The Kia Sorento stands as a testament to Kia's evolution, transforming from a budget-friendly brand to a formidable competitor in the fiercely contested SUV market. As the largest SUV in Kia's lineup, the Sorento caters directly to families seeking spaciousness, versatility, and modern technology. Launched in 2002, this model has steadily refined its formula, culminating in the current fourth generation, unveiled through a series of captivating online images in February 2020.
This iteration marks a significant leap, showcasing a bolder design, enhanced comfort, and a wide array of powertrain options, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. The Sorento's popularity is undeniable, evidenced by its string of accolades, including the prestigious 'Large SUV of the Year' title from WhatCar? magazine in 2021 and Auto Trader UK's 'New Car Award for Best 7 Seater' in 2022. These awards underscore the Sorento's ability to balance practicality with desirability, offering a compelling package for discerning buyers.
The fourth generation new Kia Sorento was given a facelift for the 2024 model year which added vertically stacked LED headlights, a smoother bumper aligned with the grille, redesigned rear lights and rear bumper, connected clusters, new exterior colours and alloy wheels, and placed the new Kia emblem throughout.
It is built on the Hyundai-Kia N3 which it shares with the likes of the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Hyundai Tucson, reassuring you of its reliability. The fourth generation also received an extended wheelbase that is 35mm longer than previous models and the overall length of the vehicle is extended by 10mm.
There's a choice between 17, 19, and 20 inch alloy wheels across the range with all having solid technical designs, whilst the new headlights are bold and have strip daytime running lights and Kia's next-generation Star-map graphics.
At the back you'll find matching vertical taillights which feature diagonal-shaped LEDs that are emphasised by the wide, rugged rear skid plate. Top trim levels also offers a panoramic sunroof with tilting and sliding function and electric blind.
The facelift of the Kia Sorento also brought some changes for the interior. The dashboard was streamlined for better flow and added the new 12.3 inch curved display, climate controls were revised, a new ambient lighting strip was added, and the air vents were slimmed.
The aforementioned curved display is the focal point of the front seats. The large display offers crisp, high-definition graphics for sat nav, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, Bluetooth connection, and car information whilst the Kia Connect App seamlessly integrates its features too.
The 12.3 inch driver display that flows into the first segment and is customisable to make sure you see what is most important to you. This might be fuel or charging information, tyre pressure alerts, or trip information but it means that everything you need is never more than a glance away from the road ahead.
It continues to be one of the best equipped models in it segment with features like these and the 12-speaker Bose Premium Sound System, enjoying the sound quality it offers in comparison to a standard system. There's also wireless phone charging available, no more clutter from wires to plug in to the front of your car!
The Sorento is Kia's option for those who require seven seats, or at least the option to use seven seats. With all in use, you can expect 179 litres of boot space whilst folding the third row seats down opens this up to 813 litres. Finally, with both the second row seats and third row of seats folded down the space opens the massive boot up to an enormous 1996 litres, a big car ideal for fitting in pushchairs, bikes, and flatpack furniture when you need to!
The driver and front passenger benefit from electric seat adjustment and lumbar support, and in top trim models there are front relaxation seats and an Ergo Motion driver's seat. This uses air pockets to provide adjustable cushioning which helps to reduce fatigue when driving and improve long drives in varying driving conditions.
There's also automatic air conditioning throughout the cabin space and an automatic defog system, great in poor and cold weather to get you on your way. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard equipment whilst higher trim models offer outer rear heated seats too.
There are currently three different engine options available on the Kia Sorento: a 1.6 turbocharged hybrid engine, a 1.6 turbocharged plug in hybrid engine, and a 2.2 turbocharged diesel engine. With most manufacturers moving away from diesel, the Sorento gives you a great option if diesel is your preference. All models are available with automatic gearbox transmission, a 6 speed automatic for the petrol engines and 8 speed automatic for the diesel model.
The hybrid model uses the 1.6 turbocharged petrol engine alongside a 1.49kWh Li-ion polymer battery to create a hybrid system that improves engine efficiency in situations such as driving the car from a stop position or accelerating strongly. This results in a 0-62mph time of 9.7 seconds, top speed of 113mph, and a combined fuel consumption figure of 42.2mpg. CO2 emissions come in at 153g/km, fairly average for a car of this size.
The Sorento PHEV (plug in hybrid) models combines the 1.6 turbocharged petrol engine with a 13.8kWh Li-ion polymer battery. This offers an all electric range of 34 miles, ideal for short commutes or school runs, and takes just 3 hours 25 minutes to charge from 10% to 100% electric power with an AC charger. 0-62mph is faster at 8.8 seconds and fuel consumption is greatly improved to a combined figure of 176.6mpg, making the plug in hybrid system a great option for doing lots of fuel efficient driving. CO2 emissions are also greatly reduced at just 37g/km.
For company car drivers, PHEV vehicles are being subjected to more rigorous testing for emissions as of 2025 which means it is likely we will see changes to BiK rates if they have not already been affected. It's worth considering when looking at company car options.
The final engine is the 2.2 turbocharged diesel engine, which offers the highest torque of all the engine options at 441Nm. It also has a 0-62mph time of 9.7 seconds, a higher top speed of 124mph, and a combined fuel consumption figure 43.5mpg. As expected from good car with a diesel engine, the CO2 emissions are much higher at 170g/km but it's not a particular noisy car to drive with the engine noise falling at around 69dB when in motion.
It's worth noting, as you might expect from any large seven seater, that it is a heavy car, meaning that you will feel a big difference in handling compared to something much smaller if that's what you're used to driving previously.
There are three trim levels offered on the Kia Sorento: 2, 3, and 4.
The entry-level 2 model offers a strong foundation with a choice of 17 or 19-inch alloy wheels (depending on the engine), comprehensive LED lighting, including automatic headlights and front/rear lights, and heated, power-adjustable mirrors. Inside, comfort is prioritized with heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control, and a practical 7-seat layout featuring auto-folding second-row seats. Keyless entry and rain-sensing wipers add further convenience alongside front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera system.
Technology in the 2 trim level includes the 12.3 inch touchscreen navigation, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, multiple USB-C ports through the vehicle, 4.2 inch driver display, 6 speaker audio system, and Free 7-Year Kia Connect services.
Stepping up to the 3 trim level significantly enhances both comfort and technology. Exterior upgrades include distinctive small cube design LED headlights, sequential indicators, and rear privacy glass. Inside, passengers enjoy added luxury with heated outer rear seats and power-adjustable front seats, including lumbar support for the driver. Technological advancements feature a large 12.3-inch driver display, a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system, and a convenient wireless phone charger. Enhanced practicality is provided by a smart power tailgate and 2nd-row window blinds, while safety is bolstered by side parking sensors and a 360-degree surround view monitor.
The pinnacle 4 Kia model elevates the driving experience with premium features and advanced technology. Diesel models boast striking 20-inch alloy wheels, while all models benefit from a panoramic sunroof with electric blind. Inside, comfort reaches new heights with ventilated front seats, a memory-equipped power driver's seat, and lumbar support for both front occupants. The driver enjoys added luxury with relaxation and Ergo Motion seat functions, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and alloy pedals. Cutting-edge technology includes an electronic rear view mirror, a customizable head-up display, digital key, fingerprint recognition, and remote smart parking assist, ensuring both convenience and sophistication.
The Kia Sorento has a five star safety rating from Euro NCAP, putting it on par with other seven seat SUV models such as the Kia EV9 and the Skoda Kodiaq and outperforms the Hyundai Santa Fe and the VinFast VF8.
The excellent rating comes from a series of high quality advanced driver assist systems including: front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera system, forward collision avoidance assist, highway driving assist, lane keep assist, lane follow assist, smart cruise control with stop and go functionality, intelligent speed limit assist, speed limiter, driver attention warning, electronic parking brake with autohold function, dynamic brake control, multi-collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic alert, lane change assist, and hill start assist. If you're using your Kia Sorento as a tow car you can have peace of mind as there is also trailer stability assist for the 1010kg to 2500kg towing capacity (depending on which model you purchase).
Kia also offers a 7 year warranty on all of its new cars as they believe so strongly in their product. This has no mileage limit in the first 36 months but is capped at 100,000 for months 37-84. This is an excellent warranty and much more robust than many other manufacturers currently offer.
The Kia Sorento starts at £41,995 for diesel models, £42,995 for hybrid versions, and £47,295 for PHEV versions at time of writing. Choosing additional equipment, changing your paint colour, or opting for a different trim level will increase the cost accordingly.
For comparison, the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid starts at £46,775 and the plug in hybrid starts at £51,885 and the Land Rover Discovery Sport starts at £43,445 for the diesel mild hybrid and £50,150 for the petrol plug in hybrid, placing the new Sorento as the cheaper but well equipped option.
The new Kia Sorento is an excellent seven seater option thanks to its wide range of quality features, various engine options, and distinctive Kia styling. It's well equipped, priced well within its segment, and offers lots of flexibility in set up whether you need to utilise all seven seats of take advantage of the additional boot space.
For more information about the Kia Sorento, including finance options, current offers, availability of stock, and to book a test drive, please contact John Clark Kia Peterhead today.
