Kia Sorento Review - A Seat for Every Day of the Week
Seven days in the week, seven colours in a rainbow…I suppose I should also mention that there are seven continents and there are seven wonders of the world.
And here’s one for those of you who are of a slightly older generation. The Party 7. It was a large tin of beer, brewed by Watneys, that somehow had seven pints in it. A weird number. You’d think they’d have gone for the full gallon.
I used to buy them when I was a student. I’d walk into Durham, go to the ‘offy’ and carry it back to my digs. This is when things could become hazardous because the tin had to be opened with a sharp object. You punctured two holes into the top, one for pouring and one to let the air in. Sadly, after carting it up several hills, it had been well shaken. So, piercing the lid invariably led to the ceiling and walls getting covered in a beer fountain.
I digress.
A proper seven-seater
The car you see here is the newly launched 4th generation of the Kia Sorento. If you’re looking for all-round family transportation, it’s hard to think of a car that fits the bill better than this one.
It’s a proper seven-seater. Okay, you need to be reasonably nimble to get into the third row, but once there, a pair of children or average-size adults will be perfectly happy. If you only need five seats, the rear row flops into the floor (simple to raise too) and leaves a flat and decent-sized load area. The middle row also slides if you need additional knee room or want extra space for the third row. With all three rows in place, you get 180 litres of boot space, but flop that third row into the floor and it rises to a very handy 810 litres. If you need to carry everything, including the kitchen sink, drop the centre row as well and you’ll be nudging 2000 litres. Wow.
Powertrain options
There’s a decent choice of engines with a 1.6-litre petrol-powered 235 bhp hybrid and 283 bhp plug-in hybrid plus, something of a rarity these days, a 190 bhp 2.2-litre diesel. All-wheel drive is standard across the range, as is an auto ‘box.
All powertrains are available in three trims — Pure, Evolve and Aspire.
Cheapest is the 2.2 litre diesel in Pure trim, costing £43,725 (Oct ‘26). Go for the 1.6 litre hybrid with the same kit and you’ll need to find an extra grand, while the PHEV comes in at £48,255.
Which engine should you go for?
The engine choice all comes down to your daily/weekly usage. The standard hybrid (HEV) Sorento uses a small electric motor to provide help away from a junction and for overtaking. The plug-in (PHEV) can manage an estimated 34 miles using the battery and electric motor. However, once the battery is exhausted, don’t forget that you're still hauling around a weighty lump, which ruins the fuel consumption. It’s also the most expensive of the trio.
Which leaves the diesel engine. If you do a lot of long motorway trips and regularly travel with a full complement of passengers or a decent load, the diesel makes sense, assuming you can cope with the soaring price of using the pump with the black hose.
In terms of overall consumption, the HEV and diesel manage low 40s while the PHEV, assuming you can charge the battery at home or work and keep to around 30 miles per trip, can manage up to a predicted 72 miles per gallon. Decent. The PHEV is the one I had and with a mixed week of driving, I managed 66 mpg…which I’m pleased with…although that was with only one or two of us on board.
Driving Experience
Out on the road, don’t assume this big car handles like a barge. It doesn’t. Okay, it's not sporty but it’s not meant to be. This is a family SUV which will spend a lot of its life either doing short hops or a holiday marathon. With just one or two people on board, the ride feels fairly firm, but once you've got a few extra folk joining the party, it’ll be fine.
Performance figures are 0-60 mph in 9.7 seconds for the diesel, 9.0 for the HEV and 8.0 for the most powerful PHEV. Top speed for all is in the 120s mph.
Standard Kit
As for the level of kit, Kia has a growing reputation of providing plenty for your money. Pure trim gets dual zone air con and a separate system for the third row; heated front seats, heated steering wheel, powered windows all round, powered mirrors, front and rear parking sensors, auto lights and wipers, 12.3-inch central touchscreen with sat nav and DAB radio. The screen is crisp and clear and works well. No matter which level of trim you go for, the Sorento's interior is really smart with plenty of neat design touches scattered around the cabin. There’s a premium feel and look to everything.
Evolve Trim Extras
Moving up to Evolve trim will require a further £4k but it’s probably worth a look if you want to make the car feel a tad more special because you now get tinted rear windows which help keep the car cool and offer increased security; leather upholstery, heated outer seats in the centre row, powered front seats, powered lumbar control for the driver, window blinds for the centre row, customisable interior lighting, 12,3-inch driver display rather than 4.2-inch, excellent Bose audio with twelve speakers, surround parking sensors, rear self-levelling suspension which will be handy when the car is loaded, powered tailgate, and additional safety kit. I think it’s worth it.
Top of the range Aspire trim makes the Sorento look expensive, but I wouldn't bother spending the extra dough.
Concluding Thoughts
The Kia Sorento has everything a large family needs for regular transportation. It has seven seats, AWD drive, loads of convenience and safety kit, looks smart inside and out, is comfortable, good to drive and has a cracking warranty (Kia’s 7-year / 100,000-mile warranty is also worth remembering). It’s sensibly priced too. All the boxes ticked.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Kia
