Well-equipped Sorento X-Line SX Prestige brings new feel, value

It’s hard to criticize Kia for too much when it comes to adding value to their lineup, offering the best warranty in the industry, and not being afraid to refresh top-selling vehicles. The 2024 Kia Sorento got a refresh this year and it is better than ever.

My recent Kia tester was the Sorento X-Line SX-Prestige. It arrived in a striking Jungle Green hue with big 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels, low-profile rubber, a huge restyled black grille, sleek wrap-around lighting elements, and black roof rails framing the top. This is the X-Line package at its best.

Overall, this is a handsome SUV with lots of personality and a look that inspires an athletic attitude of “go anywhere you like.” This is one family hauler that looks great on the outside and with some of the refreshing adds inside the cabin – it is equally compelling for passengers.

X-Line SX-Prestige

The upgraded SX-Prestige features are impressive for the level of comfort and functionality they bring to the cabin. These features include Bose premium audio; leather seat trim; upgraded power driver and front passenger seat; memory driver’s seat; heated second-row seats; heated steering wheel; parking collision-avoidance assist – reverse; parking distance warning – side; digital rearview mirror; HomeLink garage opener; retractable rear door sunshades; SynTex suede headliner; and 115-volt power adapter.

Performance

My tester featured the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is at the top of the hill for Sorento. With its 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, this all-wheel-drive SUV has plenty of get-up-and-go. I found the 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to be smooth most of the time, though it seems to hesitate a bit at lower speeds. It’s nothing to gripe about, but there were noticeable times when it seemed to stutter a bit.

Fuel economy is on average with the competition at 20/27 mpg city/highway. Overall, my experiences in the city and on the highway were excellent while jumping into traffic and merging at highway speeds. The top-end Sorento powerplant can get it to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds.

Cabin

This is a spacious cabin, though my tester with the captain’s chairs in the second row will only seat six, rather than the seven promised in other configurations. The third row is small and best for kids.

My Sorento SX-Prestige tester is one of the costliest Sorentos you can buy. The loaded Sorento I had all week was punctuated by the upgrade ($295) Sage Leather Package, which added a green leather treatment that was a perfect complement to the exterior hue.

Seating is wide and fully supported and power controlled for a perfect seating position. Controls are easy to reach for the driver and visibility is excellent. One of the first things I noticed is the old rotary shifter has been replaced by a more traditional stalk. For me, this is a huge improvement that feels more comfortable.

The refresh adds wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the mix, as well as a new curved digital screen set on the top of the dash. This intuitive screen configuration offers a digital instrument cluster on the left and an infotainment touchscreen on the right. I found it to be quite a bit more responsive and easier to navigate than previous versions.

Highway Driving Assist

Kia’s Highway Driving Assist features automatic lane change functionality. HDA keeps the SUV centered in its lane. When the car in front of you moves to another lane, the Sorento gradually accelerates to get you back up to speed with traffic.

When HDA is active, a graphic will pop up between the two instrument cluster gauges to assist in visualizing any blind spots. It shows a representation of the road depicting where the Sorento is in relation to cars on the left and right.

The 2024 Kia Sorento X-Line in SX Prestige trim has a base price of $46,390; add in the $520 in options and a $1,375 destination charge and my tester landed at $48,285. For Kia, this is a bit high, even though you are getting the industry’s best warranty (10-year and 100K mile powertrain) and an AWD three-row family hauler.

While there are plenty of options out there, if you want to add some off-road capability and a bit of additional style to your Sorento, this may be your best combo.

• John Stein is a freelance journalist based in Chicago. He has more than 25 years of experience driving, testing and writing about the automotive industry, its latest innovations and new vehicles.