CO2 emissions: 37-174g/km It’s cars like the Sorento which show just how far Kia has come. Far from some kind of value-focused brand, Kia is now making cars which look and feel very upmarket, and this includes the Sorento. As a spacious seven-seater, the Sorento is ideal for families, yet with plenty of tech on board and a refined driving style, it’s also a great option for drivers, too.
The Kia Sorento is a car that can do it all. With seven seats it’s great for big families or larger groups, yet thanks to its range of efficient engines it shouldn’t cost the earth to keep running.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioThe Sorento is offered with diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid setups, so there should be something for all drivers. The 2.2-litre diesel feels quite traditional in today’s world of electrification, but it’s a good option for long-distance drivers or those who need to tow, thanks to its 2,500kg capacity. It’s linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission, too. The standard hybrid model combines a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a compact battery, bringing together flexibility and efficiency. It gets a six-speed automatic gearbox, too. Then you’ve got the plug-in hybrid, which brings together a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine like the regular hybrid, but adds a larger 13.8kWh battery which unlocks an electric-only range of up to 34 miles. With 248bhp, it’s also the most powerful engine in the Sorento range.
Things are all very user-friendly with the Sorento from behind the wheel. All engines in the range pull nicely and though the diesel can feel a little gruff at times, it’s a worthy trade-off given the performance that you get. However, we expect most drivers to opt for either the regular or plug-in hybrid models, as both bring a good level of performance with some added smoothness. There is a little bit of lag to speak of when accelerating - there’s a small delay between pressing the throttle and getting the acceleration you need - but it isn’t too bad. Once you’re on the move, the Sorento remains very hushed, with only a small amount of wind and road noise being noticeable when you’re on the motorway.
Entry-level Sorento models come with the smallest alloy wheels and it’s this version that we’d recommend if you want the best possible ride. While high-spec models with larger alloys are hardly what you’d call uncomfortable, they just begin to feel a little unsettled, particularly when you’re travelling at slower speeds, such as when driving around town. However, all versions get nicely weighted steering which brings confidence through the bends and the Sorento’s decent grip levels mean that it stays true when cornering, too.
There’s some lean when going more quickly, too, but it’s hardly out of the ordinary for this segment. The good news is that you get a nice commanding view of the road ahead with good visibility up front. Hybrid and electric models feel the most refined of the bunch, too, as they’re able to run on battery power for certain periods and this makes the whole Sorento experience feel quieter and more comfortable.
and features Interiors The quality that you get inside the Sorento is impressive. Everything inside has a reassuringly rugged feeling to it, while it’s all intuitively laid out with well-placed buttons. Though things aren’t quite as upmarket as rivals like the Audi Q5, things are still very pleasantly finished, while the central 12.3-inch infotainment system available on all models is easy to access and control. It’s worth noting that as part of the Sorento’s 2024 facelift, some of the shortcut buttons that were located near the screen were removed, making things a little less intuitive than before. However, it’s still very easy to operate and is packed with functions. You also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so it’s easy to mirror your smartphone on this main screen.
and practicality As a full-size seven-seater, the Sorento offers a good level of practicality. The second-row seats are the best ones for adults as they offer plenty of headroom and legroom, while the third row is best seen as ‘occasional’ for adults - it’s really best-suited to kids or teenagers at a push. The good news is that all of the seats are easy to raise or lower, and there are switches in the boot to fold down those seats too. Boot space, as you’d expect from a car of this size, is impressive. With those rearmost seats folded down, you get 604 litres of space in the plug-in hybrid, 608 litres in the regular hybrid and 616 litres in the diesel. Fold down the third and second rows and that rises to an impressive 1,988, 1,996 and 2,011 litres respectively, meaning that you’ve got plenty of space to work with regardless of which model you go for.
Regardless of which specification you opt for, you’re going to get a good range of features to use on the Sportage. All cars get a 12.3-inch infotainment system which, as standard, gets seven years of Kia’s Connect service, which brings features such as live traffic information and weather forecasts directly to the system. However, you’ve also got Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to fall back on, should you need it. You’ll find an abundance of USB-C charge points aboard the Sorento, too, with two up front, two in the backs of the front seats and a third at the rear of the front-row centre console. There’s also two more for the third-row passengers, so there shouldn’t be any arguments about who gets to top up their devices when you’re on the move.
The range of specifications available with the Sorento is nice and straightforward - you’ve got ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’. Starting with the base specification, features such as LED headlights, heated front seats and smart cruise control come as standard, as well as a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. Switch to ‘3’ and you’ll get 19-inch wheels, as well as full black leather upholstery and power adjustable front seats. Helping those sitting in the middle are heated seats on the outer second row, while a rear LED cabin light helps to improve the ambience. A 360-degree parking camera will make positioning the Sorento even easier, too. It’s at this grade that you get rear self-levelling suspension, too, which helps both with comforta and when towing, too.
Finally, you’ve got the range-topping ‘4’ model which adds luxurious features such as 19-inch alloy wheels and a panoramic sunroof, as well as a more upmarket Nappa leather upholstery and a customisable head-up display. Plus, this model gets fingerprint recognition - allowing you to enter and start the car simply with a finger - and a remote smart park system which can means you can move the car forward or backwards into a space without being in the vehicle - you just use the key. A range of exterior colours is available for the Sorento, while stand-out new shades such as Cityscape Green, Volcanic Sand and Interstellar Grey were added as part of the 2024 update, so look out for these if you’re after something a little different. Existing shades are still available, too.
Kia models have become well known for their reliability and that should be the same with the Sorento. Though recently facelifted, this generation of car was introduced in 2020, which means that there has been a good amount of time for any issues to arise. Plus, you get Kia’s comprehensive seven-year warranty as standard, which is also transferable between owners. The Sorento also carries a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP and comes equipped with a broad range of assistance systems. Highlights include forward collision avoidance assist, lane-follow assist and multi-collision brake assistant, helping to make this a very safe car overall.
Efficiency is good across the board with the Sorento and even if you go for the more traditional diesel model, you should still get around 42.8mpg combined during mixed driving, while CO2 emissions of 174g/km are respectable. The same goes for the regular hybrid, which can manage around 43.5mpg again, during mixed driving. Naturally, it’s the plug-in hybrid which - on paper, at least - is the most efficient. Kia claims up to 176.6mpg combined, though you’ll need to be running on electric-only power for nearly all of the time in order to achieve this.
That said, emissions of just 37g/km are impressively low and will make this model the cheapest to tax and the most attractive to business users. The standard rate of tax for most models is £195 though, for those versions costing over £40,000, you’ll need to consider the Expensive Car Supplement which adds £620 per year for the first five years of registration.
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