Kia Sorento (2015-2020) Review

If you want a genuine seven-seater with enough space for seven adults to sit behind each other in three rows then the Kia Sorento will be for you. It’s one of the best cars in its class for space and convenience.

All versions are comfortable to drive and powered by Kia’s impressive 2.2-litre CRDi turbodiesel. The latest models are offered with a six-speed manual gearbox or a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic, which is among the best in any seven-seater. 

The Sorento is also a car that majors on value. Even the most basic car in KX-1 trim gets 17-inch alloy wheels, touchscreen infotainment, DAB audio, rear parking sensors and all-wheel drive. 

Venture for one of the mid-spec KX-3 and you’ll get everything you could ever need, with a panoramic sunroof, leather seats and large touchscreen thrown into the mix.

If we could level one criticism at the Kia Sorento then it’d be its lack of choice when it comes to engines. There is only one engine in the range - a turbocharged four-cylinder diesel - and this means petrol and electric buyers are somewhat left in the lurch. 

However, if you are in the market for a practical and affordable diesel seven-seat SUV, the Sorento will be perfect. The 2.2-litre CRDi is smooth, quiet and powerful with 200PS. A six-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard, but we’d recommend buying the Sorento with the excellent eight-speed automatic. 

Due to its size, power and four-wheel drive, the Sorento is popular with caravan owners. The Sorento has a braked trailer rating of 2500kg for the manual or 2000kg for the automatic.

All versions of the Sorento get a trailer stability system that monitors lateral movement and automatically applies the brakes or reduces engine power to prevent trailer sway - a useful tool for any caravanner. 

There are lots of high-quality seven-seat SUVs on the market right now. The Sorento’s key rivals are the Skoda Kodiaq, Peugeot 5008, SEAT Tarraco, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90.

The Sorento isn’t as refined as the Discovery or XC90, but beats both on value. A mid-spec version of the Sorento is extremely well-equipped as standard. It’s also backed by Kia’s comprehensive seven-year-warranty that’s limited to 100,000-miles - a commodity its rivals simply can’t match. 

Kia’s cabin quality has improved a lot in recent years, and few cars demonstrate this better than the latest Sorento. 

Almost everything is finished to a high standard, with an abundance of soft-touch materials and leathers. Even the switches have a pleasingly tactile action, while the doors shut with a rewarding suppressed thud. 

The cabin quality isn’t on par with premium rivals from Land Rover or Volvo; there are still a few hard plastics here and there. The mid-spec models also get some and cheap artificial leathers that you simply wouldn’t find in a Discovery or XC90. 

That said, the Sorento isn’t far behind its pricer rivals on build quality. Everything feels well made and there are no worrying creaks from the plastic trims over rough roads. The Sorento is better equipped than its key rivals and this means you won’t have to spend thousands on extras to get the most out of your Kia. 

If you go for a mid-spec KX-3 model you’ll get a very generously equipped family car, which includes a powered tailgate, keyless entry, panoramic sunroof and a wireless phone charging pad. You also get heated leather seats and a smart Harman Kardon with 10-speakers. 

A touchscreen infotainment system has been standard on all versions of the Sorento since 2018. Older versions (built from 2015 - 2018) in the most basic trim line get DAB audio and Bluetooth connectivity, but no screen. 

If you buy one of the newer models you’ll get a seven-touchscreen infotainment system with a six-speaker audio system and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity with voice control. This means you can plug your phone in to the USB socket and operate various apps with your voice.. 

Mid-spec models benefit from a larger eight-inch touchscreen that includes navigation. This is the best infotainment system in the Sorento. The sat nav is easy to use and features automatic traffic updates for rerouting, which means you can dodge road closures or congestion on long journeys without having to stop and reprogram the navigation system. 

The touchscreen is bright and easy to read. The display is flanked by plastic buttons that shortcut to the audio, map, phone or in-car options. This means you don’t need to cycle through lots of confusing menus to change a radio station or enter a destination for the sat nav. 

The Kia Sorento is extremely usable and family-friendly. The third row of seats fold flat into the boot floor and provide a 605-litre boot. 

Both the third and second row of seats can be individually folded, which means you can configure the seating and boot space to match your journey needs.  

With the second row flattened, you get a van-like 1662 litres. This makes the Sorento useful for carrying bulky bits of furniture, although the high boot lip can make loading heavy items a little tricky. 

There’s plenty of storage, however, with wide door bins and lots of useful cubby points and cup holders. This makes the Sorento good for family journeys, as there is no shortage of places to store tablet computers, drinks, bags or toys. We’d recommend buying the Sorento in KX-3 trim or better, to get the wireless phone charging pad and powered tailgate as standard.

There isn’t a lot of choice when it comes to engines in the Sorento - Kia offers a 2.2-litre CRDi turbodiesel and nothing more. There isn’t any choice when it comes to power outputs, either. The turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine is offered in 200PS only. But to be fair to Kia, this engine is excellent.  

Power delivery is smooth and refined, while the standard fit six-speed manual gearbox is a good match for the engine’s 200PS and 400Nm of maximum torque.  When the Sorento was launched in 2015 it was offered with an optional seven-speed automatic gearbox. We’ll be honest, we’re not a fan of the seven-speed automatic - it’s slow, clunky and hesitant at low-speeds. 

Kia fixed this problem by replacing the seven-speed auto with a new eight-speed transmission in 2018. This shifts gears unobtrusively and quickly. While not as accomplished as the likes of the eight-speed ZF found in BMWs, it’s a far slicker set-up than the previous transmission. 

It also boosts the performance slightly and the 2.2-litre diesel never feels strained. Besides a little typical diesel noise and vibration at idle and high speeds, it’s a refined and flexible powerplant.

Despite its size, the Kia Sorento feels more refined and comfortable than some of its rivals. The cabin feels like it has a lot of noise suppression materials because engine and road noise is kept to a minimum. 

The 2.2-litre diesel has plenty of power but doesn’t ever become vocal when worked hard. This means you can apply moderate acceleration or tow heavy loads, without the engine drowning out the radio of the conversation in the cabin. 

The Sorento is at its best with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission. The torque converter-based transmission has a knack for always knowing which gear is needed, which means you get a nice smooth power flow as the auto 'box works its way up and down the ratio. 

The Kia Sorento scored a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating for crash safety. All versions get a comprehensive array of airbags, which includes chest and head airbags for those in the front. 

The Sorento also has a series of sensors that will deploy a curtain airbag around the front of the interior in the event of an accident that causes the vehicle to rollover. 

Unlike some of its rivals, the Sorento doesn’t get automatic emergency braking as standard, but ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution is included on all models. Many drivers will appreciate the full-size spare wheel, which means you don’t have to rely on a tyre repair kit.

Insurance costs are affordable, with a mid-spec Sorento in KX-3 sitting in Group 27. Entry-level KX-1 models are in Group 25, while the range-topping GT-Line models will push the Kia into Group 28.

The Kia Sorento is affordable to tax, with VED rates ranging from £205 - £240 for the older models registered from 2015 - 2017. On 1 April 2017 the VED system was changed to a flat rate of £150 which means these are the cheapest version of the Sorento for road tax. 

However, be warned, if you buy a car that cost over £40,000 when new then you’ll be liable for the ‘premium road tax rate’, which adds  an additional £325 per year - £475 in total - for five years in which the standard rate is paid (from the second year the vehicle is taxed)

The Sorento range starts with the base-level KX-1 trim, which is usually overlooked in favour of the better equipped KX-2. That said, even in its most basic form, the Sorento gets lots of kit, with 17-inch alloy wheels, darkened privacy glass (for the rear windows), parking sensors, reversing camera and seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

KX-2 models add 18-inch alloy wheels and replace the basic seven-inch touchscreen with an eight-inch unit that includes navigation. You also get black leather heated seats and ambient interior lighting. 

The KX-3 strikes the best balance between equipment and price, with a premium 10-speaker audio system and electronic adjustment for the driver’s seat. KX-3 also gets the best level of safety tech, with lane guidance assist and a high beam function that will automatically lower the lights when an oncoming vehicle is detected. 

The GT-Line, which is based on the well-equipped KX-2 model, gets additional kit that includes electric front seats, keyless entry and start, a seven-inch dash display and a speed limit warning system. 

Kia throws everything at the GT-Line S, however, including ventilated front seats, adaptive cruise control, corner-tracking LED headlights, automatic parking, a surround-view camera and a high-end sound system.