Kia, once the brand at the butt of so many bad “cheap car” jokes, is now one of the most popular brands around, with dealers having trouble keeping inventory on their lots. The Sorento is one of the automaker's more popular models, and the fuel-sipping hybrid variant blends its upscale feel with an advanced, refined powertrain.

What’s New for the 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid

Kia shuffled some of the trims and available features for 2023, but left the Sorento mostly unchanged.

Design

The Sorento has “grown up” over the years, getting more-refined styling and a sharper design that fits the modern times. It retains Kia’s signature “tiger nose” grille and offers clean styling with few badges or logos. Kia’s new brand logo adorns the front and rear ends, while higher trims bring tasteful applications of chrome and black accents.

Powertrain

Kia offers the 2023 Sorento Hybrid in two configurations, including with a plug-in hybrid powertrain (PHEV). The base setup includes a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor. The two produce a combined 227 horsepower and 258 pounds of torque. Plug-in hybrid models also get a 1.6-liter turbo-four, but power output lands at 261 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

Interior

The Sorento brings three rows of seats to the party, but the third row isn’t the most spacious, especially for adults. Synthetic leather upholstery comes standard, along with power front seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Higher trims bring leather upholstery, power seats, and leather accents on the steering wheel and shift knob. Cargo space measures just 12.6 cubic feet with all three rows up, but the area expands to 38.5 cubic feet with the row folded and further to 45 cubic feet with them all flat.

Technology

Kia provides a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment on the 2023 Sorento Hybrid. It comes with a six-speaker stereo, SiriusXM radio, wireless charging, and dual-zone climate control. Kia’s simple infotainment system isn’t as flashy or complex as others, but that simplicity makes it less distracting to use while driving.

Safety

The 2023 Sorento Hybrid has not been crash-tested separately from its gas-only counterpart, but the SUV earned a Top Safety Pick for 2022. The new model hasn’t grabbed an award yet, though Kia equips a full suite of advanced driver aids as standard equipment. The list includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, driver-attention monitoring, and more.

Pricing

The 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid starts at $38,015, including the $1,325 destination charge. Stepping up to the range-topping SX Prestige trim drives the price to $43,815 after destination.