Make Efficiency Comfortable: 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid Review

As the light turns green, I bury the throttle. The electric motor twists with all its might, pressing me into the back of the seat. A moment later, the engine kicks on, and a second surge of acceleration pushes me back harder. Now, all 227 horsepower go to work, accelerating this mini-Telluride off into the horizon. All while it achieves 34 miles to the gallon.

Just as its non-hybrid brother did last year, the 2025 Sorento hybrid receives an updated look outside and new technology inside. But Kia offers no X-Line or X-Pro versions here. Even in all-wheel-drive form, the Sorento Hybrid seems more suited to urban and suburban landscapes.

Kia tossed me the keys to the top of two trims offered — a Sorento SX-Prestige — to drive around Metro Detroit. I got a few days to feel out this updated, fourth-generation, large-for-a-compact, small-for-a-midsize, yet still three-row, crossover SUV. And to see how adding a hybrid powertrain, but taking away a bit of off-roading prowess, affects it.

In short: The 2025 Sorento Hybrid carries on the tradition of offering quite a lot of content for the money in Kia’s smallest three-row crossover. The updated Sorento leans heavily on Telluride design and looks good as a result. Inside, you get several easy-to-use features and ample space for four adults and stuff. Or fill it with six people and maybe a thimble or two. Going hybrid vastly improves fuel economy and driving range. Just don’t tread too far from the pavement.

2025 Kia Sorento Review

How Did Kia Change the Look for 2025?

The fourth-generation Kia Sorento arrived for 2021. Then, in 2024, Kia gave the non-hybrid Sorento an update, which mainly included changing the front and rear fascia as well as modernizing the interior.

The Sorento hybrid waited until the 2025 model year to receive the same updates. However, the 2024 Sorento also received X-Pro treatment, which is not available on the hybrid for 2025.

You see the styling updates clearly looking at the front end, with more squared-off, sharp angles, and a generally boxier shape. Essentially, Kia shoveled as much Telluride as it could onto the front end. As a result, you get vertically stacked headlights and a large black grille.

But the Sorento also includes daytime running lights, Kia coined Star Map. Thin, amber-colored beams run across the top of the headlights, just under the hood line, extending toward the center and down vertically on the outside of the main lights.

Kia fiddled with the rear end in similar fashion, narrowing the vertically stacked taillights and simplifying the bumper design. Overall, it looks cleaner and more Telluride-like. But Kia kept the changes in the rear more subtle than up front, certainly.

Going Without X-Pro

Unlike the standard Sorento, which offers X-Line on almost all of its all-wheel-drive models, as well as the optional X-Pro for the SX-Prestige, the hybrid keeps everything on-road friendly. Well, not entirely — you do still get the center-locking differential, just as the X-Line offers. But you go without the different bumper with skid-plate treatment and the bridge-type roof rack.

And, you definitely do not get the 17-inch wheels and all-terrain tires offered on the X-Pro version of the SX-Prestige Sorento. Nor do you get the added equipment that bumps up towing capacity to 4,500 pounds. In fact, the 2025 Sorento Hybrid, regardless of trim or drivetrain, is limited to towing 1,654 pounds.

But that’s not to say you should strictly stick to pavement with the hybrid Sorento. You get 19-inch wheels and reasonable all-season tires, 6.9 inches of ground clearance, and 16.8/21.2 degrees of approach and departure angle clearance, respectively.

The Sorento hybrid offers some mechanical advantage to travel, a bit, on to rougher terrain. Though, by comparison, the X-Line and X-Pro versions of Sorento get 8.2 inches of ground clearance as well as 18.4/21.7 degrees of approach and departure.

Space & Screens Inside

For the Sorento Hybrid, Kia offers two trims: EX and SX-Prestige. Choosing between those two raises the price by $6,400, and much of that price difference comes with what Kia offers inside.

The EX gets the 12.3-inch center display screen, and that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It also includes heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a wireless smartphone charger.

On the other hand, the SX-Prestige adds a fully digital, also 12.3-inch instrument cluster screen, as opposed to analog gauges with a 4.3-inch screen sandwiched in between. You also get heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a higher-end audio system. Keeping it classy, you also get real instead of synthetic leather.

In the second row, all hybrids include captain’s chairs. But the SX-Prestige mounts an inverter and A/C plug back there, as well as manual sunshades on each side. For good measure, those second-row seats are heated as well, not to mention plenty of space and comfort.

Not so for the third row. Those seats are like sitting on a futon bed converted to a couch about 6 inches off the ground, with a three-drawer dresser placed right next to it to block any actual legroom. Any children more than 10 years old would complain about lack of space.

With all three rows up, cargo space suffers as well. You get 12.6 cubic feet of storage technically, but not much floor space and nearly no depth. Everything changes once you fold those seats flat, however.

With room for four adults up front, you get 45 cubic feet of cargo space behind them. Or fold those seats as well — it’s press-of-a-button easy, and you get 75.5 cubic feet of space. Plenty to throw in a bike, or tons of gear.

Hybrid Power

Unlike the styling and interior, Kia left the hybrid powertrain alone for 2025. A turbocharged 1.6L inline-four-cylinder engine joins a small electric motor to deliver a combined 227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Most of the horses comes from the engine, which makes 177 of ‘em on its own. The electric motor contributes a decent 59 horsepower to the mix but also matches the engine in developing 195 pound-feet of torque. 

While a six-speed automatic transmission keeps the engine in a happy rev range, a 1.5-kWh battery pack supplies electricity to the motor. It also absorbs some back under braking.

If you choose the EX trim Sorento hybrid, you get a front-wheel-drive crossover unless you pay an extra $1,800 to get four driven wheels. The SX-Prestige comes standard with all-wheel-drive.

Going hybrid improves fuel economy by quite a lot. According to the EPA, you’ll get 34 miles out of a gallon of gas, regardless of whether you accumulate those miles on the city, highway, or combined.

Front-wheel-drive versions perform even better, with 36 mpg in all three categories. That trumps the regular Sorento EX and higher trims. They only manage 20 mpg in the city, 27 on the highway, 23 combined. Even the base Sorento with front-wheel drive only manages 23/31/26 city/highway/combined, respectfully.

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Enjoying the Drive

The hybrid also packs a decent punch; even with just under 4,400 pounds of weight to haul around, the Sorento accelerates briskly from just about any speed. Credit the ample torque of the electric motor.

Stab the throttle, and it takes a couple of seconds for the transmission to kick down to a lower gear. But once it does, the Sorento presses you back into your seat and surges forward. Upshifts come quickly, and you’ll see triple-digit speeds before too long.

Even better, the electric motor responds quickly and ably when you wish to accelerate more moderately, making the Sorento easy to maneuver around the city. On the other hand, off throttle deceleration, where the battery pack absorbs energy back, is more like an on/off switch. That makes it harder to enjoy one-pedal driving, as this Kia makes it difficult to modulate. No worries, just treat it like a normal machine; use the brakes.

And enjoy the perfectly pleasant ride. Kia engineers found a good balance between ride and handling. The Sorento Hybrid easily manages all the lumps and bumps on the road, yet also maintains a relatively even keel when cornering. Really lean on it, and you’ll get understeer.

Overall, Kia built a consistent, if not exciting handler. Just don’t expect to wow your friends on your favorite back road.

But feel free to talk about it on a road trip. The Sorento isolates the cabin from wind and road noise well, above average for a mainstream SUV of this size. You and your friends will find no trouble carrying a conversation while on the road. With only six speeds to work with, you’ll hear the engine a little bit, but only in the background.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid SX-Prestige Review Summary

Unlike the standard Sorento, which you can jump in for well under $35K, going hybrid requires more than 40 grand. Choosing the SX-Prestige jumps the price to nearly $50K. It’s not cheap. But for the money, you get quite a lot of content. Kia throws in several comforts and conveniences in both the first and second rows —not to mention the ability to carry as many as six folks in a pinch.

The heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, heated steering wheel, and Bose audio system combine with a quiet and comfortable ride. Kia built a solid structure and tuned the chassis well. And, considering that this measures less than 190 inches from nose to tail, you get quite a lot of space inside, all while feeling small and nimble in the city.

While not as adventure-ready as a Sorento X-Pro, the hybrid makes a great adventure accessory. Think of it like a motorized duffel bag. Stuff it with you, your friends, and your gear to carry to the start of whatever epic thing you wish to conquer, and it will do so way more efficiently than the standard Sorento, X-Pro or no.