There are questions about the life span mileage of the 2016 Kia Sorento.

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It is hard to imagine that there is a more under-the-radar vehicle for sale in America than the Kia Sorento.We learned during our 40,000-mile test of the Sorento that it is a practical and wieldy three-row SUV.We sometimes forgot this thing's name while it was here, but we called it the Sportage about a third of the time.Oops.

We started our ordering process for the Sorento without wheels in late 2015, because we are a shallow lot.The SX and SXL were the top two trims.We had already inflated the base price of the Sorento from $26,000 to something like $40K, so we stopped shy of its upgraded nappa leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and ventilation for the front seats.We wanted to be seen as cool.A three-row SUV is being driven.

The sculpted product of a German-led design studio that wouldn't look out of place with a European logo in its grille is the Sorento SX.Some of us felt the design was too sculpted, a factor that may be related to the nameplate's relative anonymity.It isn't as if we suffered by choosing the SX, it has pretty much all the features of the standard model.A full rundown is available in our introductory story, but highlights include an 8.0-inch screen in the gauge cluster, leather upholstery, heated front seats, proximity entry and start, and 19-inch wheels.We added a few minor accessories to bring the total to $42,180.That is a tall number for a vehicle that starts at less than $26K, but it is par for the course in a three-row SUV.Our car rolled onto our parking lot.

The 3.3-liter V6 up front is what the Sorento has.The Sorento can be equipped with either a 2.4- or a 2.0-liter four-cylinders.We were mostly happy with the naturally aspirated six, which had no issues and offered the sort of smooth, linear power delivery and predictable throttle response that even the best engines can't match.The transmission did its job and stayed out of the way.While it won't snap necks, the zero-to-60-mph time of 7.1 seconds is respectable, and the V6 even managed to return 22 mpg over 40,000 miles.The figure was aided by the frequent use of the vehicle as a road-trip vehicle, but it is just 1 mile per gallon under the EPA estimate.

On frequent trips to small towns and cottages in northern Michigan or journeys to Chicago and Pennsylvania, the Sorento rarely had time to cool its tires.The car was in the care of C/D's moose, cocktails, and moose-cocktails editor JohnPhillips, who took it on adventures in at least eight states.

Thanks to its comfortable and spacious interior and low levels of noise, vibration, and harshness, the Sorento is a good choice for long-distance travel.The second-row sunshades and panoramic sunroof on the SX allow us and our passengers to let in as much or as little light as we wanted, and the firm, supportive seats allowed for long but fatigue-free days in the saddle.It was easy to swap child seats with the easy-to-access LATCH connectors.

The primary and secondary controls are easy to reach from the driver's seat, and we were able to use the three availableusb ports for front- and second-row passengers to keep devices charged; our Sorento had a 115-volt household outlet on the back of the center console for additionalWe were always happy to use the UVO system because of its crisp graphics, quick responses, and intuitive layout.The UVO3 version of the system allows owners of vehicles to upgrade to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, something we were able to do with the Sorento.It was optional for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Even though they are on the small side compared with some key competitors, the interior room and cargo flexibility proved adequate in use.The third row of the car has cubbies for stuff in the back, but making use of them was more difficult than we would have liked.It's possible to clamber into that row via either rear door, but neither side of the split-folding second row can fall forward, so you have to slide the seat forward.Only the passenger side has a lever that can be used by those in the third row to escape.The Honda Pilot has seatbacks that tip forward and slide at the touch of a single button, which makes it easy for third-row passengers to move them out of the way.

The second-row seat slides through a decent amount of real estate, which made it easy to apportion legroom among all back-seat passengers.The wayback is only suitable for children and short trips because the seat bottoms are too low and the back is too flat.The second-row bench can be folded from the cargo area using release levers located on the outer walls.The interior materials wore well and appeared to be of high quality.As a nice person, you would probably treat it with more respect, even though our drivers were torturous on this vehicle.

Our car turned out to be everything we had thought it would be: capable, easy to drive, and utterly anodyne.There is little excitement to be found in this class, and we didn't find it in our car.That is not to say that it is malfunctioning.The Sorento has good forward and rear visibility, which makes it easier to maneuver in tight parking lots.The ride is smooth, with a sophistication to the way the suspension irons out impacts large and small that is more typically found in more expensive vehicles.The brakes are strong enough to place it midpack in our 70mph-to-zero test, but we wish they had taken up the slack at the top of the pedal travel.

We didn't know what was going on with the steering.It was numb but accurate, and the car tracked straight on long freeway stretches.The steering would go heavy or light depending on the spin of the steering wheel.Sometimes the weight just off-center would go extremely heavy for no apparent reason.

We missed a couple of scheduled services but got the care and feeding of the Kia back on track after it flew hither to Montana.One service we missed was a routine $76 job, but the other would have cost $413 and we spent $470 for scheduled maintenance.A single recall repair was required for the trailer-wiring connector, which may not function properly and cause the brake lights to illuminate.This was repaired for free.The tow rating of the car was 5000 pounds, but we rarely took advantage of it.

The rear of our car was cursed.An unknown person backed into the rear bumper and took out part of the passenger-side mirror.We could only guess that the accident ninja hit the right-rear quarter-panel with a fist, or with someone else's head.The same area ended up with long creases in the body, whether it was during that incident or another one.The sheetmetal was pulled for $200 and the reflector was replaced for $72.A large crack that formed after taking a stone chip was the reason we replaced the windshield.None of these were the fault of the car.We had to lift it manually before it would happily motor closed at the push of a button because it refused to be a power hatch.

The time we spent with the Sorento showed it to be a solid choice among mid-size SUVs that still merits consideration even 16 months later.It is likely that more people will buy the next generation of the Sorento if it is injected with personality and more function.We might stop calling it the Sportage.

Average Fuel Economy: 22 mph Fuel Tank Size: 18.8 gal Fuel Range: 410 miles Normal Wear: $480Damage and Destruction: $272

The Kia continues to impress more than halfway through our 40,000-mile test, with low levels of noise, vibration, and harshness in the cabin; a generally placid ride; and well-controlled body motions.Almost every function is where you would expect it to be, with clear buttons and icons that are sized right for on-the-go operation, and the interface still garners praise for being easy to learn and even easier to use.

The glossy leather on the steering wheel and front-seat cushions are the only signs that the Sorento is busy.The smooth 3.3-liter V6 is what we chose to spec, and it offers plenty of power for merging and passing while never seeming strained.

The well-mannered and comfortable seats of the Sorento help to ward off fatigue, making it a pleasant road-trip vehicle.Reclining and sliding second row gives people plenty of room to stretch out, while also giving flexibility when we need to call on the third row and the cargo area.Thanks to highway cruising, our observed fuel economy has gone up by 1 mpg to 22.

One driver complained about the "awful texture" of the dashboard, while another said the passenger seatbelt sometimes bangs against the B-pillar.

JohnPhillips, our Montana bureau chief, reported a strange new wind noise coming from the top of the driver's-side front window, and he had to replace the windshield due to a stone chip that quickly turned into a large, lateral crack.That cost $465 but is not the fault of the car.The wind noise that might have been the car's fault disappeared and the Sorento has been flawless.

After our last update, our car was in Montana for a while, then we traveled to Rapid City and Mitchell, South Dakota, and Mason City, Iowa.The car and driver parking lot has served as a local family shuttle since the Sorento slid back into it.

The current mileage is 27,183 miles and the average fuel economy is 22 miles per gallon.

Eight months and 17,500 miles into its life with us, its logbook is overflowing with praise.It isn't quite yet on that mountaintop, but you have to agree it's a compliment.

The cockpit is calm, isolated from road noise, and reassuringly solid, which is what you notice first about the Sorento.Most of the wind noise is coming from the optional bars on the roof.

The company still offers a few dazzling surfaces that act as distraction, but it is getting better at interior appointments.That is the case here.The rich fabric is flowing down the A-pillars.There is a slash of black plastic across the top of the dash, around the window switches, and the door pulls.The majority of the dash surface is made of pebbly vinyl and only looks good in a contractor's truck.Its ability to pick up dust, dirt, and pieces of paper towel is its main feature.

The center stack is a little downscale, but the temperature controls are large and easy to learn.Control relationships are pretty much bang-on.The seats are firm and so far have elicited no complaints.

Normal, Eco, and Sport are the driving modes.Kickdowns manifest sooner and harder when the transmission is remaps.It offers useful engine braking on downhill grades.

The second-row seats are reclined.The seats in the rearmost stops have legroom that will satisfy NBA stars.It is more comfortable back there than in a dozen more expensive SUVs.There is a 120-volt AC outlet in the rear.The fan control is located to the right of the people who might have been in the third row.Wouldn't you expect the second seat to be occupied more often?The cargo area extends six feet with the rear seats flattened.There is no problem with storing a bike there.Two campers could sleep there.

The panoramic sunroof is standard on the SX V6 model.The whole system is practical and desirable because of the sun shade.If you are asked to ferry the Queen to the bingo finals, the second-row side windows are fitted with you- pull-em blinds.

The ride is as close to perfect in this vehicular niche as you are likely to find, and the roll/dive/squat are adequately damped, which has surprised us the most.Isn't the 19-inch Kumho crugens a type of pastry?We wouldn't have thought the ride could be so supple.A station wagon is what the Sorento feels like.

The Kia Sorento is one of the blandest, most generic-looking crossovers out there.It looks like it was created from a group of 30 people who were willing to head home at 3 p.m.When you lose your car in a store, you will end up looking for it by color.Prepare to enter other people's vehicles accidentally.

Even though 60 mph is achieved in a not-so-bad 7.1 seconds, the Sorento feels rather slow.At least it makes it easy to drive smoothly, and the V6 has a double bonus because of its low levels of NVH.The observed fuel mileage is 21 miles per gallon.

The steering's heft is fine, on-center feel is excellent, and tracking is satisfactory.The steering doesn't give much information about the tire-to-road interface.The electric power assist seems to be tuning in steps instead of one fluid arcs.It means that even if you summon a perfect steering angle on turn-in, you won't be perfect moments later.The column can be adjusted for reach and rake.There is a funny dead spot on the initial application of the pedal.It is another quirk that can easily be mastered.

There is a base price of $40,995 for the second-highest trim level of the Sorento.On our long-term model, we added roof bars, a cargo net and tray, auto-dimming mirror, tow hitch, and a windshield-washer heater.The as-tested price was $42,180.We said it first if you said, "That's a lot for a Kia."

In Livingston, Montana, the Sorento had a flat tire.It took a while for the spare to come back up into its hidey-hole beneath the cargo area.It will hang up on the tow hitch every time, becoming a sweaty experience requiring a two-person team not prone to cursing.It is possible to sacrifice one T-shirt.

Nothing on our car has broken.It has had two scheduled services.The automatic cargo-hatch opener is prone to fuss, as if it is about to stage a coup.A section of red reflective plastic was broken when someone backed into the rear of the car.It is difficult to notice, so we will have to decide if it is worth replacing.

The Sorento was a homebody, apart from a trip to Chicago.Until, that is, road warrior Mad Max Mortimer aimed its grille west, checking out Mount Rushmore and eventually depositing the car with the editor of our Montana Desk, where nothing was happening.Since then, the Sorento has traveled to Livingston, Montana, which is the home of writers and celebrities who eventually migrate to the Murray Bar.The Sorento is headed to Milwaukee by way of Denver, then back to the Montana desk, where nothing is still happening.

The current mileage is 17,575 miles and the average fuel economy is 21 miles per gallon.

The SUVs have become competitive at the right time.The market for high-riding, roomy, and all-weather capable machines has never been stronger.Today's crossovers are more comfortable, more versatile, and more efficient than anything of comparable size two decades ago.

We stated that buyers couldn't do better in terms of value, style, quality, and capability in the three-row-SUV segment.It was confirmed by two short exposures at our headquarters.Would those impressions hold up over a long period of time?

We decided to go for the final trim level of the Sorento, the $40,795 SX, rather than the full-hog SX LIMITED.The SXL.The starting price for the Sorento is $25,795.We are missing out on chrome exterior trim, wood interior accents, front-seat ventilation, nappa leather upholstery, and second-row heated seats, which areabsences that cause us to lay our head on the non-heated steering wheel and weep.We need to be comfortable with our fancy 19-inch gunmetal-finish wheels, 14-way power driver's seat, panoramic sunroof, regular leather, and other goodies.

The standard features of our particular Sorento include a third-row seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen system with navigation, real-time traffic, and a proximity entry and start.The red-painted brake calipers are very important.We added small items like a tow hitch, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a washer-fluid heater for a total of $42,180.Life is not so bad.

Our choice was simple, the only engine we could get was the 3.3-liter V6 that's only available in the SX.The V6 is good for us.While the 2.0T is strong enough to pull around 4200 pounds of CUV, the market's swift adoption of downsized turbocharged engines means we don't get to play around with naturally aspirated six-cylinders much these days.Our observed fuel economy is 19 miles per gallon, but it matches the EPA combined rating and is only 1 mile less than our test model.

The initial commentary was mostly positive.Alexander was the first online editor to comment on the logbook.The body control is spot-on, the ride quality is big, and the interior roominess is good.

Steering has come in for the most complaints, however, and not all has been rosy.The electric-assist motor is mounted on the steering rack, rather than the column, in order to give better feel to the system.We don't think it was a good idea for Kia to develop two setups.The early returns show the steering in our Sorento to be afflicted by numbness and a tendency to require minute corrections during straight-line cruising, as well as some other Kia vehicles.Multiple drivers have commented on the steering'snotchiness, as when you're holding the wheel in a steady curve and making small inputs, you can feel the boost ebb and flow.It is as if the electric power steering was designed to follow stair steps rather than a smooth curve.

Our long-term test is off to a great start, and the Sorento has not created any detractors.We have 35,000 more miles to cover and plenty of pages to fill.

The current mileage is 4997 miles and the average fuel economy is 19 miles per gallon.