Kia Sorento review

Seven-seat SUVs might seem like an alternative to people carriers and for the most part they are - but the Kia Sorento looks able to cater for a wider range of buyers with its standard-fit four-wheel drive and range of plug-in hybrid, hybrid and diesel powertrains. There’s no all-electric option but that gap is filled by the similarly-sized Kia EV9.

Over the years, the Kia Sorento has evolved from being a large, practical and cheap family SUV into a large, practical and classy one. The price has shifted in line with the upturn in quality, design and technology, but you do get a lot of equipment and technology included as standard. The difference now is that the Sorento is up against some first-rate rivals in the seven-seat SUV market. 

About the Kia Sorento

Car buyers with big families naturally gravitate towards big vehicles with plenty of space. In today’s market, with the fortunes of the purpose-built MPV on the wane, that largely limits those with a lot of children or luggage to a van with windows and seats, or a large SUV.

The Kia Sorento has been a force in the large-SUV market since the first-generation model launched in 2002. Today we’re on the Mk4 Sorento, which has undergone its mid-life facelift, and it’s a model that clearly shows how Kia has matured as a car brand in the intervening years. The original Sorento was a budget option, a large seven-seat SUV for the price of a mid-size five-seater from one of the leading mainstream brands at the time.

Today it's probably fair to say that Kia is in the leading pack of those mainstream brands, offering models that easily stand comparison with products from the likes of Ford, Volkswagen, Renault and Peugeot. Indeed, in terms of style, build quality and technology, Kia has designs on surpassing these rivals and pushing further upmarket still. 

The fourth-generation Kia Sorento was revealed to the public in early 2020 and went on sale in the UK later that year. Then it received a mid-life refresh in 2024. It’s a seven-seat SUV and it sits at the top of Kia's combustion-powered SUV range. Below the Sorento are the mid-size Sportage, more compact Niro and even smaller Stonic, but Kia also offers the XCeed crossover as well as the Soul EV electric SUV.

In terms of direct rivals, the Sorento is in the mix with a clutch of desirable full-size seven-seat SUV options. The Skoda Kodiaq and SEAT Tarraco from the Volkswagen Group share technology, while the Peugeot 5008 is another worthy candidate. Land Rover has the Discovery, although the Sorento sits nearer to the smaller Discovery Sport in price, starting at around £42,000. The Sorento's sister model, the Hyundai Santa Fe, is a similarly practical seven-seater, as is the Nissan X-Trail that we’ve previously put head-to-head against the Sorento in hybrid form.

Kia offers 2, 3 and 4 trim levels for the Sorento. Standard kit on the base ‘2’ models is impressive with heated front seats, dual automatic air-conditioning, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, six USB-C charge ports and a reversing camera. Higher-specification Sorentos come with a few more premium touches like a panoramic sunroof, black leather upholstery, a head-up display and even a digital rear view mirror. 

Under the bonnet you have a three options: the standard 2.2-litre CRDi diesel with an eight-speed DCT dual-clutch automatic gearbox, a full-hybrid with an electrically assisted 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine and a six-speed auto gearbox, or a plug-in hybrid that uses the same petrol engine and gearbox but increases the battery size to 13.8kWh, enabling up to 35 miles of electric-only travel. All models are four-wheel drive.

Used and nearly new

The history of the Kia Sorento dates back to 2002, with the Korean SUV evolving from a budget seven-seater into a more refined, mainstream model, able to compete with the class best. It's no longer a cheap option, but improvements in styling, interior quality and onboard tech reflect how much the Sorento has matured. Reliability has always been a plus point of Sorento ownership, and well cared for used examples should still prove dependable.

Kia Sorento history

Kia Sorento Mk3: 2014-2020

The Mk3 Sorento came with a choice of five or seven seats, along with a strong 2.2-litre diesel engine. Buyers wanting some off road ability will probably look to the four-wheel drive versions, while there's also manual or automatic models to consider. Equipment levels are high across the range, with even entry cars including a DAB radio, Bluetooth, air-con, rear parking sensors, privacy glass and cruise control. Read our full Mk3 Kia Sorento buyer’s guide here…

Kia Sorento Mk2: 2010-2014

As a capable seven-seat SUV with good towing capability, the Mk2 Sorento offered a reliable alternative to the agricultural Mitsubishi Shogun or Toyota Land Cruiser, while it undercut the significantly more expensive Land Rover Discovery on price. Both front- and four-wheel-drive examples are available, with petrol and diesel power featuring in the lineup. Read our full Mk3 Kia Sorento buyer’s guide here…

Kia Sorento Mk1: 2003-2010

The Mk1 Sorento was priced in a category below its size, which meant you got a lot of 4x4 for your money. It wasn't bad looking for the time and, tacky interior wooden trim aside, it was surprsingly well equipped too. Most examples came with a 2.5-litre diesel engine, although it didn't offer much pace.