The 2012 Sorento may look the same from the outside.

But it’s what's inside that counts.

New for the sports utility vehicle Sorento is the Kia-developed Gasoline Direct Injection – or GDI – on available four-cylinder engines. The result of that is 10 percent better fuel economy and up to 12 percent more torque or try reduced fuel-consumption with more power.

The Sorento is already one Kia’s best-selling vehicles. Couple that with the 2.4-liter GDI engine and UVO.

The latter is an advanced voice-recognition technology developed by Microsoft for Kia that allows a driver to have hands-free access to music (AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound system) and Bluetooth-enabled phone.

The UVO is only available on certain models.

The Sorento, which seats five, comes available in three models – entry level, LX and EX – with all three equipped with five-speed automatic transmission.

This Kia also comes with a tilt steering wheel, cloth seats, bucket seats in the front, and power and heated mirrors.

As for safety features, the Sorento comes equipped with anti-lock disc brakes, air bags (driver, passenger-side, curtain, and knee) and a system to control the stability of the vehicle and another to check the pressure in the tires.

The Sorento can be found at Manteca Kia Country, 1515 N. Main St.

More information can be obtained by contacting the local dealership at 209-239-6203.