2024 Kia Sorento X-Pro Is Movin’ On Up

Rugged is in, and at this point, just about every automaker has an off-road-oriented trim, all with names that are trying to give off a suitably tough vibe. At Kia, that variant is the X-Pro, and the Sorento is the third Kia to get the treatment, after the Telluride and Sportage. As hockey great Wayne Gretzky famously said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” So we can’t fault Kia for adding the off-road treatment to yet another model.

The X-Pro trim is a highlight of the 2024 Sorento’s mid-cycle refresh, which also earned the mid-size SUV redesigned front and rear ends, plus revised tech inside. Little has changed for the Sorento mechanically, however. Whereas Kia’s other three-row SUVs, the Telluride and the EV9, are each offered with one powertrain, the Sorento—like the Beatles or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—has a quartet. Base models are equipped with a 191-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder with front- or all-wheel drive, and they feel woefully slow; upper trims get a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder that churns out 281 ponies. A pair of hybrids mate a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to produce a far more acceptable 227 horsepower in the standard hybrid and 261 horsepower in the plug-in hybrid. The latter two launch later in 2024 as 2025 models, while the rest of the lineup is on sale now.

The Sorento X-Pro is available as a $1000 option on the top $47,765 SX-Prestige trim and comes only with the 2.5-liter turbo four, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We don’t have test results on the updated Sorento yet, but previous versions with this powertrain have accelerated to 60 mph in as quick as 6.0 seconds and never felt underpowered. A larger radiator fan for the X-Pro increases towing capacity by 1000 pounds to 4500, putting it nearly level with the base Telluride’s 5000-pound maximum. New for 2024, the more powerful unit comes standard on all but the base LX and S trims. Unlike the lesser ones, the X-Pro and just sort of off-road-y X-Line trims come standard with all-wheel drive.

Upgrading to the X-Pro increases the Sorento’s ride height to improve ground clearance from 6.9 to 8.2 inches, and it swaps the standard 20-inch alloys for a smaller set of 17-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A all-terrain tires. On paved roads, the extra cushion provided by the all-terrain’s taller sidewall made for a comfortable ride, perfectly suited for eating up highway miles on a family road trip or jogging around town completing errands. Ditching the pavement for the dirt roads surrounding the Rocky Mountains, the X-Pro really made its case. The Sorento performed well in the slush and mud—especially in Snow mode, which sends more of the engine’s power rearward.

In a segment where steering feel is likely quite far down most shoppers’ checklists, the Sorento’s is par for the course. Twisting the drive mode dial from Normal to Sport adds some extra heft to the wheel but fails to improve overall feel. From a stop, the dual-clutch automatic lurches slightly as it engages first gear—we had quite a few drivability and reliability issues with our long-term Sorento with this powertrain—but once on the move, any transmission issues faded to the background. On the plus side, we didn’t notice any excess road or wind noise, despite the all-terrain rubber, and actually found the cabin to be a perfectly suitable conversation pit—even when cruising at 80 mph.

The refreshed Sorento’s interior environs make for pleasant space to eat up highway miles. The $295 dual-tone, Olive Brown leather package and faux-wood on the dash help make the attractive cabin feel like it belongs in a car with a higher price—though there’s still more hard plastic than we’d like to see. The leather-upholstered front seats offer plenty of support and feature both heat and ventilation to keep your bum as warm or cool as you please. EX and above trims swap the second-row bench seat for a pair of captain’s chairs, which are heated in SX models and above. Unfortunately, third-row space remains minimal, with a low seat cushion forcing your knees up toward your chest and making the space a hard ask for most adults.

Besides the X-Pro introduction, the biggest change for 2024 is the addition of dual 12.3-inch display screens behind a large, curved piece of glass. One is situated in front of the driver, serving as a digital gauge cluster, while the other is located more centrally to take on infotainment responsibilities. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now come standard on all trims. Similar to the EV6 and Sportage, there’s now a touch bar situated below the infotainment screen on the dash that can switch between HVAC and media/navigation controls. The dual-use dials are easy enough—provided you’re in the right mode. Typically, they require a quick glance down to avoid accidentally blaring Creedence when you’re really after more heat.

With a $48,765 starting sticker price on the X-Pro trim, the rugged Sorento lands squarely in the larger Telluride’s price range. Kia’s higher trims check nearly all the equipment boxes, so our sample model’s $49,400 price didn’t have much room to rise before hitting the ceiling; there was that $295 for the Olive Brown leather package, $225 for the carpeted floor mats, and $115 for a carpeted cargo mat. Kia seems unconcerned with the Telluride overlap. “We want to make it harder to choose between [the Sorento] and a Telluride,” a Kia spokesperson said. “We want the differentiating factor to be how much space you want.” That may be, but despite making strides in features and capability, the Sorento’s flagship trim fails to rise to the Telluride’s high bar of driving dynamics or match the practicality of its larger footprint.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com