the conveniences of the EX production model, along with leather upholstery (on the seats, headrests and door panels) accented by color-coordinated, perforated inserts and plenty of faux marbled aluminum trim. The cargo bay is lined with a neoprene mat (comprised of the same material used for the Rio Cinco Swim's seat upholstery) that can accommodate wet towels and beach toys, and new heavier-duty floor mats are better suited for the rigors of beach life. For entertainment, the Surf offers an upgraded Delphi sound system (above and beyond the 10-speaker setup that comes standard in the EX, apparently) with MP3 compatibility and satellite radio.
Why Should You Care?
The Sorento Surf is not intended as a future production vehicle, but rather as a way of showing prospective owners how they might personalize a Sorento by adding a few aftermarket parts here and there — such that it morphs from relatively inexpensive family transportation into a downright likable vehicle. Various bits of the Surf are apt to show up in future option packages for the Sorento EX. But we at Edmunds tend to be cheapskates, so we'll stick with the basic LX and spend the rest on the kids. — Erin Riches
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