I’ll give Kia this: They are not slow learners. After the runaway success of the Kia Telluride, the company wasted no time adding more classic SUV designs, more off-road capability, more passenger room, flexibility for kids car seats, passenger comforts and powertrain options. The latest iteration is the updated 2024 Kia Sorento. I spent a week in the X-Pro edition with family filling every seat. Even with a full load, this 6 or 7 passenger SUV, priced from about $32,000 (our test model came in at $49K), the 2024 Kia Sorento is easy to drive and lovely to spend time in.
The 2024 model year was updated pretty quickly following a full redesign in 2021—that not learning slowly thing, perhaps?—to show more of the Telluride’s DNA. And then, there are 8 gas-powered versions to choose from, 2 hybrid versions and 2 plug-in hybrid electric versions, giving buyers a good number of choices.
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Telluride’s inspo is mostly seen on the front grille. Our X-Pro SX Prestige model, the top of the line, came with all the goodies (keep reading for details) and sported this Road Rider brown paint with black accents. I really love the look of the ceramic taupe and black. It feels fresh and modern. Here’s What Jill Robbins thought of the Kia Telluride
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The nod to the Telluride starts with an expanded front grille that gives this SUV a squared-off look and a lower grille that adds to the shape. New headlights blend inspiration from the Telluride with stacked lights on either side of the grille, and the K5 and upcoming K4 sedans, which use amber lights to wrap the front corners of the car. Overall, it feels cohesive and complete. And modern.
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Inside, Even More Telluride-like Details
The interior has been streamlined and Kia added a few new features that you’ll find on other vehicles, including the EV9 electric SUV and the Kia Niro. Gone are vertical air vents on the center of the dashboard, replaced by linear vents that streamline the look of the interior, though the vertical vents remain on either side next to the doors.
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A Command Center With Everything At Your Fingertips
The center console below is mostly unchanged, with a lever-style gear selector, heated seat controls, a wireless charger phone cubby and cup holders. Drive modes can be dialed in and you’ll also find auto hold—one of my favorite features; with it on, tap the brake at a stop and it holds until you hit the accelerator—parking sensors and camera, downhill descent control and the parking brake.
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A Clever Toggle Bar Provides Climate or Entertainment Access
The center of dash has a toggle-enabled toolbar; tap the lighted triangle for quick access to multimedia functions or the fan below it for climate controls. This clever function is also found on the Kia EV9 and the Kia Niro.
A Clever Cubby Wirelessly Charges a Phone
This phone cubby sits below the entertainment system. It holds a wireless charger, which I loved; tuck your phone in and let it charge, and there’s still room for another phone.
Just above the phone cubby is a USB panel that allows you to choose between data and charging; plug into the left USB-C port and tap the center button to allow your phone to connect to the multimedia system or not. And, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been added and they are standard
The Kia Sorento’s Interior Made Us Comfortable
This is important and so often, overlooked: how comfortable will everyone be in this car? Our model came upholstered in Olive Brown leather, a $295 option (this model already includes leather seating), which I thought was a good color choice to pair with the exterior.
We also had captains chairs, great for the 6 passengers we needed to seat, and the center pass-through made getting into the 3rd row easy for both kids and adults. In the 3rd row there are USB ports and cupholders built into the wall, as well as a cubby to stow a phone or tablet. What we didn’t have are air vents. For daily use in hot climates, or for buyers who need the 3rd row with a second row bench, the lack of 3rd row air vents may be a consideration.
There’s Lots of Legroom in the Center Row
Center row seats slide forward and back and recline a bit for a good comfort, even for taller passengers. Center air vents, USB ports tucked into the backs of the front seats and heated and vented seats added to the comfort. The vents are large and centrally placed on the rear of the center console so they can be directed toward 3rd row passengers too.
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Measuring for Kids Car Seats
With the center seat all the way back and the front passenger seat set for someone relatively tall, about 6′, I measured 31″ seat back to seat back. This means that a rear facing kids car seat will fit easily behind the passenger’s seat, and will fit behind a driver who is not taller than 6′.
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Center Seats Slide and Tilt, Even With a Child Car Seat Installed
I really love slide and tilt center seats. In general, they will slide and tilt with a front facing kids car seat installed, which means that in a center bench-equipped model or if you have a cooler or something between the center seats, you can still access the 3rd row, however, keep in mind that the seat folds forward more without a seat installed, as pictured here, than it would with a seat installed.
The center seat pushes forward with the push of a power button on the seat shoulder, or the pull of a tab in other models. With weight in the seat it will simply release and you have to push it forward manually; the automatic function is disabled if someone or something is in the seat.
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Premium Materials Fill the Kia Sorento
I’m a fan of quilted leather and open pore wood, so it was delightful to see it on the interior of the Kia Sorento. Kia’s been moving toward more premium materials in recent years and the Sorento shows it.
A Modern Rear Tailgate Marked by the New Kia Logo
A few years ago Kia changed its logo, giving it a much more futuristic look. Here, it’s featured front and center on the rear tailgate and flanked by dual ‘n’ shaped tail lights. These lights, thankfully, don’t mimic the Telluride’s taillights (though the lower red reflectors do), but rather, evolve ever so slightly the tail lights on the 2021 Sorento design. The 2024 mode’s lights wrap around the side of the rear just a bit with a sort of a bookend look, and it’s nice; not over done but not frail either.
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Cargo Space is Good, Even Behind the 3rd Row
Overall, the Kia Sorento X-Pro was very comfortable for us, and even when we needed to make an airport run with luggage for four, we had space (my family travels light). The Sorento’s 12 cubic feet of cargo space was enough for roll-aboards, skateboards, totes and the dog carrier.
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What You Need to Know About the Kia Sorento X-Pro
The Kia Sorento offers lots of buying options and is priced from $32K-$47K. There are 8gas-powered models to choose from, two hybrids and two plug-in hybrid electric models. Here is what else you need to know:
- Kia Drivewise driver assist and safety features are standard, though there are some upgrades available
- A center row bench is standard in the two lower trims and captains chairs are standard on the other models
- Leatherette or leather seating are standard on all but the base model, which has cloth seats
- All models have a 12″ multimedia screen, though SX models and above get the curved glass screen shown here
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard
- Navigation is included on all but the base model
- Standard gas models have a 4-cylinder engine that generates 191 HP and 181 torque and is estimated to get 26 MPG
- Turbo models have a 4 cylinder engine that generates 281 HP and 311 torque and get about 23 MPG combined
- Hybrid models have a 4 cylinder engine that generates 227 HP and 258 torque, and is estimated to get 37 MPG
- Plug-in hybrid electric models have 4 cylinder engine that generates 261 HP and 258 torque, is estimated to get 34 MPG and has a range of 32 miles of all electric driving
- To add all wheel drive, buyers can select the AWD version of the EX, a $3,700 difference or the SX, an $1,800 price difference
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Our test drive took us all around town for the week, to parks and playgrounds, cafes and shopping districts. And it was lovely. Each time it was easy to climb in, stow our things, plug in our devices and enjoy light from the large panoramic sunroof. We didn’t get the chance to test out the off-road capability of this SUV the way Sara Lacey did when she test drove it, but even when just wrangling the wilds of city streets, traffic jams and tired kiddos, the Sorento is a champ.
