How wide is a 2023 Kia Sorento?
The Car Connection Expert Review Show
September 27, 2022 Likes
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Buying tipThe 2023 Kia Sorento works its magic in EX form, preferably as a hybrid. features & specsThe 2023 Kia Sorento makes tremendous sense as a family hauler, especially in frugal hybrid form.What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Kia Sorento? What does it compare to? The 2023 Kia Sorento is a three-row crossover SUV that splits the difference between compacts such as the Nissan Rogue and mid-sizers such as the Ford Explorer. Is the 2023 Kia Sorento a good SUV? Review continues below This rational choice serves up a big interior and the allure of 30 mpg-plus fuel economy, if you can get over a few head-scratching details. It rates a 6.3 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.) What's new for the 2023 Kia Sorento? The Sorento sees few tweaks aside from some trim-level availability adjustments this year. This crossover SUV comes only with three rows of seats. Its brash exterior combines a host of styling themes into a single, complex package. And that’s just the outside. Inside, its dash is an assault on the senses, though its interior is plenty spacious and most versions have a big 10.3-inch touchscreen that works quite well. Powertrain choices include a thrill-free 191-hp 2.5-liter inline-4 or a reasonably peppy 281-hp turbo-4 in gas-only versions. Hybrids fill the gap in 227-hp form, or as a 261-hp plug-in with 32 miles of all-electric range on a full charge. Hybrid versions are our top choices here, and not just because they offer upward of 30 mpg combined. They work better with the 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox that can struggle in turbo-4 models. Optional all-wheel drive should sweeten the deal in cold-climate markets, too. The Sorento’s cabin easily accommodates four passengers in supreme mainstream comfort. Most versions wear synthetic upholstery, though cloth and real leather are available. The busy dash nearly obscures a terrific infotainment system with standard wireless smartphone compatibility. USB ports abound, too, including some versions with plugs mounted to the front-row seatbacks. On the safety front, the 2023 Sorento scores well in IIHS testing but misses the mark according to the NHTSA. Standard automatic emergency braking softens the blow, and most versions have adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warnings with braking, and blind-spot monitors. How much does the 2023 Kia Sorento cost? We don’t know yet, but it’s safe to guess that the 2023 Sorento won’t stray far from last year’s roughly $31,000 base price for an LX with alloy wheels, cloth seats, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Our money would be on an EX with its synthetic leather, upsized 10.3-inch screen, and power-adjustable driver’s seat. Opt for a hybrid with all-wheel drive and its price will still hover just south of $40,000. Where is the 2023 Kia Sorento made? In West Point, Georgia. The 2023 Kia Sorento wears unusually busy lines.Is the Kia Sorento a good-looking car? It’s a busy one, that’s for sure. The Sorento seems to sample just about every crossover and SUV in its complex, overwrought style. We can’t fault Kia’s designers for trying, though we wish they’d picked one or two fewer themes. It’s a 6 on our scale, with that point above average allotted to its exterior. The Sorento’s front end may be its best touch. It’s clean and cohesive, with a chunky grille flanked by intricate LED lights. Limited brightwork adds a delicate touch. From the side, it’s like an off-brand Acura MDX with its roofline that appears to slope sportily toward the rear. But the tall, almost shapeless flanks suggest otherwise. And there are some fake vents, just for kicks. It’s messy but interesting at the rear. The twin taillights recall Ford Mustang—because why not—and broad Sorento badging adds a somewhat upscale touch. Peel back the Kia badges and it could be, well, anything. It’s wilder inside. The cabin is bonkers, but without a particularly personal touch to its myriad shapes, lines, and vulgarities. No surface bores, and yet no surface intrigues beyond its first glance. Chill, Kia. Review continues below Light on excitement, the 2023 Kia Sorento serves up a balanced ride.The 2023 Kia Sorento won’t thrill, but it has a comfortable ride that makes it an easy-going choice for day-to-day commuting and family-hauling. It’s a 6 on our scale, with a single point for its comfy ride. Is the Kia Sorento 4WD? It can be. All-wheel drive is optional across the line, aside for plug-in hybrids. It’s standard there. How fast is the Kia Sorento? Hybrids and turbo-4 models can keep up with traffic. Base versions? They’re a bit pokey. The Sorento comes standard with a 191-hp inline-4 that we’ve only experienced for brief jaunts. It makes a lot of noise and not a lot of power. The better choice here is the 281-hp turbo-4 that provides a big boost in oomph and refinement, though it can struggle to cope well with the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’s fussiest at low speeds and it can be slow to downshift for zippy highway passing. It’s a shame since this engine delivers plenty of grunt when it’s locked into the right gear. Hybrids offer a good balance between power and frugality. Their total system output of 227 hp comes courtesy of a 1.6-liter turbo-4 and an electric motor fed by a big battery pack. The result is decent grunt around town and an added dose of underhood silence. It also seems to work better with the 8-speed dual-clutch than the turbo-only engine. Plug-in hybrids swap in a bigger electric motor and battery pack good for 261 hp. They’re a smidge quicker than standard hybrids. The softly tuned suspension swallows up big bumps with limited jostling, but plenty of thumps and bumps that audibly transmit their way to the cabin—particularly in hybrids when the gas engine is off. Some hybrid and plug-in vehicles do a better job masking the sounds road imperfections make than the Sorento. Lifeless steering adds to the appliance feel, too. Review continues below The 2023 Kia Sorento offers a spacious if somewhat impersonal cabin.The 2023 Kia Sorento offers as many as seven seat belts, which makes it a great choice for growing families. Its wash-and-ready cabin is the equivalent of fast fashion. It’s not particularly fancy, but it looks great at first glance. Cheap plastics abound, and what looks like quilted leather on costly versions is actually embossed trim. On the upside, the Sorento lives up to expectations with great first- and second-row space, plus a huge cargo area. Stretching 189.4 inches long, the Sorento is a rational, garage-friendly way to haul passengers in three rows. The front seats have decent support and higher-end versions offer power adjustment for both occupants. Row two serves up a gargantuan 41 inches of leg room paired with huge door openings. Captain’s chairs come on EX and higher trims. The third row offers a mere 29.6 inches of leg room and low-mounted seats, though it’s fine for kids or people of shorter stature for limited jaunts. Behind row three lies just 12.6 cubic feet of cargo room. That grows to 40.5 inches with the third-row seats stowed, and it maxes out at 75.5 cubes behind row one. Review continues below A NHTSA blemish hurts the 2023 Kia Sorento’s safety score.How safe is the Kia Sorento? It’s equipped with a reasonable array of crash-avoidance tech and ratings from the IIHS have been positive, but we have to dial back a point for a disconcerting and rare four-star rating from the NHTSA. The 2023 Kia Sorento rates a 6 on the TCC scale. Only models with the top LED headlights score the IIHS’ top rating, though all versions earn a full house of “Good” scores. Automatic emergency braking and active lane control come standard across the line, and adaptive cruise control is readily available. Blind-spot monitors with braking support, a surround-view camera system, and parking sensors, are optional, all of which help alleviate tricky over-the-shoulder vision due to the chunky roof pillars. Review continues below A huge lineup ensures that there is a 2023 Kia Sorento for just about every school pickup/drop off line.Kia offers a dizzying array of Sorento configurations, including gas-only, hybrid, and new plug-in hybrid versions. Overall, this range rates an impressive 9 out of 10. Base models come with good features, there are plenty of options, the infotainment system is top-notch, and there’s no beating Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile warranty and decade-long powertrain coverage. We’re still waiting for Kia to release pricing for the gas-only lineup, but it shouldn’t stray far from last year’s roughly $30,900 starting price—plus $1,800 for all-wheel drive. That cash bought an LX with 17-inch alloy wheels, cloth seats, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and plenty of crash-avoidance tech. Which Kia Sorento should I buy? Skip the Sorento S for the EX, which at about $36,500 to start adds more power, synthetic leather upholstery, blind-spot monitors, heated front seats, second-row captain’s chairs, and a few other bits and baubles. Figure another $1,200 or so for the Sorento EX in hybrid form, plus the requisite $1,800 bump for all-wheel drive. That puts what we consider the ideal Sorento at a little under $40,000. How much is a fully loaded Kia Sorento? The plug-in hybrid starts at about $52,000, which is a lot of cash even considering its 32 miles of electric range on a full charge. That said, at least to start it launches in top SX Prestige trim, which rivals some like-priced luxury models with its cooled front seats with 14 ways of power adjustment and Bose audio. Review continues below How green the 2023 Sorento is depends more on what’s underhood than what color it’s been painted.Is the Kia Sorento good on gas? Well, that’s a complicated question. Our 3 out of 10 rating applies to gas-only versions, which are rated at 24 mpg city, 29 highway, 26 combined in lowly 4-cylinder/front-wheel-drive form. Add all-wheel drive and they slip to 24 mpg. Turbo-4 models rate 25 mpg in front-drive form or 24 mpg with all-wheel drive, a modest compromise for all that extra power. Hybrids excel, however. They’re rated as high as 39/35/37 mpg, or 35 mpg with all-wheel drive. We’ve seen similar figures in real-world use, and we would rate them at 5 on the TCC scale. Plug-in models offer 79 MPGe and 32 miles of range on a full charge. These costly models would rate a heady 8 for fuel economy on the TCC scale. Review continues below Continue Reading The Car Connection Consumer ReviewWhich is bigger Telluride or Sorento?The Kia Telluride is a wider and longer SUV, out-stretching the Sorento's 189-inch total length by nearly eight inches, and coming in at 196.9 inches. The extra inches give the Telluride a significant advantage in cargo space, with an impressive maximum capacity of 87 cubic feet with both rows folded.
Which is bigger Sorento or Santa Fe?The new 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe has more cargo space than the Kia Sorento behind the back row. The Hyundai Santa Fe offers 147.9 cubic feet of total interior volume, 72.1 cubic feet of cargo room behind the first row, and 36.4 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row.
Is the Sorento bigger than the pilot?Lower starting price: While the Sorento is smaller than a Pilot and has a less-powerful engine, it costs significantly less, starting at nearly $8,500 below a Honda Pilot.
Is the Kia Sorento changing for 2023?The handsomely styled and well-appointed Kia Sorento gets a bit better-appointed for the 2023 model year thanks to a reshuffling of its options list to make more features standard at each trim level. However, with the new year also comes an across-the-board price increase for the Korean SUV.
What SUV is bigger than a Kia Sorento?The Telluride has more standard safety features and more room, but it also costs more — both at the dealership and the gas pump, due to its bigger V-6 engine versus the Sorento's four-cylinder or hybrid models.
Is Sorento or Sportage bigger?The 2022 Kia Sorento is the bigger vehicle with an extra row of seats, so, as would be expected, its starting price is a little higher than the Sportage. Of course, you should check out our new vehicle specials for the best deals on both the 2022 Sportage and Sorento.
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