New Kia Sorento Improves On and Off-Road Performance

Along with the impressive new hardware Kia is bringing to market … the South Korean market-maker has deftly re-conceived the long-running Sorento compact 3-row SUV.

The Kia Sorento, which peaked in 2011 at 130,000 in US annual sales and was holding around 100,000 in 2019, has taken the pandemic rebound as an opportunity to substantially improve on and off-road performance, and upgrade convenience and premium styling features.

Exterior changes are subtle with a widened version of the distinctive Kia cat’s nose front grille. This combined with new side-sweeping LED Projection Headlights, bolder side body contours and the big sport wheels in lightly cladded wells, make the new X-Line AWD Sorento fit the rugged vision.

The street and highway ride of the Kia Sorento is comfortable and well-suited for the family segment of the market. But the off-road skills complete the package with Torque-Vectoring All-Wheel Drive, Center Locking Differential, higher ground clearance and solid cargo roof rails.

With three engine options: 191-hp four-cylinder, a 227-hp hybrid, and a 281-hp turbo-four, key covers the bases.

The new Sorento is base priced at about $24,000 with the X-Line rolling in at $44,285.