Kia Motors’ Sorento was selected as the best SUV model in the midsize segment by a major U.S. consumer review magazine.

Consumer Reports announced the best vehicles in 10 segments by evaluating their product quality, performance, safety and other features related to customer satisfaction. Sorento was the only Korean car model included on the list. 

“The Sorento offers class-above elegance at mainstream prices.

It’s a shade smaller than its midsized competitors, but that allows the Sorento to be city-friendly while still offering the space and features of a larger vehicle,” the review said.

“The interior design is flat-out gorgeous. Well-above-average predicted reliability combines with good crash-test results. There’s a new king of the category,” it added.

The Sorento was recognized as the best car by the U.S. magazine for the second time since 2011.

Kia Motors launched the latest version of the Sorento in the U.S. in January 2015. It sold about 116,000 units last year thanks to strong demand boosted in part by low oil prices, industry data showed.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)