Review: 2022 KIA Sorento X-Line SX-Prestige AWD

The KIA Sorento is a mid-size crossover SUV that is one of the KIA corporation's longest standing name plates. It made its debut back in February 2002 as a traditional truck-based body-on-frame SUV which was the case for most SUVs back in the early 2000's. Today, the fourth generation Sorento has continued to grow in size and stature with each new generation; and again, this new generation has a larger overall footprint than its predecessor. It has an extended wheelbase that is 1.4” longer and a length that is almost a half inch longer as well. This continual size increase continues to benefit the handling and safety as well as the interior cabin spacing especially for the second-row captain chairs and the third row bench seat.

The pure gas powered Sorento offers two distinct variations including a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Smartstream gasoline engine that will produce a reliable 191 hp or— if you are not ready to settle down quite yet—you can go with the 2.5-liter turbocharged Smartstream 4-cylinder that will produce 281 horsepower of fun. Both engine variants come with 8-speed transmission with the turbo using a double clutch 8-speed. The 4th generation Sorento offers a number of trim levels comprised of the LX, S, EX, SX, SX Prestige, and SX Prestige X-Line which gives buyers plenty of personalization options.

The Sorento pictured, my press loan for the week, is the X-Line SX-Prestige AWD trim package. This is trim line is about as close as you can get to a luxury sports vehicle without calling it a luxury sports SUV. The comfort, styling, and handling were most definitely a far cry from the Sorento's original truck chassis design. The X-Line SX trim comes with the 2.5L turbocharged engine with 281 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft. of torque and sits on sporty-looking 20-inch alloy wheels with a gloss black finish.

The Sorento's interior is pretty 'cush' too and comes outfitted with:

• leather seating trim, power front seats with driver memory
• heated and ventilated front seats
• heated second row seats
• heated steering wheel
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.25-inch touchscreen navigation with KIA Connect
• panoramic sunroof with power sunshade
• Bose premium audio system

As more and more automakers are streamlining their vehicle trim options “for customer convenience”, it appears KIA continues to double down on its trim packages giving buyers more and more options to personalize and customize their personal drive experience. This might explain why KIA Corporation continues to win awards around the world for not only vehicle excellence, but corporation and brand excellence as well.

As the KIA brand makes a momentous shift toward electrification with our next generation of vehicles, passenger safety remains a top priority. These eight TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ accolades from IIHS are the direct results of our commitment to delivering the highest standards for crash readiness, structural integrity and available safety systems for our customers.

Sean Yoon, President and CEO of KIA America, KIA North America

In the News

Source: KIA | KIA's capable and premium Sorento SUV is one of the brand's longest standing nameplates. For model year 2022, the newly introduced Sorento PHEV joins the gas-powered and hybrid variants to round out the model range. Other news includes the addition of all-wheel drive for the Sorento Hybrid (with 19-inch wheels for the Hybrid EX). And the X-Line package has been expanded to Sorento EX and S trims due to the popularity of this rugged iteration. Sorento SX-P models get standard memory seats with more adjustability, adding 14-way power and a newly added thigh extender. The SX-P trim also gets standard rear heated captain's seats. Lastly, the 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation and telematics is now standard on all models from the S trim and above.

Specifications

Engine: 281 horsepower 2.5L Turbo
Torque: 311 pound-feet
Transmission: 8-Speed Dual-Clutch
Wheels: 20" Alloy Wheels, X-Line Gray Finish
Sound: Bose Premium Audio
Color: Wolf Gray
Fuel: 22/27/24 (mpg city/highway/combined)
MSRP (starts): $43,190
MSRP (shown): $48,120

Learn More

For more information or to test drive this vehicle for yourself, stop by a local dealer or visit online at:
KIA

About KIA

Headquartered in Irvine, California, KIA America continues to top automotive quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. KIA serves as the Official Automotive Partner of the NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electrified vehicles sold through a network of nearly 750 dealers in the U.S. including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America.