4 Reasons The 2018 Kia Sorento Dominates in Upstate New York Snow

Kia provided me with a 2018 Kia Sorento on extended loan. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

About five years ago we moved from Florida to New York for my husband’s job. I grew up in Massachusetts and one thing that I knew I was not looking forward to was the snow. What I underestimated was just how much more snow there is in upstate New York than I was used to. I learned to drive in the snow, so you would think I wouldn’t mind it. But I hate it. Well, let me correct myself. I hated driving in the snow. Especially after having kids. I would be a huge ball of nerves worried that I would slide wrong and get in an accident with them in the car. Well, thanks to the 2018 Kia Sorento, I have learned to enjoy driving in the snow.

I was totally blown away by all of the features in this vehicle that have helped me deal with the snow – scratch that, fall in love with the snow. I admit, is something that I never expected to happen. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still hate the cold portion of the snow, but at least I am not too scared to leave my house during it anymore.

Surround View Monitor (SVM)

One of the coolest things about the Kia Sorento is the Surround Video Monitor. This thing totally blew me away! There are cameras all around the car so that you can hit the “view” button and see all of your angles. Not only that, as soon as you put it in reverse, the view pops up on the screen too. This feature is good for any conditions, but especially when you are dealing with snow and limited viability. I really like that you can select certain angles, or all of them at once.

Heated Seats

One thing I really hate about upstate New York winters is how cold it gets. Some mornings it is below zero. We don’t have a garage so when I walk out of my heated house, right in to the cold I go. But in the Kia Sorento, with the push of a button I can heat up my seats super quick. Not only that, I can choose between three different levels of heat. My lower back and butt get warm within a minute or two, and I love it! Even the second row seats are heated. Yup, you read that right. My girls are still in car seats, so it isn’t that exciting for them, but if you have older kids, they will love it! Too often those that are not in the front seat get shafted, not with the 2018 Kia Sorento!

Heated Steering Wheel

If you thought the heated seats were great, how about the heated steering wheel! I know, I freaked out about it too. I never knew this was a thing until I sat behind the wheel of the 2018 Kia Sorento and noticed a little button on the console. This button looked just like a steering wheel with heat waves coming off of it, so of course, I tapped it right away. I was so excited when within a minute my hands were nice and toasty. This is perfect for freezing cold mornings when the wind is even cutting through your gloves. I also like to use it after I spent a few minutes cleaning the snow off the car and my hands are frozen.

All Wheel Drive (AWD)

My car before this one was a minivan, and it did not have all wheel drive. In fact, before the Kia Sorento, I had never personally driven an all wheel drive vehicle. The first time I drove it in the snow, I was blown away. I sped up when going around corners and pressed on the brakes (hard) just to test it out before taking the girls in it. I was shocked by how well the Sorento handled in the snow. No slips, slides, or skids. Not once. No matter how hard I pushed the car. I immediately felt relaxed – and even adventurous – behind the wheel.

My new #KiaSorento is a beast in the #snow! No more slipping and sliding like my previous vehicle. I actually felt safe and relaxed driving the girls to school this morning instead of anxious.

So many safety features!#KiaFamily #TheNewKia #KiaPartner pic.twitter.com/3N02UVcniV

— Tessa Smith – Mama's Geeky (@MamasGeeky) January 30, 2018

As you can see, all of these amazing features will not only keep you safe in the snow, they even help you have fun in the snow! Don’t take my word for all of this though, head to your local Kia dealership and test drive one. If you live in a snowy region, then be sure to take it out on a slick day. That way you can see for yourself just how well this baby handles the snow. I can promise you, you will not be disappointed.

What is your must have vehicle feature for the winter months?