Trims, Powertrains, and Towing
Kia’s stalwart Sorento is made in eight trims: LX, S, EX, SX, X-Line EX, X-Line SX, X-Line SX Prestige, and X-Pro SX Prestige. The powertrain for the LX and S consists of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (191 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque) and an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the remaining trims receive a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder (281 hp and 311 lb.-ft. of torque) with a performance-focused wet dual-clutch. Front-wheel drive is standard in the LX, S, EX, and SX, but the S can be ordered with torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, which is standard in the three X-Line trims and the X-Pro.
Towing capacity varies from trim to trim. With the LX and S, it maxes out at 2,000 pounds, but the EX, SX, X-Line EX, X-Line SX, and X-Line SX Prestige are able to pull up to 3,500 pounds. The X-Pro SX Prestige is the strongest of the bunch, providing a peak towing capacity of 4,500 pounds.
Fuel Economy
According to fuel economy estimations performed by the EPA, the LX and S return an estimated 23 mpg in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway. With AWD the S returns 23 mpg city/28 mpg highway. The EX and SX both achieve 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway, while the X-Line variants and the X-Pro carry out 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Kia puts plenty of great equipment into the base LX, including proximity keyless entry, cloth upholstery, remote start, heated power-adjustable side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, manual air conditioning, manually adjustable front seats, a one-touch sliding and folding 60/40-split second-row bench seat, a 50/50-split folding and reclining third-row seat, a dual-level cargo floor, push-button ignition, a 4-inch instrument display, five USB ports (four charging and one data), two 12-volt power outlets, automatic LED headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The S graduates to synthetic-leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats, a 10-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, two additional USB charging ports, roof rails, and 18-inch wheels.
With the EX, seating decreases to six owing to the standard pair of second-row captain’s chairs in lieu of a bench seat. Aside from that, this trim gains an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a power liftgate, LED fog lights, and 20-inch wheels. The SX adds ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Digital Key, a digital 12.3-inch curved instrument display, rain-sensing windshield wipers, power-folding side mirrors, aluminum pedals, LED cabin lighting, and LED taillights.
The X-Line EX builds on the regular EX with more aggressive design elements and black exterior accents. It also gets a panoramic sunroof and LED cabin lighting along with stronger roof rails and wood interior trim. The X-Line SX steps up with the more upscale contents of the regular SX trim, while the X-Line SX Prestige will treat you to perforated leather upholstery, an enhanced driver’s seat with position memory and power thigh-cushion extension, heated outboard second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, a digital rearview mirror, a 115-volt power outlet, second-row sunshades, and a synthetic-suede headliner. At the top of the 2025 Sorento lineup, the off-road-optimized X-Pro SX Prestige features chunky all-terrain tires.
Advanced Driving Aids
Kia outfits the ’25 Sorento with the comprehensive Drive Wise safety package, which bundles blind-spot collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist (with pedestrian, cyclist, and junction-turning detection), rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, adaptive cruise control with speed limit assist, driver attention warning, rear occupant alert, safe exit assist, and automatic high beams. All but the base LX receive front and rear parking sensors, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, and highway driving assist.
The SX, X-Line SX, X-Line SX Prestige, and X-Pro SX Prestige are loaded with more sophisticated driving aids: blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, a live-feed blind-spot monitor, an enhanced forward collision system (which adds evasive steering assist and various other lane-assist features), and a surround-view camera.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The infotainment system in the LX is managed through a 12.3-inch touchscreen and includes wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM satellite radio, an audio system with six speakers, and Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming. The S and above add built-in navigation and a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you’re a music lover who wants to enjoy a more immersive audio experience, take note that the X-Line SX Prestige and X-Pro SX Prestige are upgraded with a 12-speaker Bose setup.
