The Houston Livestock and Rodeo has just need here in Houston. Three weeks of livestock shows, lots of food, and of course rodeo and concert fun. At first I thought we probably wouldn’t be going this year. Tickets were really hard to come by and could get pricey. During the kids Spring Break we just needed out of the house so we took them to just the Livestock show and carnival. Just what they needed to get their energy out!
Little did I know that hubby was going to surprise me with tickets he got through his work. Their main office gets season tickets so he was able to get me some plus a parking pass to Billy Currington. If you are anything like me, you hear songs on the radio but never really know who sings them. So I figured that I didn’t know many of his songs. We googled him to find out what he sang and I wound up knowing most of them!! Score.
We decided it needed to be a moms night out at the rodeo. At the last minute it wound up being just me and my sister, but we still had a blast. We got to ride in style in the 2016 Kia Sorento SXL. Man this baby was loaded with features. Admittedly, I was a little unsure that I would like a Kia, but they have come a long way in their design and features. The sunroof was a huge favorite and it is huge!! Even those sitting in the back could look out of it.
We also loved how many outlets there are in this vehicle. Our drive was long since it was during rush hour, so we needed to charge our phones. I love having USB outlets so that you don’t necessarily have to buy a car charger though there were plenty of spaces for those type of chargers too. The back seat passengers had outlets as well which most cars do not have.
The black leather interior was smooth and soft. But if you have kids it does show dirt pretty easily 🙂 Well at least my kids dirt! I love the accents throughout the inside to highlight the curves and different features. The touchscreen navigation/stereo/everything screen made scrolling through the different menus a breeze. I mean after all we needed some good ‘ole country jams on the way to the rodeo plus a little help to figure out how to get to the parking lot. The lane departure alert is a cool feature, but could be annoying at times when it beeped every time I changed lanes. I guess it is a good reminder to always use your turn signal.
If you saw my instagram post, you will see that this Kia Sorento SXL has 360° cameras. Great for when you are backing up, going around curbs to see how close you are, as well as seeing what is around you at any given time. I wish all vehicles were equipped with this technology. The parking lot was packed at the rodeo so when we left the cross traffic alert was a lifesaver since people aren’t always paying attention to vehicles trying to leave.
The storage compartments were everywhere. The best was in the back. There was the basic top storage that most SUV’s have and was a decent amount of space, but I discovered more under the mats. The back section had a tray of sorts so that you could store things and they could be hidden. The front part had the jack and one smaller storage compartment. The tray part is removable in case you want to put something bigger back there, but still hidden. This could be great for Christmas time and hiding gifts from your family. Haha
The Kia Sorenta SXL rides so smoothly. We felt like we were riding on air most times. It handled well and had just enough get and go. The pedals are pretty stiff so at times it felt like it took the car a minute to respond and the gas to kick in. While some might not like this feature I actually did.
It is a great family vehicle as long as you are a family of 4 or under. I could only fit 2 car seats across the back though there are three seat belts. I was unable to test if three adults could fit across the back. There was plenty of legroom all around. My kids weren’t kicking my chair at all from being too close. Overall I was really impressed with the vehicle. It exceeded my expectation for sure. 
Here are some more Features:
- 2.oL Turbo Gas Direct Injection 4-Cyl Engine
- Full-Time AWD w/ Lockable Center Differential
- 19″ Alloy Wheels
- Blind Spot Detection
- Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control
- Infinity Surround System
- UVO eServices Telematics w/ Rear Camera Display
- Navigation
- Sirius XM
- Rapid Charge USB ports
- Premium Nappa Leather Trim
- Heated and Ventilated Seated
- Heated Outside Mirrors with Turn Signal Indicators
- SXL Technology package
This car is loaded with more features, comforts, and technology than I have even listed. Coming in at $45, 095. I was really surprised it didn’t cost more with how much it really does offer. The Titanium Silver exterior is a cool sleek color that will definitely impress. Great job Kia!!
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