We knew we wanted to visit as much family as we could on our latest trip to New England, as this could be our last visit for awhile since we are expecting baby #3 in early 2016. With a five-year-old and a ten-month-old already, there was no doubt that driving from Massachusetts to Vermont to Maine and back again with a momma who is solidly in the first trimester of pregnancy was going to be a challenge. No worries, we got this (and by we I actually mean “I”) because we’ve got a Kia Sorento.

We Have Too Much Stuff

Any time I fly, I pack light. I’m notorious for not checking bags and using my five-year-old like a pack horse. When you’re on a road trip, however, it seems like you just have to have all the things. (Why I need these things on the road but not in the air is beyond me.) We had to have a month’s worth of diapers and formula at the ready, a stroller for days that we’d be out and about, luggage for the kids and I, a highchair and books, stuffies, tablets and other necessary items for surviving a road trip with two little people.

Thankfully, the five passenger Kia Sorento has a trunk I’d happily sleep in—with room to spare. And there was room to spare on this trip, which was good, because family members kept giving us things on each stop we made. (I have no idea how it’s all going to make it on the plane with us.) The trunk can also recognize the car’s key fob, so if your hands are full and you need access, all you need to do is stand in front of the gate with the key fob in hand, in pocket or generally on your person and it opens automatically—a feature I utilized more than a lot on this trip.

We’ve Got The Power

A key to road trip survival is power. As a momma, I couldn’t care less about how powerful my vehicle is; all I really care about is its ability to charge the electronics. (My husband, however, would have been tickled pink to switch our Sorento into manual and really take the V6 engine out for a spin if he had been on this trip with us. Oh ya, did I mention that I was pregnant and traveling alone with two little people?)

Anyways, the plug and USB port in the back seat proved invaluable to me as it kept my five-year-old’s devices juiced while we were on those five hour stretches, and as a result, kept me sane. I couldn’t complain about the USB in the front seat either. It kept my iPhone charged so I could stay alert and focused all trip long.

We’ve Got A Sophisticated System

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, the navigation system in the new Kia Sorento is truly amazing. For those of us who are directionally challenged (or need to quickly find the closest McDonald’s) it’s exactly what the doctor ordered. What I find truly amazing about this car, however, its ability to sync with my phone so completely. I could listen to my Pandora or even the audiobooks on my phone as I drove, and I could also make hands-free calls to my relatives in the middle of the night to reassure them that we were still safely enroute.

We’ve Got It All In The Kia Sorento

As soon as my five-year-old took his seat, buckled himself in and looked around he said, “Wow. This is a sweet car.” He wasn’t wrong. The nice leather seats, humongous moonroof, skillfully placed cup holders, and killer sound system are also fantastic for family travelers like us.

Now it’s time to go home, and a little grudgingly, I’ve got to hand over the key to my Kia Sorento, but with everything it offered us on this road trip, I know we’ll meet again. As long as this family has got a Kia, this family will travel.

Pure Wander was given a KIA to use for the road trip complimentary. All opinions of the vehicle and experience are that of the author’s alone.