Used Kia Sorento for sale: everything you need to know

The Kia Sorento is a spacious and practical SUV that has sold well in the UK for two decades. Now into its fourth generation, it continues to offer a blend of reliability and practicality, along with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

All of this helps the Kia Sorento make a strong case for itself as a used buy against other seven-seat cars such as the Skoda Kodiaq and good to drive Peugeot 5008. In fact, its closest competitor is likely to be the Hyundai Santa Fe, which it shares a platform with. 

Although the Kia badge may not shout ‘premium’, the fit and finish of the Sorento means it offers similar build quality to a Land Rover Discovery Sport and the impressive Mercedes-Benz GLB. 

Offering considerably more space than the Kia Sportage, if you are considering buying a Kia Sorento, read on for all the information you need. Take a look at a Kia Sorento for sale on heycar to discover just what’s on offer.

Should you buy a Kia Sorento? 

Buyers continue to trust the Kia Sorento, and it is easy to understand why this big SUV has become popular. Few rivals offer the same interior space and off-road ability, along with the reassurance of Kia’s seven-year warranty, which gives used buyers a good deal of peace of mind. 

The Kia Sorento is not a seven-seat SUV in name only. All three rows of seats are capable of accommodating adults, although taller individuals may find the third row a little tight for headroom. Access to the back seats is easy, however, and both the second and third rows can fold to create a gigantic boot.

Along with being spacious, the Kia Sorento’s interior is also well-equipped and made from luxurious materials. It might not look as plush as a Mercedes-Benz or Audi, but nor does the Kia feel second-rate.

As driving experiences go, the Kia Sorento is not very exciting, but that is hardly the priority here. With up to six passengers onboard, taking a more relaxed approach is perhaps for the best. 

The larger alloy wheel options can generate road noise, and make bumps in the road more obvious, but the Kia Sorento’s overall level of refinement is commendable. Those wanting to tow will be best served by the diesel version, but the two petrol-electric hybrid options also appeal for everyday motoring.

An update in 2022 saw Kia reduce the Kia Sorento range to just one trim level. However, customers could still pick from three different engine options. 

It all means that if you are looking to buy a Kia Sorento, you are unlikely to be disappointed by what it offers. The biggest problem may be figuring out what to replace it with when the time comes.

A Kia Sorento not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.

What's the best used Kia Sorento model to buy?

If you are in the market for a seven-seat 4x4 SUV then your engine choices have traditionally been limited to diesel. However, Kia broke away from this oily tradition by offering this Sorento with a range of electrified petrol engines. 

The 1.6 T-GDI HEV hybrid is a real peach, developing 202PS and 350Nm of torque. This means it has lots of low-gear acceleration, while its hybrid system allows the vehicle to run in near-silence at low speeds with the electric motor driving all four-wheels on battery power.  

The hybrid Sorento is a capable tow-car, too. The 1.6 T-GDI HEV will tow up to 1650kg, while its max tow ball capacity is a caravan-friendly 100kg. Advertised fuel economy for the 1.6 T-GDI HEV hybrid is 40.9mpg

Fans of the old Sorento will be pleased to hear that Kia's trusty 2.2 CRDi engine is also available. It develops more power and torque than the hybrid - 202PS and 440Nm, but is less refined with more noise at start-up and under hard acceleration. The four-cylinder diesel is slightly better on fuel economy, though - Kia claimed 42.2mpg. 

The Sorento was offered in three equipment trim levels - ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ - though this was pruned to a single trim choice in 2022. We think the mid-spec ‘3’ trim level is the sweet spot in the range as it includes 10.3-inch touchscreen navigation, leather upholstery, electric adjustment for the front seats, and self-levelling rear suspension.  

Used Kia Sorento fuel economy and performance

The Kia Sorento has a choice of three different engines, allowing buyers to pick one which best suits their lifestyle. Every version comes with all-wheel drive as standard, along with an automatic transmission.

Here are the engine options available with the Kia Sorento. 

• Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi: The Kia Sorento’s 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine is a powerful one, generating 202hp and plenty of torque. This allows it to pull braked trailers up to a considerable 2,500kg. Kia fits a quick-shifting eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to the diesel, with average fuel economy of 42.2mpg possible.
• Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid: The hybrid Kia Sorento combines a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 44kW electric motor. A small lithium-ion battery is mounted beneath the front seats, which recharges under braking. It produces a total of 230hp, and comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.
• Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDI Plug-in Hybrid: The plug-in hybrid model adds a larger lithium-ion battery, and upgrades the electric motor for a combined output of 265hp. This makes it the quickest Kia Sorento, being capable of 0-62mph in less than nine seconds, plus an all-electric range of 35 miles. Like the regular hybrid, it uses a six-speed automatic gearbox.

You can expect to see plenty of hybrid models on used forecourts. Both the regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid models outnumber diesel versions on the used market. Older models in relatively high-spec ‘3’ trim are likely to be the easiest to find. 

What used Kia Sorento trim levels are available?

The 2022 Kia Sorento range has been reduced down to just one trim level - the Edition, made available with a choice of three different engines. Kia promises it has the most standard equipment ever seen on a Kia Sorento. Prior to this change, the Sorento was offered in 2, 3, and 4 trim levels.

• Kia Sorento Edition: Based on the previous range-topping Kia Sorento 4, the Edition version is packed with kit. This includes a panoramic sunroof, power-opening tailgate, front and rear heated seats, remote parking assistant and wireless mobile phone charging.
• 2: This model comes with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital main instrument display. There's also Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, reversing camera, climate control, and heated front seats and steering wheel. It comes on 17-inch alloy wheels and has a reversing camera plus plenty of safety tech.
• 3: Kia provided 19-inch wheels, 10.3-inch infotainment screen, keyless entry and ignition, and leather upholstery. It also has a powered tailgate and wireless phone charging.
• 4: With this Sorento, you enjoy a sunroof, Bose stereo, soft Nappa leather trim, ventilated front seats, and a surround view parking camera.

Used Kia Sorento dimensions and boot size

The Kia Sorento’s exterior dimensions are: 

• Length: 4810mm
• Width: 1900mm
• Height: 1700mm
• Ground clearance: 184mm

The Kia Sorento’s boot space is:

• 616 litres
• 2011 litres with rear seats folded

Used Kia Sorento road tax

Kia launched this generation of its Sorento in 2020, so all version attract road tax at the standard rate of £180 for cars registered from 1 April 2017. This applies to the hybrid models as well as the diesel as only cars that emits zero emissions qualify for free road tax, such as the Skoda Enyaq or Kia's more recent EV9 SUV.

How much is it to insure a Kia Sorento? 

Despite being a large and decently powerful SUV, insuring a Kia Sorento should not break the bank. All models sit in groups 30 to 32, depending on engine and trim, which is on a par with many rivals, though it's worth noting the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe sits in lower insurance groups for a very similarly specced and powered car.

Read our full Kia Sorento review