Skip to main content

The Kia Sorento has been a favorite among compact SUV buyers for over two decades. The Sorento, now in its fourth generation, keeps improving with each new model year. This latest model punches way above its weight class, offering features to drivers typically only seen in premium luxury SUVs.

Recently, TrueCar has released its list of the best SUVs on the market today, and the 2023 Kia Sorento did very well, placing right near the top of the list as the No. 2 best SUV on the market today, only being surpassed by the 2023 Kia Sportage. Here are three reasons you should choose the Kia Sorento and two why you may be better off looking elsewhere.

Pro #1. The Kia Sorento has a ton of features and a comfortable cabin

According to TrueCar, the 2023 Kia Sorento comes standard with a wide range of features even on the base LX model, including seven-passenger seating, an 8-inch touchscreen display with dynamic parking guidance, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, remote keyless entry, six USB charging ports, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot detection, and lane keep assist. Most vehicles in this class would need to upgrade a few trim levels to get all of these features, but they are all standard for the Sorento.

Pro #2. The Sorento is incredibly fuel efficient

A dark green 2023 Kia Sorento X-Line compact SUV model driving on a gravel dirt road in a forest
2023 Kia Sorento X-Line | Kia America

Kia has been working on its hybrid drivetrains for several years now, and the 2023 Kia Sorento benefits from this hybrid investment to the fullest. According to KBB, the Kia Sorento Hybrid can achieve fuel economy numbers of around 39 city mpg and 35 highway mpg. Additionally, the Sorento PHEV adds an all-electric, zero-emission range of 32 miles.

Pro #3. The Sorento has an industry-best warranty

When Kia first hit the North American market, the company needed consumers to feel confident with their purchase, so it implemented one of the best warranties in automotive history, including a basic warranty of five years/60,000 miles and a powertrain warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles, which gives the Sorento one of the longest warranty periods in the industry.

Con #1. The rear seats can be restrictive

Even though the Kia Sorento can seat seven passengers, it is not necessarily comfortable to do so. With the Sorento still being a midsize SUV, cramming seven seats into this smaller SUV means sacrifices had to be made in the rear legroom and headroom departments. However, the back seats of the Sorento can still be comfortable enough for short trips.

Con #2. The Kia Sorento is not the best at towing

According to Car and Driver, the 2023 Kia Sorento has a maximum towing capacity of around 3,500 pounds when properly equipped and about 2,000 pounds with the smaller powertrain. This makes the Kia Sorento one of the worst vehicles in its class if you ever want to tow anything with your midsize SUV. Still, for most families, this low towing capacity will hardly be an issue. If you want to move soon, you may be better off renting a truck!