The 2016 Kia Sorento’s 185-hp 2.4L I-4 is the most fuel-efficient engine in the range, and the 260-hp 2.0L inline-four turbo in EX and SX-Limited trims offers the best blend of performance and mpg. But the 290-hp 3.3L V6 is the most reliable engine available in 2016 models.
Key Points
- The 2016 Kia Sorento offers three engine options: naturally aspirated 2.4L inline-four, 2.0L turbocharged inline-four, and 3.3L V6.
- The 185 horsepower 2.4L inline-four is designed to maximize gas mileage, delivering up to 28 mpg highway, while the 2.0L inline-four turbo engine has both strong performance with 260 hp and reasonable economy with 27 mpg hwy.
- The V6 in the 2016 Sorento produces 290 hp and returns up to 25 mpg hwy, but only 17 mpg city for all-wheel-drive models.
- A series of class-action lawsuits were successfully filed against both four-cylinder Kia motors, due to a fault in the design leading to engine failures and possible fires.
- Six recalls have been registered against the 2016 Kia Sorento. Only one involves the engine, and only then if it is a four-cylinder that has already been replaced.
2016 Sorento’s High-tech Four-cylinder Engine was Designed to Deliver Optimum Fuel Efficiency, but it Landed Class Action Lawsuits. Six-cylinder Models not Affected
All 2016 Kia Sorento engines featured aluminum blocks and heads, double overhead camshafts, gasoline direct injection, and dual continuous variable valve timing. The goal in engineering the four-cylinder engines was to deliver class-leading fuel efficiency. However, a fault in the design led to a series of well-publicized engine fires and many instances of four-cylinder Sorento’s engines seizing without warning, often leaving drivers stranded.
Typically, fixing the problem involves fitting a whole new engine, costing more than $5,000. According to the complaints section of the NHTSA website, problems have occurred as early as 60,000 miles. There have been a series of class-action lawsuits covering the two types of four-cylinder engines found in Sorentos, and these have led to extended warranties and replacement engines. More details can be found in “2016 Kia Sorento Engine Recalls to Know About.”
At the time of this writing, the NHTSA website lists 151 engine complaints for the 2016 Kia Sorento, compared to 67 for the 2016 Honda CR-V and 15 for the 2016 Toyota RAV4. The 3.3L V6 in the 2016 Sorento has very few complaints both on the NHTSA website and Vehicle History, so these certainly seem to be the engines to choose if reliability is the main priority.
Entry-level 2.4L Inline-four Offers the Best Fuel Mileage and Adequate Performance
Hyundai’s Theta II engine is available in 2016 Kia Sorento L and LX models. It develops 185 hp at 6,000 rpm and 178 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. In comparison, the 2016 Honda CR-V also has 185 hp while the 2016 Toyota RAV4 has 176 hp. Motor Trend recorded a 0-60 mph time of 9.1 seconds, for a front-wheel-drive 2.4L Sorento, which is enough performance for most people, most of the time.
The government’s official fuel economy website shows Sorento L and LXs returning 24 mpg overall for the front-wheel-drive model and 22 mpg for the all-wheel-drive version in combined city and highway driving, the best fuel economy of the three engines on offer in the 2016 Sorento.
2016 Sorento’s 2.0L Inline-four Turbo Has the Best Compromise of Performance and MPG
Despite being smaller in displacement than the 2.4L, the 2016 Sorento turbo engine is the same Theta 2 design and therefore suffers from the same issues as the 2.4L. The turbo engine is available in the EX and SX-Limited trims. It produces significantly more power than the 2.4L, 240 hp at 6,000 rpm, and an impressive 260 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,450 rpm right the way up to 3,500 rpm.
Not only is this more torque than the V6, but it arrives far lower down in the rev range, making the four feel more responsive. Fuel economy suffers a little in comparison to the normally aspirated 2.4L, with government figures suggesting 23 mpg for front wheen drive models and 21 mpg for all-wheel-drive versions in combined city and highway driving.
Car and Driver subtitled their review of the 2016 Sorento SX-Limited “Four can be more than six” because the turbo four has better performance than the V6 but nearly the same fuel economy as the normally aspirated four-cylinder.
2016 Models with 3.3L V6 Make up for Poor Fuel Mileage with the Best Reliability
The largest capacity engine available in the 2016 Sorento is the Lambda II V6. It was available across four trim levels: LX V6, EX V6, SX V6, and SX-Limited V6. This normally aspirated V6 makes 290 hp at 6,400 rpm, and 252 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,300 rpm.
Official government fuel economy figures suggest between 19 mpg for front-wheel drive and 21 mpg for all-wheel drive 2016 Sorentos with the V6, although Car and Driver achieved 22 mpg in their 40,000-mile test. They also praised the “smooth, linear power delivery”, something normally aspirated V6 engines are often noted for.
While 2016 Kia Sorentos have been subject to six recalls, only one of these is related to the engine. Four-cylinder Sorentos which have already had engines replaced due to the issues mentioned above had one recall around a fuel delivery pipe which may have been incorrectly fitted, meaning it could leak and start a fire. The fix is to inspect and replace the pipe, if necessary.
Many Sorento buyers may have their choice of engine dictated by their other needs. For example, third-row seating is available on many V6 Sorentos but few four-cylinder models, so if you want the third row, you probably need to look at a V6.
Judging these three engines on their own merits, the 2.4L delivers the best fuel economy and with 185 hp, has enough power most of the time. The four-cylinder turbo is the best engine in terms of its blend of strong performance and good fuel economy.
However, all things considered, the engine to recommend for 2016 Kia Sorentos has to be the 3.3L V6, simply because it does not have the fundamental design flaws and reliability issues of the four-cylinder models.
Photos: Kia
