Kia Sorento - Interior, design and technology

The Sorento is your typical bluff-fronted family SUV in shape, but Kia’s intention to continue its push upmarket is evidenced in some assured design touches. The mid-life refresh that came in 2024 provided a similar face to the rest of Kia’s line up - influenced by the all-electric range of EV-branded Kias, especially the EV9. 

At the front the facelifted car received a new take on Kia’s ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, with fresh ‘star map’ headlights to help it look larger and more aggressive on the road. The rear got a more subtle update with new signatures for the rear lights and a reshaped bumper. Overall, the Sorento does little that’s special or unusual in the large-SUV segment, but it’s a handsome car nonetheless. 

Inside, the positive impression continues, particularly if you haven’t kept track of Kia’s swift improvement in the perceived quality stakes in recent years. The quality of the plastics is a let-down in places, particularly the textured finish applied to the passenger side of the dash and the doors, and the piano-black finishes on certain surfaces may also be susceptible to scratches, but generally the cabin looks good. The design is also more adventurous than rivals like the X-Trail’s.There isn’t the classy minimalist approach that some brands strive for – although more touch sensitive buttons arrived with the facelift - replacing physical controls for major controls like the climate and radio. Don’t think they’re fiddly to use however, because it’s the same bank of buttons that the EV6 and EV9 use and we think they’re simple enough to operate while driving. There are no covers for the ample cubbies in the centre console – but the Sorento is more user friendly as a result.

When the pre-facelift Sorento bowed out there was just one trim level called Edition. Thankfully, the facelift brought back a selection of ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ specifications with a varied amount of kit between them. Standard equipment is pretty good in the Sorento with automatic headlights, roof rails, rain-sensing front wipers, dual automatic air-conditioning, heated front seats and steering wheel, six USB-C ports, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen with in-built sat-nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a reversing camera. 

The ‘3’ builds on this with 19-inch alloy wheels (instead of the 2’s 17-inch rims), tinted windows, black leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a Bose premium sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera and rear self-levelling suspension. 

Sitting at the top of the range, the ‘4’ includes 19-inch alloy wheels for hybrid and PHEV (20-inch on diesel), an electric panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, an electronic rear-view mirror and a customisable head-up display. The facelifted car added a fingerprint recognition system that allowed the driver to start the engine and can also pe operated by a PIN code. 

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment 

31

Kia's latest infotainment technology is slick and easy to use, aided by the easy touchscreen controls in the Sorento. The menus are logical, with the main functions easily accessible through a single menu page. Loading times are reasonable, but confirming a route on the navigation system includes what seem like a couple of redundant button presses. 

Instead of the old 10.25-inch screen in the pre-facelift model, the facelifted Sorento gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen which works well. With the black background it’s a little hard to read in glaring sun, but it’s a simple enough layout. 

The digital driver’s display presents its information clearly, and it’s through here that you can adjust the driver-assist systems, and delve into the trip computer functions in greater detail. 

The Sorento Edition also comes with UVO Connect telematic services that add live traffic information, weather and parking information into the mix. Using the phone app, it lets you send routes to the car in advance of your journey, too. The infotainment system can pair two phones at the same time via Bluetooth, so one could be playing music while the other makes a call. Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity are standard too.

There are loads of USB chargers with two in the front, three more in the middle row and a further pair in the boot/third-row area – there’s basically one for each occupant, while a wireless charging mat in the front means someone can even bring a second device with them.