If you want three rows of seats in a Kia SUV, you’ve got three choices these days, but only the Kia Sorento dates back several years.
The Sorento has been around for several years and has evolved, devolved, and evolved again to be an excellent alternative to the Telluride. This SUV brings you a more rugged appearance than the stablemate, and it has a lower starting price, which makes it an easy SUV to drive and enjoy. When you want to enjoy a long list of great features and have powertrain and trim options, the Sorento has what you’re looking for.
So many ways to power this Kia
The lower trims have a standard four-cylinder engine and FWD, which isn’t exactly exciting, but it allows the Sorento to have a low starting price. Above that, you’ll find a punchy turbocharged engine and AWD to give you power on all four wheels, ensuring you can get going in a hurry. There are also two hybrid versions available, giving you the fuel-sipping qualities you want and need when you get behind the wheel. The PHEV model can drive for 32 miles before you ever need to use any gas, making it the fuel mileage champion of this Kia SUV.
The gas-only powertrains deliver decent power, making it easy for you to get going. The base engine sends 191 horsepower to your front wheels while the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine sends 281 horsepower to all four wheels. Both gas-only powertrains use an eight-speed automatic transmission while the hybrid models use a six-speed automatic for the shifting. If you need to tow a trailer with this SUV, the X-Pro trim is capable of pulling up to 4,000 pounds.
What about the hybrid models?
The Kia Sorento Hybrid is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and an electric motor. These items combine for 227 horsepower and send this power to the front wheels with AWD as an option. The plug-in hybrid has the same basic setup and a more powerful electric motor to produce 261 horsepower. AWD is standard for the PHEV version of the Sorento.
Added styling
Although the gas-only Sorento models don’t change at all for the 2025 model year, the hybrid versions adopt the exterior styling and interior upgrades from the nonhybrid versions that arrived with the 2024 model year. This means that all Kia Sorento SUVs now have the same styling, giving you the boxy body style that looks rugged and great when you take it for a drive.
Going inside for excellence
The interior of the Kia Sorento has an attractive layout, a package of nice materials, and solid build quality to make sure you can have the look you want. The dashboard has two upright air vents and a simple design to give you an unintrusive feeling when you’re behind the wheel. Throughout the cabin, you’ll see various cubby storage spaces which give you great places to put small items. There are tons of cupholders that make it easy to enjoy this SUV with the entire family in tow.
There’s a standard third row that makes it easy to enjoy the extra seating you need, and the second row comes standard as a bench but can be equipped with two captain’s chairs instead, giving passengers a bit more comfort in this row. The Sorento is a bit small on cargo space when you have people in all three rows, but it is versatile and could give you everything you need.
The right tech from Kia
The lower trims have a small 4.3-inch digital gauge display, but higher trims have a 12.3-inch screen for the gauges. Regardless of the trim, the infotainment is a 12.3-inch screen that has a large configurable display that will give you the look you want. Driving the Sorento means enjoying wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while on the road, which is an excellent feature, giving you the ability to leave your charging cords at home. A 12-speaker Bose audio system and a rear-seat entertainment system are part of the higher trims, giving you the full entertainment =value you want in this Kia SUV.
Which Kia Sorento should you buy?
If you choose the hybrid model, the EX trim is the right choice. It is the base version, but the faux-leather upholstery, heated front seats, blind-spot monitoring, and remote engine starting make a huge difference. When shopping the gas-only Sorento, the same EX trim is the right choice, making it a good choice for value and practicality. Will you choose the 2025 Kia Sorento to be the SUV you trust and drive every day?
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