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Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4, Regular Unleaded I-4
All Wheel Drive, Front Wheel Drive
The Sorento has been in Kia’s lineup for more than 20 years, and the seven-passenger midsize crossover SUV moved into its fourth generation in 2021 with a significant redesign. Residing between the five-passenger Sportage and the larger Telluride, the Sorento received a fresh new look for the 2024 model year, along with a significantly updated interior. Kia also adds the Sorento X-Pro for those buyers looking for off-pavement adventures.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Kia Sorento has significantly changed since we last reviewed the 2021 Sorento. Updates for the 2024 model year include:
The 2024 Kia Sorento is available in eight trim levels, ranging from the base-level LX, which starts at around $33,000, to the X-Pro SX Prestige AWD, which starts at around $49,000. Kia also offers the Sorento with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. However, these electrified versions don't get the styling and tech updates until the 2025 model year.
JD Power previously published a review of the 2021 Kia Sorento. This review focuses on the Sorento's updates for 2024 and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
For this 2024 Sorento review, Kia provided a test vehicle equipped with X-Pro SX Prestige AWD trim and the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $49,400, including the $1,375 destination charge to ship the SUV from the West Point, Georgia, assembly plant to your local dealership.
The Sorento received a complete redesign just a few years ago. Yet, for 2024, the midsize SUV gets a new look that aligns its design with the larger Telluride and updated Carnival minivan.
The updated front-end design is most noticeable, incorporating a broad, rectangular grille with an equally wide lower air intake featuring integrated LED fog lights. Vertical LED projector headlights feature amber daytime running lights that frame the outside edges, providing a modern look and enhancing the Sorento's wide stance.
The Sorento also gets styling updates at the rear with expressive LED taillights that add to the squared-off style. The Sorento name is now subtly presented in the lower left corner, and the refreshed rear bumper features a more rugged design.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Sorento's interior has always been stylish, but its new display screen elevates the cabin to a higher level. A single curved screen incorporates a new digital instrument display and infotainment display, both measuring 12.3 inches. Trim levels below the SX get a similar-looking screen but use a 4-inch digital portion of the driver display.
The large display screen seems to rest on the dashboard, and there’s no hood over the driver's display, resulting in a much cleaner look than the outgoing version. In the X-Pro SX Prestige I drove for this review, there was open-pore simulated wood trim below the screen, adding a premium vibe.
Kia nicely integrates horizontal center vents into the dashboard, with vertical vents at the far right and left, emphasizing the cabin's width. Also unique to the X-Line and X-Pro variants is the rich Olive Brown leather seat trim, which adds elegance to the cabin.
Not only does the 2024 Sorento get a new display screen, but the infotainment system also gets an update. With the latest version of Kia's Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) operating system, the new infotainment features a faster processor for quicker response and can accept over-the-air updates.
Shortcuts to the most used functions are easily accessible, and you can configure the Home screen with the desired tiles. The new system also supports a wireless connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all trim levels—a feature that has been missing.
Also new for the 2024 Kia Sorento is the latest digital key version. With digital key installed, customers can use their smartphones or an NFC smart card as an alternative to the key fob. This allows for locking, unlocking, and driving the vehicle without the physical key. The system even allows customers to share access to the vehicle with friends or family via text message.
Kia offers the rugged-looking X-Pro trim to appeal to buyers looking for an adventurous crossover SUV. First available on the Sportage and Telluride, the X-Pro will join the Sorento lineup in 2024.
Kia already offers the Sorento X-Line, which includes features like standard torque-vectoring all-wheel drive (AWD), unique front and rear bumpers with a skid-plate garnish (Kia's term), a bridge-style roof rack, and a gloss black grille. The X-Pro adds 17-inch gloss black wheels fitted with BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, and an embossed X-Pro logo is on the back of the leather-trimmed front seats.
The X-Pro only comes as the SX Prestige, which carries the highest level of features and amenities, including additional safety features, a rearview camera mirror, a Bose 12-speaker audio system, a 14-way power driver's seat, a 10-way power passenger seat, heated rear seats, and genuine leather seat trim.
While the X-Pro looks like the rugged choice of the lineup, aside from its all-terrain tires, it has the same AWD system and 8.2-inch ground clearance as the rest of the Sorento lineup. That's not to say the Sorento cannot handle snowy or muddy terrain. Still, the X-Pro doesn't get raised ground clearance or a special off-road suspension to differentiate it from a standard AWD Sorento.
Photo: Perry Stern
The 2024 Kia Sorento X-Pro SX-Prestige has a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivering a healthy 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. A quick-shifting eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the turbocharged Sorento AWD at 23 mpg combined—just a few mpg lower than the non-turbo version. During my time in the Sorento X-Pro, the trip computer showed an average of around 22 mpg, which aligns with the EPA estimates.
I was concerned that the X-Pro's standard off-road tires would detract from the Sorento's drive quality, but my concerns were unwarranted. The Kia delivered a solid, comfortable ride on I-94 outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, with very little road noise.
As the top-level trim in the Sorento lineup, my test vehicle featured Kia's Highway Driving Assist 2. With the speed set to 70 mph, the system uses adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance to maintain a set distance behind the car ahead while providing steering input to keep the Sorento in its lane. The system works quite well, seamlessly managing the speed and steering. However, it is not hands-free. Eventually, the driver receives a warning to put their hands back on the wheel.
The Sorento handled itself well when heading off the freeway onto the winding two-lane roads around Dexter, Michigan. This three-row SUV shows its mass when pushed hard in the corners, but the steering is responsive, and the big vehicle delivers predictable performance.
Most owners are unlikely to tackle the extreme Rubicon Trail in a Sorento X-Pro, but a dirt or muddy forest road could be a common driving scenario. The area near my hometown has plenty of unpaved roads, so I left the blacktop to get the Sorento a little dirty.
It may not be for extreme off-roading, but the Sorento X-Pro performed admirably on the loose, rough surfaces. The off-road tires provided excellent grip, and the AWD system delivered good traction. The system automatically engages when the Sorento starts from a complete stop, so full throttle on the loose surface resulted in a stable launch with minimal wheel spin.
Another advantage of the off-road tires is their larger sidewalls, mounted on 17-inch wheels rather than the 20-inch option on the non-X-Pro. This helps to smooth the ride when the going gets rough, and even on washboard-like surfaces, the Sorento remained comfortable with no shaking or jarring.
Photo: Perry Stern
With the 2024 model year updates, Kia moves the Sorento upscale with a fresh new design, a high-tech premium cabin, and the new rugged-looking X-Pro trim. With a spacious interior and commendable utility, the Sorento is an excellent choice in the competitive midsize SUV market.
Midsize three-row crossovers like the Sorento make a great alternative to the full-size SUV for shoppers who need seating space but prefer a vehicle in a more manageable size. The competition is tough in this arena with strong offerings like the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, and even the Sorento's cousin, the Hyundai Santa Fe. But the Sorento can easily go toe-to-toe (rather, tire-to-tire) with these popular models, and with its fresh look and advanced features, it is certainly worth consideration.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JDPower.com. Recently relocated to southeast Michigan, Perry is still crazy about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
