Introduction
What Car? says...
Natural selection affects SUVs, not just animals, and seven-seaters that drink diesel are starting to look like dinosaurs. So the Kia Sorento – like all successful species – has evolved.
Instead of simply slinging a petrol engine under the Sorento’s bonnet, Kia has used its expertise in the field of electrification to give it 'self-charging' hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power options.
To find out how well the Kia Sorento stacks up against those rivals, as well as the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe, stay with us over the next few pages of this review. We'll tell you what the Sorento is like on the road, how practical it is, how classy it is inside and whether it's a sound investment.
Whichever car you decide is right for your needs, don’t forget that the What Car? New Car Deals service can help you get a great discount – it's free, you won't need to do any haggling, and it has some tempting new large SUV deals.
FAQs
The latest Kia Sorento is too new to have featured in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey but, as a brand, Kia performed strongly, finishing ninth out of 30 car makers. That’s ahead of Seat, Peugeot and Volkswagen, but behind Toyota, Mazda and Hyundai. Every Sorento comes with Kia’s seven-year warranty, too. Read more here
You can’t get the Kia Sorento as a fully electric car but it is available with a regular hybrid (HEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) engine. The HEV can’t travel very far on electric power alone, but could still help to cut your fuel bills compared with a conventional petrol or diesel car. The PHEV model has a bigger battery than the HEV, and can officially run for up to 35 miles without using the petrol engine. Read more here
We think the regular hybrid (HEV) version of the Kia Sorento will suit most drivers best, and we’d recommend teaming that with the entry-level 2 trim (the other trims available are 3 and 4). Despite being the cheapest option in the range, the 2 trim still gets you everything you’re likely to need, including dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and adaptive cruise control. Read more here
The Kia Sorento 2 is the entry-level version, so it’s cheaper than the mid-level 3, which comes with more equipment. We recommend 2 trim because it gets you all the kit you’ll want for a reasonable cost, but you can step up to 3 trim to add more luxuries, including ambient interior lighting, leather seats, keyless entry and a powered tailgate. Read more here
The Kia Sorento is a very safe large SUV – it was awarded five stars out of five by the experts at Euro NCAP. All Sorentos come with lane-keeping assistance and an automatic emergency braking (AEB) system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as other cars. Range-topping 4 trim adds blind-spot monitoring and technology to stop you having a low-speed collision while parking. Read more here
We managed to fit 10 carry-on suitcases in the Sorento’s boot when the third row seats were folded away; in this configuration, it has a 600-litre capacity. That’s very good by large SUV standards, although we managed to fit the same number of cases in the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe. Read more here
| RRP price range | £50,995 - £56,995 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 1 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 2 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | hybrid, diesel |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Warranty | 7 years / 100000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £1,253 / £3,727 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £2,505 / £7,454 |
| Available colours |
