Used Kia Sorento Buying Guide

Hitting the roads in 2020, this generation came out with 7 trims. The trims you can find are LX, S, EX, SX, SX Prestige, and SX Prestige X-Line. If you’re looking for a model that comes with the most power, then you’ll want an EX, SX, SX Prestige, or SX Prestige X-Line trim. This is because it comes with a 2.5L turbocharged I4 engine that produces 281 horsepower.

The other engine that you will find is a regular 2.5L I4 that gets 191 horsepower. Of these two engines, the regular 2.5L I4 is the more efficient engine, getting an EPA-rated 26 combined MPG.

While those are the two main engines that you are likely to find, there is a hybrid engine that you can be on the lookout for. This is a 1.6L I4 engine that is paired with an electric motor. This gets you an EPA-rated 37 combined MPG.

It wasn’t until a few years later that the plug-in hybrid became available. This one shares the same engine; it gets slightly less combined MPG at 34, but can go 32 miles on pure electricity.

Most entry level trims will come with a second row bench seating, and if you’re needing 8 seats, these will be your best options, but if you don’t need that many, then you can look for the higher-end trims as they will come with captains chairs, adding more comfort that the lower-end trims can’t match.

In the first few years, there are two infotainment screen options. There are the 8-inch and the optional 12.3-inch screens, but for the 2024 models, the larger screen became standard. For rear seat entertainment, you can look for models that are equipped with touchscreens.

This generation came out with 5 trims, slightly less than the most recent generation. The trims you can look for are L, LX, EX, SX, and SX Limited. These can be found with one of three engines. There are two I4 options and one V6. The I4 options are the 2.4L and the 2.0L I4. The most efficient option of the two is the 2.4L, having an EPA-rated 25 MPG combined.

If you want the most power, then the 3.3L V6 option is for you. It comes with 290 horsepower, and thanks to the extra strength, it lacks fuel efficiency. This engine will get you 22 MPG combined, which isn’t the worst, but if you’re wanting the most efficient engine, this isn’t the one for you.

At first, this generation came with a handful of infotainment screens, there’s the 4.3, 7, and 8-inch screens. The smaller one will be on the lower-end trims, while the larger of the two will be reserved for higher-end trims.

If you find an LX from this time, it will come with some of the best features around. It comes with dual-zone climate control, as well as heated and ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats.

Before the 2019 facelift, the Sorento could be found in both 5- and 7-seat configurations, but after this, only 7-seat configurations were left. You can lay down the third row, giving you even more cargo space if you don’t need the extra space.