Kia Sorento 2024 Colors, Specs, Engine – Kia hopes that the Sorento’s modest third-row seat would set it apart from its Hyundai Santa Fe platform-mate and some of the most popular family wagons on the market today. While the Sorento’s seven-seat capacity may be noticeable on the vehicle’s spec sheet, it performs better in five-seat mode, thanks to the more efficient hybrid powertrain in lower-priced variants.
2024 Kia Sorento Redesign
A plug-in hybrid engine will be available for the 2024 Kia Sorento this year. X-Line accessories may be added to more models, and the 10.3-inch touchscreen is now standard on nearly all of them. The new Sorento’s design has us more perplexed than enthralled. Instead of sporting essential SUV characteristics, it now sports metallic fillips and a razor-mesh grille as a marketing tactic designed to catch people’s attention. There are a few things about this car that we’re not sure about, such as the cluttered dashboard and controls and the road-to-nowhere details. The Sorento’s steering is more engaging, but its standard 191-hp 4-cylinder engine doesn’t splash. Its 281-hp turbo-4 does, but it comes with a higher engine noise level to match its rapid acceleration.
227 horsepower Hybrid receives our seal of approval for its efficiency and speed. The new plug-in hybrid promises better performance while consuming less gasoline to go along with its higher sticker price. The Sorento comfortably accommodates four adults. Even though it has seven seats, the middle passenger in the middle row—and anybody in the back—will know why those seats are best utilized on a limited basis. On some models, USB ports have been built into the front seatbacks of the second row, which slide fore and aft on tracks and provide about the same amount of support as the big bucket seat upfront. All Sorentos offer plenty of cargo space and several small-item storage options.
Interior
The 2024 Kia Sorento claims seating for seven passengers. Four of them can be made full-size if desired; the remainder should be medium or smaller in order to keep things simple. Due to its roomy interior and comfortable seats, this vehicle gets an 8 out of 10. The Sorento has three rows of cloth seats standard in its base configuration, measuring 189.4 inches long by 110.8 inches wide by 110.8 inches high. Sorentos with a power driver’s seat, synthetic or genuine leather, and a motorized front passenger seat are all available above the LX model. In our experience, the front seats of the Sorentos we’ve driven are well-padded and supportive, with a comfortable driving posture and lumbar support. With 41.1 inches of legroom in front and plenty of headroom, most people will fit comfortably in the front, surrounded by large storage bins in the console and the doors.
A sliding bench seat or a pair of captain’s chairs in row two provide 6′ tall passengers with enough legroom, with nearby net pockets and USB connections for their carry-on luggage. The third row is just 29.6 inches long and has a low-mounted seat bottom when the third row button is pressed. It’s only good for a few people on short journeys. Even better, you can fold it down to increase the crossover’s 12.6 cubic foot storage capacity to up to 45.0 cubic feet behind the back seats, or up to 75.5 cubic feet behind the front row, depending on which way the seats are arranged. This time around, Kia hasn’t improved the Sorento’s fit and finish. Even on the most expensive models, hard plastic is evident and the powertrains are louder. Past editions have seemed more solid and richer than this one.
Engine
We haven’t had a chance to test the standard 191-hp inline-4, which accounts for a large portion of its sales. With that powertrain’s performance in similar models, we’d recommend one of the other three options. As long as the Sorento’s driving mode selection is in Sport mode, the 2.5-liter turbo-4 on board can get off to a strong start. Low-speed misunderstanding interferes with the turbo-4’s connection to the dual-clutch gearbox in normal mode. It’s sluggish and slow to respond when you ask it to transmit power. Sport mode clears up any lingering uncertainties in the engine gearbox and allows it to retain lower ratios for longer.
In spite of the turbo-4, the Sorento is still a hefty 3,979 lb at the base, rising to 4,065 lb with the optional torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system and 20-inch wheels on board. In terms of family-friendly efficiency, the Sorento Hybrid is better suited. Both are quieter and smoother than the Sorento’s 227 net horsepower from its 1.6-liter turbo-4, electric motors, battery pack, and 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. As far as city fuel efficiency goes, we’ve been able to match the low 40s on test drives. Hence, our excitement about the plug-in hybrid, which has a 66.9-kW electric engine and a 13.8-kWh battery that offers 32 miles of all-electric driving, compared to the hybrid alone.
2024 Kia Sorento Release Date and Price
The $30,665 Sorento LX has a lot to offer: cloth upholstery, three rows of seats, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. All-wheel-drive, wireless smartphone charging, a panoramic sunroof, and a $36,465 starting price make the hybrid Sorento EX an appealing option. Spending more than $55,000 is an option, but it’s not recommended.