Change This, Not That: 2024 Kia Sorento Review

The Kia Sorento has been revised for the 2024 model year and it’s more compelling than ever before. The three-row sport utility vehicle (SUV) now has a more upright look and squared off edges emulating the larger Telluride SUV.

As with most Kias, the interior features loads of technology including a panoramic curved display that integrates two 12.3-inch screens. It also added new off-road focused trims in the X-Line and X-Pro versions with a hybrid and plug-in hybrid on the way.

I drove the Sorento for a week around metro Detroit on dad duty. The Sorento isn’t perfect, but there’s a lot to like at a fair price, I discovered.

What we tested: Newsweek test drove a 2024 Kia Sorento X-Pro SX-Prestige 2.5T AWD in Road Rider Brown for this review. The car had a sticker price of $47,390 which includes a destination charge of $1,375.

KEEP: Smart storage solutions

The 2024 Sorento isn’t the biggest SUV in the segment but its design team came up with smart solutions to add to the 12.6 cubic feet of space behind the snug third row.

There’s a little bit of storage underneath the rear cargo area and those third- and second-row seats can be folded flat for large cargo. At maximum it can carry 75.5 cubic feet. There are also more-than-adequate storage spaces in the large center console annd all four doors.

CHANGE: The ride quality

The ride quality is a little harsher in the Sorento than in some of its competitors, especially with the 20-inch wheels and lower profile tires the tester came equipped with. There’s a bit of tire noise at speed too, but it’s also not very isolated from the sounds of riding over deep potholes and frost heaves of Midwestern roads.

It’s harsher than the previous generation Sorento, with a good amount of wind noise heard when the radio is down and the passengers are silent.

If you have glass replaced on your Sorento, pay attention to what they’re replacing it with (what they have on hand versus what the automaker recommends) or you could end up having even more noise permeate the cabin.

KEEP: Excellent safety features

The 2024 Kia Sorento comes standard with 10 standard adaptive driver assist systems including emergency braking, lane keeping and lane following. It also watches oncoming vehicles when turning left and will stop the car if one is detected in the anticipated lane of travel to prevent a collision.

The improved adaptive cruise control is excellent at slow speeds and in stop-and-go traffic. Available Highway Driving Assist 2 will maintain distance between the driver and car in front, keep the vehicle within the lane and assist with lane changes at certain times. The hands-on system truly lowers fatigue over a long day of driving.

CHANGE: The brakes

The brakes in this tester felt a little soft for a new vehicle and not as progressive as most. This is expected on hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and plug-ins as the brakes first must work through the regenerative motion, but this can become annoying with a traditional setup. They always stopped the car, but after more pedal travel than I’d like, and gripped hard when they did.

In snow driving, like my colleague did with the Sorento last winter, having some pedal glide can be a benefit. Here, in Detroit’s dry, autumn conditions they were just annoying to get used to.

KEEP: The off-road trims

The Sorento X-Line and X-Pro trim levels either look the part of an off-roader or become the part, respectively. The X-Line adds front and rear bumpers with a molded-in cosmetic skid plate, a unique grille and 20-inch wheels. The seats are available with a robust synthetic leather fabric called Syntex.

The Sorento X-Pro comes with 17-inch wheels with a larger sidewall for standard BF Goodrich all-terrain tires. Both offer earth-toned elements inside with new Olive Brown and Sage colors and matte, open pore simulated wood.

These aren’t hardy off-readers like a Ford Bronco, but the added equipment makes the Sorento a more viable option for those that live down rugged dirt roads and like to hit the trail to camp.