Starting with the looks, Kia’s onto something here. Pre-refresh, the Sorento’s one bold and handsome looking SUV, so it’s great they’ve managed to retain that mojo for 2025. The new metal wrapper adopts Kia’s new design language quite successfully and that’s seen in the vertically-oriented headlights, bigger grille, and of course, more assertive-looking bumpers. The rear’s less changed, but it gets points for its new lighting signature. One of the more ingenious features—the hidden rear wiper’s been carried over as well.

Step inside and the cabin’s been extensively overhauled. Like a lot of other newer Kia models, it features two curved tablets joined together with one acting as the gauge cluster, while the other operating as the infotainment screen. The graphics are pin-sharp and the new-generation ccNC operating system is easy to master. Better yet, the controls are sensibly laid out. The most controversial aspect might be the shared bank of touch panel buttons that operate both the climate control and entertainment. Switching functions takes some getting used to at first, but quickly becomes second nature.

Issues? A couple of minor ones. For example, the steering column is on the thick side and will bang knees upon driver entry for as long as the “Easy Ingress/Egress” function’s switched off. Next up, it’s hard to accurately aim the newly designed AC vents. You’ll end up either freezing your eyeballs or your hands. Finally, there’s still a spattering of old-school hard plastics here, and these are found mostly in the carryover stuff like the center console’s Drive Mode Selector and even the chintzy-looking rotary shifter.

Onto the practicality aspect, the Sorento does offer plenty of room for the first two rows. The front thrones have great support with the cushy, sofa-like seats. They also have built-in ventilation which can be made to automatically adjust based on the interior temperature. The second row is equally generous with ample room all around. Sitting three abreast is possible, and thanks to a sliding mechanism, flexible. The third row may have easy entry but because of the standard panoramic sunroof on the SX+, the headroom’s severely limited (at 170 cm, our head was already brushing the ceiling).

When not in use, the third-row collapses into the floor easily with pull tabs, revealing a cavernous cargo hold. The load area itself is usefully square. Plus, the second-row can be folded remotely thanks to switches in the luggage compartment. Moreover, the Sorento’s packed with features that families will find useful. There are plenty of USB power points, air vents, and even cup holders to go around.

For the 2025 update, Kia’s thrown out the diesel for a turbocharged hybrid. There are concerns whether a 1.6-liter engine can move something with a 2,026-kilogram mass and rightfully so. While it makes excellent peak numbers—235 horsepower and 367 Nm of torque—it takes some prodding to wake the powertrain up. There’s noticeable delay between you pressing on the accelerator and the Sorento surging forward. It takes some getting used to, but at least once it gets going, it never struggles when it comes to overtaking or getting up to legal highway speeds.

Compared to other hybrids, or even plug-in hybrids for that matter, the Sorento’s electric motor provides just 65 horsepower and 264 Nm of thrust. This tells you almost immediately that its fuel economy won’t be prodigiously high. Its 15.15 km/L (average speed 22 km/h) may be good, but it’s nowhere as high as others. However, because the electric motor’s sandwiched between the combustion engine and gearbox, it’s able to provide electric drive at a wider range of speeds. Lift off or prod the gas pedal gently, and it switches over to electric drive completely—even at speeds up to 80 km/h. The switchover between modes is smooth and hardly noticeable.

The Drive Mode selector allows you to select between Eco, Sport, and Smart. It changes certain vehicle characteristics, including the paddle shifters. In its non-Sport modes, the paddle shifters control the regen braking levels; in Sport, it controls the six-speed automatic. Press the middle of the Drive Mode selector, and it engages Terrain Mode which alters the behavior of the all-wheel drive and even stability control system.

The rest of the handling package is best described as competent. For as long as it’s driven normally, the experience is entirely agreeable. As you might expect, the Sorento isn’t blessed with sports car-like handling, but at least it’s a happy family companion with safe, predictable handling. The steering itself is reassuringly weighty, allowing you to place it confidently. It also tracks straight on long stretches of highways. Wind and road noise are well-controlled too. If anything, the ride is the least agreeable bit. It’s not uncomfortable, but it feels jarring when running over sharper imperfections. That said, once the family’s packed in, it settles down a bit.

In terms of safety features, the Sorento has leveled up tremendously. Not only does it come with a full suite of active and passive safety features, but there’s also a suite of driver aids like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot indicators with rear cross traffic alert, and lane keep assist. This is on top of proximity sensors fore, aft, and sides and even blind spot cameras.

Kia understands that to remain relevant in the mid-sized SUV segment, they need to evolve and adopt to the times. Dropping the diesel and installing an electrified gas engine at its price point (P 2,188,000 to P 2,888,000) means buyers can and will seriously consider the Sorento this time. Either that, or at least it enters the conversation thanks to the subsequent perks that come with it apart from fuel economy such as number coding exemption and priority registration. The accompanying design and feature enhancements are icing on the cake. While there are still some who’d balk at the idea of paying these prices for a Kia, you can’t help but appreciate just how much the carmaker’s gone. The fact that it remains a practical and competent choice, while holding ground in terms of tech and electrification make it a worthwhile look for the family SUV buyer.