The Three-Row Compact SUV With The Most Legroom

Kia already has some three-row, mid-sized SUVs offerings, with the likes of the three-row Telluride along with the new flagship electric EV9. Then you’ve got the other three-row SUV, the Kia Sorento The Sorento offers four powertrain options, where its counterparts only offer one each. Two of those four offerings will come in the form of a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. However, they will be released under the 2025 facelift model, so we will focus on the internal combustion engine variants with a starting MSRP of $33,365.

Where the Sorento stands out is in its usability. Not only does the mid-sized SUV come with three rows as standard, but it also offers space for all of its passengers and enough cargo room to remain competitive with other mid-sized SUV offerings on the market.

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including
Kia
,
Car and Driver
, and
fueleconomy.gov

The Sorento Gets Sharp Futuristic Aesthetic Updates

The most prominent changes in the Sorento happened in the front end of the mid-sized SUV. The fascia received sharper and more modern “T” shaped daytime running lights along with the revised LED projective headlights. The Kia logo has also been moved up, now located at the bottom of the hood. Beneath the badge, the South Korean giant also updated the grille, giving it an updated feline look.

The new fascia integrates the chrome skid plate seamlessly into the bumper, along with the pronounced cladding. These are just a few hints that the Kia Sorento is seriously capable, and can handle its own off the beaten trail. Along with this, the Sorento heavily resembles its bigger SUV alternative, the EV9. The headlights are almost identical, though shorter, and the chrome detailing from Kia’s flagship EV SUV has been carried over to the Sorento too.

Exterior Dimensions

The Sorento Has A Plethora Of Third-Row And Cabin Versatility

Other vehicles. such as the Mitsubishi Outlander also have standard third-tow seating from the factory, too, however, Kia kicks things up a notch in comparison. Where Kia shines is in the amount of space it offers its passengers. The Mitsubishi Outlander offers its third-row passengers only 18.7 inches of legroom, whereas the Kia Sorento boasts an impressive 29.6 inches. That, coupled with 36.8 inches of headroom, means that you could comfortably seat a fully grown adult in the rearmost row of the Sorento – something that most mid-size, three-row vehicles aren’t particularly known for.

Third-row passengers also benefit from two USB-C chargers, just like passenger in the first and second row. This addition allows more usability even in the rearmost seats. Though third-row seating takes up most of the trunk area, the Sorento still benefits from 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space in a standard configuration, which equates to about five grocery bags. But these seats can be folded down to give the mid-sized SUV more trunk space, notching it up to 45 cubic-feet of cargo space.

2024 Kia Sorento Interior Dimensions

(source: Kia)

Technology Is A Fundamental Part Of The Sorento

It must be said that the inside of the Kia Sorento looks bigger than it is. A curved panoramic display dominates the inside, and Kia did an amazing job at hiding the fact that there is a dual 12.1-inch screen setup. There is a catch though, as only the higher trim levels benefit from Kia’s latest infotainment technology. The lower trims are equipped with a smaller 4.3-inch instrument cluster.

All the screens are equipped with Kia’s latest Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (CCNC) operating system. This technology first debuted with the flagship EV9 but has now been passed on to the Sorento. One big advantage of the CCNC is that it is capable of getting over-the-air updates (O.T.A), allowing the Sorento to update itself without the need for human input or a trip to the dealer. Being 2024, all the infotainment screens come with seamless and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

Kia Sorrento Safety

The Sorento is a fairly safe vehicle with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration giving it a four-out-of-five rating for passenger safety, having tested the SUV for frontal and rollover collisions. The IIHS, on the other hand, has given the Kia Sorento “Good” (the best you can get) ratings across the board with the exception of one “Acceptable” rating for LATCH system’s ease of use. This acceptable rating is derived from the lower anchors being too deep in the seat, making it difficult to secure the car seat base. The Sorento is equipped with Kia’s latest Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) which includes a large variety of safety features.

Standard Safety Features

• Lane Departure Warning
• Vehicle Stability Management
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Vehicle body structure made of ultra-high tensile steel
• 360-degree Digital Camera Mirror and a Surround-View Monitor
• Updated Highway Driving Assist with Driving Pilot

Kia Sorento Trim Levels And Pricing

There’s Even An Off-Road Trim Level

We again find that the Sorento inherits some of its features from bigger counterparts. The Telluride model was one of the first to be equipped with Kia’s specialist off-road trim, and of course, the Sorento soon had to follow. It is called the X-Pro trim, and in this trim, you even get upgraded 17-inch BF-Goodrich all-terrain tires to go with a roof rack and beefier skid plates. Regarding technical changes, this trim sees the SUV getting torque-vectoring AWD along with a center-locking differential. This is a handy feature for someone who is looking for that extra bit of grip when off-roading. With a now increased towing capacity of 4,000 pounds, the Sorento will get you wherever you wish to go with no problem.

Kia offers a whooping 8 trim levels for the Sorento, the LX being the cheapest with an MSRP of $33,365. The mid-sized SUV can take you up to $51,665 MSRP with the SX-Prestige PHEV trim. Here are all the trim levels with their according prices:

(source: Kia)

2025 Will See Hybrid And Plug-in Hybrid Models Gain A Dynamic Face Lift

The Kia Sorento hybrid models will be delayed until 2025, but it might be worth the wait, as they will also be built on the facelifted design. The main benefit of having a hybrid powertrain is the fuel economy, as Kia’s 1.6-liter Turbocharged four-cylinder engine is capable of achieving a combined 37 MPG, which means it could go over 650 miles on the same size fuel tank as its 2024 alternatives. Kia also offers a plug-in hybrid along with the conventional hybrid setup, which utilizes the same 1.6-liter engine but manages to achieve an astounding 79 MPGe, with a maximum range of 460 miles from a smaller 12.4-gallon gas tank. The normal hybrid will see the Kia benefit from 227 horsepower and 258-pound-feet of torque. The plug-in hybrid provides a subtle boost, outputting 261 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

2024 Kia Sorento Powertrain Specs

(source: Kia)