Kia Sorento (2015-2020) Review
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Written by Dan Powell
Quick overview
Pros
- Easy to drive and comfortable
- Comprehensive seven year/100k warranty
- Generously equipped as standard
Cons
- Not the sharpest SUV to drive
- Sluggish seven-speed automatic gearbox on older models
- Bland exterior styling
Overall verdict
"The Kia Sorento is one of the best seven-seat SUVs. All are well-equipped, spacious, practical and get four-wheel drive as standard. Some buyers might be disappointed by the diesel-only engine line-up, but the Sorento has plenty to offer family car buyers who need a large and dependable SUV. "
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The Kia Sorento is a large, spacious and practical seven-seat SUV. We rate it as one of the best, as it packs lots of space of equipment into a presentable, affordable package.
The core appeal of the Kia Sorento is easy to understand - it’s comfortable, practical and easy to live with. Even six-feet-tall adults can sit in the third row without excessive discomfort. It also finished to a high standard, with the switchgear having a pleasingly tactile action and the materials used being of good quality.
While it might look like a vast SUV, the Sorento doesn’t feel particularly unwieldy through in town or out on country lanes. Visibility is good and, thanks to precise and adequately weighted steering, it’s easy to position on the road.
There’s the odd thump over large bumps, on cars fitted with 18- or 19-inch wheels, but it still rides and corners in a controlled, comfortable fashion overall. You’ll have no problems when it comes to parking, either, due to a host of assistance systems including a 360-degree parking camera.
If you’re in the market for a seven-seat SUV, then this definitely deserves a spot on your shopping list. In any instance, in part due to its seven-year, 100,000-mile transferable warranty, the Kia Sorento should prove a quietly gratifying and hassle-free car to live with.
If you're looking for the newer version, you need our Kia Sorento (2020) review.
Is the Kia Sorento right for you?
What’s the best Sorento model/engine to choose?
What other cars are similar to the Kia Sorento?
Comfort and design
"The Kia Sorento’s cabin is among the best of any seven-seater for space and practicality. All models get three rows of seats and the third row can be folded flat into the boot floor to provide a useful 605 litres of boot space."
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Even the most basic KX-1 models feature a fully adjustable driver’s seat, with height adjustment. However, to get lumbar support and electronic seat adjustment, you’ll need to buy the Sorento in KX-3 trim or better. These models also get leather trim and heated front seats as standard.
No matter which version you choose, the driving position is excellent. The seats are supportive and wide and the pedals align nicely with the driver’s seat, which means you sit straight in front of the dashboard and don’t need to twist your body to use the clutch or throttle.
All of the latest Sorento models get a touchscreen infotainment system as standard, located at the centre of the dashboard. There’s also large and easy to use controls for the heating, air conditioning and ventilation.
The high roof and wide body provide lots of head and shoulder space across all three rows of seats. The flat floor also makes it easy to fit three adults across the second row, with a good level of legroom throughout.
The third row of seats has more space than you might expect. There’s certainly more legroom than the Discovery, XC90 and Kodiaq. This means average-sized adults will fit in in good comfort. The large rear doors also make it easy to get everyone in and out again with the minimum of fuss. This makes the Sorento useful for the school run.
Quality and finish
Infotainment
Space and practicality
Handling and ride quality
"The Kia Sorento is a car that priorities comfort over handling. This means you get a softly sprung SUV that rides the road extremely well. On the downside, the Sorento lacks any real bite or reward in the handling department."
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It’s unlikely you’ll care much about the handling, given that the Sorento is designed for practicality and refinement over high-speed driving.
The Sorento is easy to drive and predictable. All versions get four-wheel drive as standard, which means there is no shortage of grip. You also get a hill start assist system that’ll prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards when you lift your foot off the brake.
If you feel uncomfortable driving a big SUV then it’s worth adding the optional blind-spot monitoring system, which will warn you if you try to change lanes when a car is alongside the Sorento on the motorway.
A smart cross-traffic alert system is also available. This will warn you of approaching vehicles when reversing out of a narrow driveway or parking space.
Engines and gearboxes
Refinement and noise levels
Safety equipment
MPG fuel costs
"The Sorento should prove comparatively economical for a large four-wheel drive SUV. The manual gearbox is advertised with 41mpg, while the eight-speed automatic Sorento will return up to 38mpg."
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Real world fuel figures lower the official fuel figures to 35mpg for the manual transmission and 33mpg for the automatic.
Insurance groups and costs
VED
How much should I pay for a used Kia Sorento?
"Kia launched this, the third-generation of the Sorento, in 2015 and launch models can be found on the used market from £15,000."
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What’s more, backed by Kia’s huge seven-year-warranty, a 2015 car will still have some of its manufacturer cover still left on its books.
Three-year-old version of the Sorento will command up to £26,000, with the desirable GT Line models commanding the highest prices. However, if you care more about value than style, you may be more interested in the well-equipped KX-2 models which start in the region of £21,000.
The Sorento is one of the best seven-seaters on the market and this means deals on nearly new models are rare. However, if you find a pre-reg model with delivery mileage, you can save up to 15% against the list price. But be quick, these models do not tend to hang around on forecourts for long.
Trim levels and standard equipment
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Is the Kia Sorento expensive to run?
Is the Kia Sorento a good family car?
Is the Kia Sorento a 4x4 SUV?
Kia Sorento cars for sale on heycar
Kia Sorento1.6 T-GDi HEV 2 5dr Auto
2024896 milesHybrid£620 mo£40,995
DeliveryKia Sorento1.6 T-GDi HEV 2 5dr Auto
202224,584 milesHybrid£394 moor £27,597£28,197
£600 offGreat priceHU130EGKia Sorento2.2 CRDi KX-2 5dr
201551,000 milesDiesel£310 mo£13,995
Great priceSA79FJKia Sorento2.2 CRDi Edition 5dr DCT
20239,000 milesDiesel£611 mo£39,995
Fair priceCF313SAKia Sorento2.2 CRDi 4 5dr DCT
20245,001 milesDiesel£734 mo£47,295
Delivery
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