2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid

The Sorento Hybrid is the 3-row midsize SUV to buy if fuel efficiency is more of a priority than ultimate cabin space. The Kia Telluride is many things (one of our favorite midsize 3-row SUVs, for one), and its cargo area and third-row accommodations are larger than the Sorento’s, but it doesn’t offer a hybrid drivetrain. If a third seating row is only going to be used occasionally, preferably by smaller humans, then we think the fuel-efficient Sorento Hybrid is well worth considering.

With more punch than a base gasoline-only Sorento, while still returning up to 36 mpg combined, this well-equipped hybrid SUV has plenty of comfort for those in the first two rows, as well as a good amount of tech. As always with Kia, the longer-than-usual warranties also provide extra reassurance. This fourth generation of Sorento launched for 2021.

The non-hybrid Sorento is reviewed separately, as is the Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid, which can travel for up to 32 miles on battery power alone.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of hybrid SUVs, including the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

Revised front and rear styling echoes the changes made to the non-hybrid Sorento last year. Technology sees a few upgrades, including a twin-screen dashboard unit in the top SX Prestige trim. And Kia has made more color choices available.

Bigger than a compact SUV but not quite the size of the main 3-row midsize SUV field that includes the Kia Telluride, the Sorento Hybrid’s niche is shared with the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and the slightly larger Toyota Highlander Hybrid, with the Kia slotting in between these two price-wise.

Before buying a new Sorento Hybrid SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really be paying. Resale values are about average for the class. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

We’re impressed by the lively acceleration of the Sorento Hybrid, which is noticeably quicker than the non-hybrid with its base engine. This hybrid SUV develops a total of 227 horsepower, not far off the Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s 243 horses. The sprint from standstill to 60 mph takes 8.8 seconds — not objectively fast, but it feels a little zippier from the driver’s seat. We’ve found that it’s well-suited for running around town, yet gets up to freeway speeds quickly enough. Even overtaking moves are carried out with hardly any effort.

The suspension, steering, and braking all contribute to a comfortable and competent driving experience. The Sorento Hybrid is so smooth and quiet, in fact, that we almost forgot it was a hybrid while we were testing it. The transition from electric power to the gasoline engine joining in is just seamless.

We also appreciate the traditional 6-speed automatic transmission (so many hybrids use a slow-responding continuously variable transmission, aka CVT). Its decisive shifts make this hybrid SUV all the more enjoyable.

Fuel Economy

With all-wheel drive, the 2025 Sorento Hybrid SUV achieves 34 mpg in combined city/highway driving, comparing well enough against the equivalent Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s 35 mpg combined. We’re happy whenever we can get 34 mpg out of a midsize SUV. Front-drive versions manage 36 mpg combined, the same as a Highlander Hybrid counterpart.

Hybrid Fuel Savings

At 15,000 miles a year, a front-wheel-drive Sorento Hybrid will use about 13 fewer gallons each month than its gasoline-only counterpart. At $3.50 per gallon, that works out to $45.50 a month. Looking at a 5-year buy/drive/sell ownership cycle, those savings would more than make up for the hybrid’s relatively nominal price premium over an equivalent non-hybrid Sorento. This Sorento Hybrid also means about one less visit to a gas station every month.

We like the Sorento Hybrid’s generally pleasant cabin, with its fine materials and well-placed controls. The simulated leather seating surfaces in the EX feel sufficiently premium. The higher SX Prestige trim brings genuine perforated leather.

For 2025, Kia has redesigned the dashboard, adding a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard in the EX. The SX-Prestige gains a dual 12.3-inch setup in a single curved unit, the other screen serving as a digital instrument cluster. This kind of technology has trickled down from luxury makers like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Dust Blue is a new interior color this year.

Thanks to a couple of second-row captain’s chairs as standard, the Sorento Hybrid has seating for up to six. Captain’s chairs are more comfortable than a 3-position bench seat and make access to the third row much easier.

Passenger space is generous in the first two rows, with plenty of legroom and headroom. The third row is a kids-only zone, though, with just 29.6 inches of legroom. If you plan to use the third row on a regular basis, we highly recommend looking into the larger Kia Telluride or Honda Pilot, for example.

Cargo space is tight when all three rows are in place, only 12.6 cubic feet behind the rearmost seats. This opens out to 38.5 cubic feet behind row two when they’re folded. With rows two and three down, there’s an ample 75.5 cubic feet. We should point out that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is more capacious in all three respects. At least these dimensions are the same as the non-hybrid Sorento, so there’s no compromise here in choosing this more fuel-efficient model.

New headlights give the 2025 Sorento Hybrid a sharply contemporary look. They’re now vertical instead of horizontal, flank a restyled grille, and feature Kia’s “Star Map” lighting elements, as found in the EV9 and the upcoming EV3 all-electric SUVs. At the back, Kia narrowed the taillights and connected them with a thin light bar.

We think the Kia Sorento Hybrid SUV is stylish, with a design that doesn’t proclaim its hybrid-ness. It’s virtually indistinguishable from the non-hybrid Sorento, which received these styling updates last year. New colors this year are Cityscape Green, Mineral Blue, Interstellar Grey and Volcanic Sand.

The Sorento Hybrid is about seven inches shorter than the Telluride and five inches shorter than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Cable-free phone integration is standard in both Sorento Hybrid trims. We love the convenience and tidiness. Wireless charging is on board as well.

Infotainment system
A new 12.3-inch touchscreen goes into the 2025 Sorento Hybrid, as part of a user-friendly system that can also receive over-the-air updates

Smart Power Tailgate
Imagine walking up to your locked Sorento Hybrid, hands full of shopping, kids, accordions, whatever. Stand by the smart tailgate for three seconds (while having the key in a pocket or purse) and it will open automatically, then close with the touch of a button. It’s a standard item and, again, we’re all for making life easier.

Smart Cruise Control – Machine Learning
More than just adaptive cruise control, machine learning means it can adapt to driving styles and emulate them.

Highway Driving Assist 2
Installed in the SX Prestige trim, this helps alleviate the fatigue of long freeway stretches by keeping the Sorento Hybrid in its lane, maintaining a safe distance to the vehicle in front, and assisting with lane-changing maneuvers. A less sophisticated version comes in the EX trim.

Blind-Spot View Monitor
Another SX Prestige feature, this shows real-time video in the driver information display, with more detail than regular blind-spot monitoring can convey. In our opinion, greater awareness of surroundings can only be a good thing.

The 2025 Sorento Hybrid employs a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and two electric motors to create a total of 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. This goes through a 6-speed automatic transmission to either the front wheels — the standard configuration in the EX — or all four, which is optional with the EX or standard in the top SX Prestige trim.

Class-Leading 5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

Kia has some of the best warranties. Bumper-to-bumper coverage is five years or 60,000 miles, whichever happens first — this includes roadside assistance. Powertrains are covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Kia Sorento has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), the agency’s second-highest accolade. It also scored four stars overall out of a possible five from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian/cyclist detection, plus junction turning assistance.