Engine choice decides how the 2027 Kia Sorento feels on an I-75 on-ramp. A 2.5L four-cylinder with 186 hp, 178 lb-ft and an 8-speed automatic powers the LX and S. Every trim from the EX up runs a turbocharged 2.5L making 274 hp and 311 lb-ft, and its 8-speed transmission is a wet dual-clutch unit.

All-wheel drive with Terrain Mode is available on the S and EX and standard on every X-Line and X-Pro trim. Tow ratings follow the configuration: the X-Pro SX Prestige AWD is rated at 4,500 lb, an EX or X-Line trim at up to 3,500 lb, an LX or S at 2,000 lb. Kia notes that towing requires additional equipment.

• Center-locking differential on torque-vectoring AWD
• Downhill Brake Control and Hill-Start Assist Control, all trims
• 17.7-gallon tank, regular 87-octane fuel
• Drive Mode Select on every trim
• Ventilated 12.8-inch front brake discs on all trims
• Electronic Stability Control and Vehicle Stability Management

Navigation earns its place on back roads toward Dunnellon, and the 2027 Kia Sorento builds it into the 12.3-inch touchscreen from the EX up. All eight trims share that screen size, with wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and each trim with SX in its name adds a matching 12.3-inch instrument display.

Camping in the Ocala National Forest? A 115V power inverter outlet rides along on the X-Pro SX Prestige and its X-Line SX Prestige sibling. A Wi-Fi Hotspot joins at the EX (Kia Connect enrollment and a data plan required), and a 12-speaker Bose system is standard from the SX up.

• Kia Connect with a complimentary 3-year subscription
• Wireless phone charger, S trim and above
• USB charging in all three rows, S and up
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio, subscription after trial
• Digital Key 2.0 available on both Prestige trims
• Push-button start with Smart Key on all eight trims

Over a long drive, attention drifts, and every 2027 Kia Sorento has standard help for that: Driver Attention Warning, Lane Following Assist and Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, along with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist that includes pedestrian, cyclist and junction-turning detection. Kia notes none of these replaces safe driving.

Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go comes on the LX and S. EX and higher trims switch to Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control and add Highway Driving Assist, which Kia limits to certain federal highways. Both Prestige trims move to Highway Driving Assist 2 and gain Evasive Steering Assist through Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2.

• Blind-Spot Collision Warning on all eight trims
• Standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupant Alert as standard
• Parking sensors front and rear, S and above
• Surround View Monitor on trims with SX in the name
• Front, side, side curtain and driver's knee airbags, all trims

The rugged side of the 2027 Kia Sorento lives in its four X-Line and X-Pro trims, each with blackout trim, black badges and high-utility roof rails. X-Line models ride on exclusive 20-inch gloss black wheels, while the X-Pro SX Prestige trades them for matte black 17-inch alloys and all-terrain tires.

Every Sorento has LED projector headlights and heated power mirrors with LED turn signals. LED fog lights and the Smart Power Liftgate are standard from the EX up, and trims carrying the SX name add rain-sensing wipers, power-folding mirrors and LED combination taillights.

• Front and rear fascias unique to the X-Pro
• 235/65R17 all-terrain tires on the X-Pro
• Standard panoramic sunroof on SX and all X-Line and X-Pro
• Black Jade Green offered from the EX up
• Road Rider Brown reserved for X-Line and X-Pro
• 18.96-foot turning radius, 110.8-inch wheelbase

Comfort on a long driving day comes down to the seat and the air conditioning, and the 2027 Kia Sorento covers both. From the S up, dual-zone automatic climate control is standard, all eight trims carry rear climate vents, and each SX-named trim adds ventilated front seats for summer afternoons on SR-200.

From the S through the X-Line SX, the driver gets 10-way power adjustment with power lumbar; the two Prestige trims step up to 14-way adjustment and genuine leather. Second-row legroom is 41.7 inches, and that row holds a bench for three or two captain's chairs, by trim.

• Heated front seats from the S up
• Integrated second-row sunshades on every SX-named trim
• Solar control glass and rear privacy glass, all trims
• 75.5 cu ft of cargo room with both rear rows folded
• Simulated open-pore wood accents on X-Line and X-Pro
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob on every trim