2022 Kia Sorento SX

The Kia Sorento got a redesign in 2021 and the car looks beautiful. I think it’s one of the most underrated three-row SUVs out there. Yes, it’s small, but I think it’s  incredibly functional, is at a great price point, and the safety and the design is top notch.

I love the all blacked out exterior of this SX trim level. The exterior looks like a Telluride without being a mini Telluride. Kia is really doing a good job staying ahead of the trends and making their cars look really good. Now, I like the exterior, but I love the interior more. 

Front Row

The interior of the Sorento is beautiful. The door panel design looks really nice and the cubby space is good but I’m bummed it doesn’t fit my water bottle. Sitting in the driver’s seat I feel like I’m in a luxury car and the MSRP is $41,000. Not bad. The dash isn’t digital but it looks nice and integrates well into the touch screen display. Climate control is pulled out of the screen, which I like. The infotainment is incredibly user friendly. It offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Under the screen there is a storage cubby with a wireless charger and 3 USBC outlets. The center console is pretty good size for the compact size of the car. 

As for space in here, it feels airy and spacious. I have great head clearance and I’m about six feet tall. 

Second Row

With my two rear and forward facing car seats installed I have plenty of clearance even when the front seats are set for a tall driver and passenger. I just toured the Cadillac XT6, which is a bigger car and it had less clearance. I think the Sorento is comparable to the size of the Toyota Highlander.

When I jump into the second row I have plenty of room even with the seat pushed all the way forward to give the third row the most amount of room. I have USB outlets in the back of the seat (genius, Kia), and a door cup holder. Nothing gets me more excited than a door cup holder. I was expecting heated seats and sunshades. Definitely bummed we don’t have those. 

Third Row

To get to the third row, press the button on the seat near the floor. I love that they put the button down there so a young kid can hop into the third row by themselves. I hate it when car manufacturers put the seat release at the top of the seat. An eight-year-old can’t reach that. The third row is elevated and feels tight in some places but roomy in others. The leg room is nice, but my head is grazing the ceiling. Amenities back here are just OK–we have UCSB outlets and cup holders but there aren’t any vents. 

One thing to note: The third row comes standard in the Sorento now. It swapped with the Santa Fe, which no longer comes standard with the third row

Car Seat Set Up

The car seat setup doesn’t get much better than this. This car has captain's chairs (it also comes with a bench instead) and has lower and tether anchors in both the captain’s chairs and the two third row seats.

Trunk

The trunk space with the third row up is tiny. There is no way my car seat is going to fit in here. The storage space in the floor is really nice since the overall storage space is so small. I love that I can put the third row down by just pulling a tab. You know I hate power third row seats. And after I’ve put the third row down, my double stroller has plenty of room. 

Trim

The Kia Sorento comes in eight trim levels, with the SX trim near the top. This Sorento SX comes with all blacked out exterior elements, which I think looks so good. The Sorento also comes in hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

Safety and Tech

I love Hyundai and Kia’s crash prevention technology. But I do have to mention the crash ratings on the Sorento are a little mixed. IIHS gives it a top safety pick, but NHTSA gives it 4 stars in frontal crash and rollover, which leaves room for improvement. Overall, I still recommend this car, but I want you to know about those ratings. 

I love this car. It’s great for smaller families with one or two children, but I would definitely avoid it with three kids. Overall, it is a well-designed, functional car and offers a great way to get into a three row SUV at an affordable price point.