Is It Form or Function First With the 2024 Kia Sorento X-Line SX Prestige?

Beautifully imposing 20-inch black wheels and Jungle Green paint are the first things you notice when you walk up to the 2024 Kia Sorento X-Line SX-Prestige we recently tested, even more so than its restyled grille and lighting elements. Of the many Sorentos we’ve driven, this one is probably the most striking. The Sorento’s 2024 midcycle refresh also brings changes of substance in the form of new interior tech. Overall, this updated Sorento feels like four steps forward, one step back, and a few steps sideways.

Interior: A Refined Retreat

Stepping into the cabin of the well-equipped 2024 Kia Sorento X-Pro directly from an equally well-equipped 2023 model, I found a comforting sense of familiarity. Many of the controls are the same, including those for the steering wheel and lower center console. One notable change is the replacement of the rotary shifter with a traditional gear stalk, which is equally hassle-free.

It's just spacious as before, too. Lower-trim, non-hybrid Sorentos continue to seat seven, but this model has room for just six, allowing for plenty of space in the first and second rows. As a smaller adult, I fit comfortably in the third row. My three-year-old daughter is also at ease back there, even with her bulky car seat positioned directly behind my younger toddler and his bulky car seat. Fold down one of the third-row seats, and there’s enough room for a Costco grocery run for the family.

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At a shade over $48,000, this particular model is among the most expensive Sorentos you can get. SX Prestige translates to “fully loaded” in Kia-speak, adding standard features such as a new digital rearview mirror, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, passenger one-touch power windows, and rear door sunshades. I didn’t love its untextured wood trim, nor was I lured in by the hard black surfaces on the doors and dashboard, but its plush green leather seats included in the Sage Leather package make up for these peccadillos, serving as a nice complement to the green exterior. Those flashy wheels come courtesy of the X-Line equipment level, which also includes black body trim, a beefy roof rack, and a locking center differential for a hint of rugged appeal. Just know the true outdoorsy model of the Sorento lineup is the all-terrain-tire-clad X-Pro.

Tech Triumphs and Failures

Although I really appreciate the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the biggest change to the refreshed 2024 Sorento is its snazzy new digital screen setup. As is the case in many new vehicles today, a long, curved display atop the dashboard comprises a digital instrument cluster on the left side and an infotainment touchscreen on the right. We’ve criticized the old Sorento’s outdated touchscreen, and Kia upped its game with the new setup, which features simpler menus and is more responsive to touch than before.

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I just wish other surrounding controls were as user-friendly. Below the big screen is a horizontal panel that switches between climate and infotainment functions with the press of a button. Our dislike of the dual-function digital control panel that’s popped up on several new Kias is well documented. The most frustrating aspect is that the volume knob doubles as a temperature control knob depending on the active setting. Often, I find myself accidentally changing the temperature when I intended to adjust the media volume, and vice versa. It seems like an unnecessary extra step to check which setting you’re in before performing such a simple function.

As with many upper-trim Sorentos, our tester came with an upgraded version of Kia’s Highway Driving Assist (HDA) featuring automatic lane change functionality. HDA excels in keeping the SUV centered in its lane and bending with the road. 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 helpful graphic pops up between the two instrument cluster gauges to aid you in visualizing your blind spots. It shows a representation of the road depicting where the Sorento is in relation to cars on the left and right, a feature that made me feel more secure when preparing to change lanes.

Performance: Quick but Not Entirely Comfortable

Our test SUV came with the most powerful engine in the Sorento arsenal: a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine doling out 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. Considering this all-wheel-drive Sorento’s power, fuel economy isn’t bad at 20/27 mpg city/highway.

This engine feels plenty powerful merging onto the highway, providing a commanding soundtrack as it hustles to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. That makes it 0.7 second quicker than our long-term 2023 plug-in hybrid Sorento test vehicle with 20 fewer hp and 53 fewer lb-ft. Its solid acceleration is on par with a similarly powerful 2022 Honda Passport TrailSport we tested making the dash in 6.5 seconds. Another V-6-powered rival, the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, took 7.3 seconds to hit the mark.

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The 2024 Sorento X-Line also performed well in our braking test, reaching a standstill from 60 mph in 118 feet. That’s better than the plug-in Sorento’s 123 feet and better than the Passport’s 132 feet and the Grand Cherokee’s 142 feet. That said, our test team noted that the pedal suffered from long travel, with a mushy feel “like you’re pushing through pudding.”

Braking became an issue again in our handling tests, with the team reporting that the pedal was soft and ineffective. On a positive note, power delivery proved adequate, and the transmission placed the Sorento in the correct gears so manual shifting wasn’t necessary.

We’re not letting the transmission off the hook, though. As we’ve noted in past Sorento reviews, the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission hesitates at low speeds, detracting somewhat from smooth movement around town. Also, this Sorento’s glossy footwear prioritizes style over maximum comfort. Wearing 20-inch wheels and lower-profile tires, the turbo Sorento exhibits a firm ride. We also noted more body roll than expected. The 2023 Sorento plug-in hybrid I’ve been driving for several months delivers a smoother overall experience on 19s, plus more relaxed steering. We’ve also praised the comfortable ride on the 2024 Sorento X-Pro that wears 17-inch wheels.

One way this Sorento delivers on its athletic look is its tight turning radius. Making a U-turn is no problem in this large SUV. Steering turns heavy in Sport mode, but that doesn’t mean you’ll mistake it for a small SUV in the way it moves around a twisty road.

Worth It?

After turning over the keys and hopping back into my older Sorento a week later, I missed the new SX Prestige’s superior screen, wireless smartphone connectivity, and extra driver assist aids. Yet I quickly settled back into the plug-in hybrid’s comfortable and easygoing nature. While perfectly suitable as an everyday family hauler, I’m not convinced Sorento X-Line SX Prestige is the best choice for more practical buyers. As I glance back at the sage stunner one last time, though, maybe I’m having second thoughts …