2023 Kia Sorento Adds Safety, Convenience, Cost

Kia’s Sorento mid-size SUV enters the 2023 model year with minor updates to its standard safety tech and a reshuffling of standard equipment. Given Kia redesigned the Sorento for 2021, it’s no surprise the relatively fresh design soldiers on unchanged while features and equipment get updated. Those updates aren’t free, however, as the 2023 Sorento now starts at $31,285 for a base LX, a $400 increase over the 2022 LX (all prices include a $1,295 destination fee).

Related: You Can Have the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV in Any Trim You Want as Long as It’s the SX-P

Buyers will have a choice of two powertrains: The LX and S are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 pounds-feet of torque that’s paired to a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission; the EX and SX use a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 281 hp and 311 pounds-feet and mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard on all but the AWD-only SX-Prestige, while AWD is available on all trims.

Additional Safety Tech Standard

The 2023 Sorento’s standard safety features now include blind spot collision avoidance with rear cross-traffic alert and safe exit alert; those features were previously unavailable on the LX. Other standard safety features include forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection (higher trims add cyclist detection and situation-specific collision avoidance), lane follow assist, lane departure steering assist, lane departure warning and a driver attention monitor.

Other Features Now Standard, Too

Kia didn’t stop there, however, with (very) mild upgrades for the other trims. The S, just above the LX, adds a wireless phone charger (but the LX, which doesn’t have one, is the only trim with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). The EX adds an eight-way power adjustable front passenger seat and frameless rearview mirror, while the SX now comes standard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. Choosing the range-topping SX with the Prestige Package means picking a Sorento with newly standard all-wheel drive, gloss-black exterior accents and revised bumper designs. It also adds Homelink, retractable rear door shades and a 115-volt household outlet.

Pricing and Release Date

The 2023 Sorento should be arriving on dealer lots soon. Full pricing is below, with increases over 2022 in parentheses. Trims are front-wheel drive unless otherwise noted:

• LX: $31,285 ($400 increase)
• LX AWD: $33,085 ($400 increase)
• S: $33,785 ($100 increase)
• S X-Line AWD: $35,785 ($100 increase)
• EX: $37,185 ($400 increase)
• EX X-Line AWD: $40,885 ($400 increase)
• SX: $40,085 ($500 increase)
• SX AWD: $41,885 ($500 increase)
• SX-Prestige AWD: $44,685 ($2,200 increase over 2022 SX-Prestige; $200 increase over 2022 SX Prestige X-Line AWD)
• SX-Prestige X-Line AWD: $44,885 ($400 increase)

The 2023 Sorento continues to be a bargain compared to Kia’s other three-row SUV, the Telluride, which is redesigned and priced from $37,025 for 2023. The Sorento also has a lower starting price than the 2023 Subaru Ascent ($35,120) and 2023 Toyota Highlander ($37,755). Honda is redesigning the Pilot for 2023, but the current-generation 2022 Pilot is almost $10,000 more expensive than the Sorento at more than $40,000 to start. The 2023 Sorento Hybrid, meanwhile, is priced from $37,885 for a FWD EX, while the 2023 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid is only available as an AWD SX-Prestige with a starting price of $51,095.

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