---
title: "Watch Kia Send a Stock 2019 Sorento Up Hell’s Revenge Off-Road Trail in Moab"
description: "Now in its third generation, the Kia Sorento is a perfectly fine mid-size crossover that's just a tad softer than the body-on-frame trucklet it started out as fifteen years ago. But in a quest to prove that the 2019 Sorento is plenty capable in its own right, Kia decided to send one up the famous Hell's Revenge off-road trail in Moab, Utah."
date: "2018-01-31"
modified: "2018-01-31"
authors:
  - name: "Kyle Cheromcha"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/kyle-cheromcha"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/18144/watch-kia-send-a-brand-new-2019-sorento-up-hells-revenge-trail-in-moab"
categories:
  - "Kia News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Watch This"
tags:
  - "crossovers"
  - "Kia"
  - "moab"
  - "Off-Road"
  - "Sorento"
  - "suv/crossover"
---

# Watch Kia Send a Stock 2019 Sorento Up Hell’s Revenge Off-Road Trail in Moab

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/01/kia-sorento1.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Now in its third generation, the [Kia Sorento](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/17718/a-diesel-kia-sorento-is-coming-to-the-u-s>) is a perfectly fine mid-size crossover that's just a tad softer than the body-on-frame trucklet it started out as fifteen years ago. But in a quest to prove that the 2019 Sorento is plenty capable in its own right, Kia [decided to send](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFwPXEeJ3aI>) one up the famous [Hell's Revenge off-road trail](<https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/549-hells-revenge>) in Moab, Utah. Bad idea, or the best idea?

The company did very little to prep the unibody crossover for the ride of its life: A skid plate and some meatier all-terrain tires are all that separate this Sorento from the one headed to dealer lots. Driver Richard Mick also opted to disconnect the sway bars for increased articulation and traction.

Hell's Revenge might not be the toughest trail in the [off-road](<https://www.thedrive.com/watch-this/10154/watch-an-idiot-do-everything-wrong-off-road-almost-destroy-ford-f250>) paradise outside Moab, but its 6.5 miles of steep slopes are enough to challenge most stock SUVs. It's not uncommon to find a fish out of water or two on the main trail—[this video of a Ford Crown Victoria trundling along](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFwPXEeJ3aI>) on the slickrock path is an internet classic—but it also offers up a few optional obstacles for the daring, including a precarious V-notch climb called Hell's Gate.

https://youtube.com/embed/4WjpzubCoBo

Kia uses a system called Dynamax Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in the Sorento, which is a fancy label for the same sort of [torque-based system](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/17981/the-way-we-were-the-2018-buick-regal-tourx-calls-back-to-the-golden-age-of-station-wagons>) that other manufacturers have adopted recently. Power is pushed to the wheels with traction, and an onboard computer tries to anticipate the needs at each wheel based on road conditions and vehicle status. It works fine to keep the car planted on a wet curve, but pushing it through a rock-crawling environment is a much different challenge.

Amazingly, despite some minor bumper damage, the Sorento manages to conquer Hell's Gate. It helps to have a professional off-road driver behind the wheel, but the fact that it's within the abilities of a unibody crossover to do something like this is undeniably impressive. Now, let's send that [rumored full-size SUV from Kia](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/18002/kia-reportedly-planning-a-full-size-suv-for-production>) up next.

## Author
Overseeing an expert staff of writers and editors from his lair in Los Angeles, Kyle shapes The Drive’s singular approach to covering the automotive industry and car culture. He’s been with the site as a writer since 2017, taking over as editor in 2019. On a daily basis, Kyle is responsible for directing The Drive's editorial news and car review content strategies, setting special coverage priorities, managing complex reporting projects, and ensuring what you read on the page meets our high internal standards for quality and trustworthiness. He is also the executive producer of The Drive's YouTube channel, which was relaunched in February 2024 to great acclaim and has accumulated over 14M new views in its first year back on the scene. He hosts a biweekly series on the channel where he breaks down fascinating and complicated stories from the automotive world.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/kylecheromcha.bsky.social>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/kylecheromcha>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-cheromcha-1550248a/>)