What kind of car is the 2022 Kia Sorento? What does it compare to?
With the Sorento, Kia gambles that a small third-row seat will set it apart from its platform-mate, the Hyundai Santa Fe, as well as some of today’s best-selling family wagons—including the Ford Explorer and Lexus RX.
Is the 2022 Kia Sorento a good car?
Review continues below
The extra seats may stand out on a spec sheet, but the otherwise fine Sorento does better in five-seat mode, with the frugal hybrid powertrain in less expensive models. We give it a TCC Rating of 7.0 out of 10, but we have concerns about its crash-test scores. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 Kia Sorento?
Sold in LX, S, EX, SX, and SX-Prestige trims, the 2022 Sorento adds a plug-in hybrid powertrain this year. More models can be trimmed with rugged-ish X-Line add-ons, and most versions now have a 10.3-inch touchscreen.
We’re more baffled than intrigued by the latest Sorento’s style. In the past it wore generically handsome SUV cues; now it dons metallic fillips and a razor-mesh grille in a ploy to get noticed. We see you—we’re just not sure what to make of some of the road-to-nowhere details and the busy, gaming-influenced look of the dash and controls.
The Sorento steers with more interest and stays in firm control of its ride quality, but its base 191-hp 4-cylinder won’t generate much buzz. Its 281-hp turbo-4 does, but it matches strong acceleration with more powertrain noise. So does the 227-hp hybrid system that gets our nod; it’s efficient and just fast enough. We’re ready to drive the upcoming plug-in hybrid, which uses less fuel and promises stronger performance to go with its stiffer price tag.
The Sorento seats four adults with ease. It has seven seats, but the middle passenger in the middle row±and anyone in the way back—will know why those seats are best used on rare occasions. The second-row seats slide fore and aft on tracks and have nearly as much support as the comfortable buckets in front; all Sorentos have lots of cargo room and all kinds of small-item storage, not to mention nice frills like USB ports molded into the front seatbacks on some versions.
The IIHS calls the Sorento a Top Safety Pick, but only the most expensive models have the good LED headlights that earn that designation. The NHTSA rates it at four stars overall, a disappointing score for a new family vehicle. Automatic emergency braking comes standard, as do automatic high beams; blind-spot monitors, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera system are available on most models where they’re not standard.
How much does the 2022 Kia Sorento cost?
The $30,665 Sorento LX brings a lot to the plate: cloth upholstery, three rows of seat, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We like the $36,465 Sorento EX in hybrid spec, with wireless smartphone charging, a panoramic sunroof, and all-wheel drive. It’s possible to spend more than $55,000—but don’t.
Where is the 2022 Kia Sorento made?
In West Point, Georgia.