I bought a 2011 Sorento LX AWD about a month ago (January 2016) with 86,000kms. It had been dealer serviced and rust proofed every year from new. I was looking at the Rav4 and Equinox seriously, however decided on the Sorento and so far very pleased with my purchase for many reasons.

I'm surprised how large this SUV feels inside. It is very well equipped with many features at an amazing price. The 2.4L V4 engine performs well in the city and on the highway, lots of pickup when needed. When looking at prices for parts, Kia seems very reasonably priced compared to Toyota or Chevy. A bonus of the V4 2.4L engine is that it has a timing chain, not a belt.

I always use winter tires for the winter, however purchasing this SUV in late January I elected not to buy winter tires yet since there was only a few months of winter left and it hadn't been that bad yet. I went on a road trip north and drove through quite a snowstorm with black ice under the snow on the roads and the All-Season tires mixed with AWD on this SUV handled better than I would have thought. Obviously the optimal performance and safety would be winter tires and AWD mixed with observing proper driving techniques and speed in each condition. I can't wait to see how it will handle next winter when I put on winter tires!

There is one downside and it seems true with almost any vehicle... The estimated fuel economy. For me city driving is averaging 11.3 - 12.5L/100km and by no means do I accelerate hard or stop quickly. On the highway I get average 8.2 - 9.1L/100km going 99km/h or under and 9.7 - 10.9 doing 110-115km on the 400 series highways.

To end the review if you are thinking about the Equinox or Rav4 I would recommend the Sorento for anyone who wants a mid-size vehicle, safety, features for price, performance, and what seems to be a low cost of ownership I think you will be happy too!