2017 Kia Sorento

The LX V6/EX V6/SX are the volume-selling configurations for the 2017 Sorento and use the 3.3L GDI V6.

Peak torque of the volume trim's 3.3L V6 standard powertrain.

Instrumented test time for the V6 AWD configuration, the volume drivetrain pairing.

Reviewers described the 3.3L V6 as smooth and adequately powerful for the segment, with the base 2.4L feeling strained under load; no hybrid transitions to manage since the 2017 Sorento is gas-only.

The 6-speed automatic paired with all engines was generally praised as smooth and well-timed, without the hunting or drone of a CVT competitor.

Maximum manufacturer-rated towing capacity across configurations, achieved with the 3.3L V6 and tow prep package.

AWD is available across LX, EX, SX and SX Limited trims (only the base L is FWD-only) with an on-demand system and a driver-selectable AWD Lock mode splitting torque 50/50 below 20 mph, but no low-range or terrain-specific modes.

The Sorento is a pavement-oriented crossover with modest 7.3 in ground clearance, no skid plates, low-range gearing or dedicated off-road trim — just an AWD Lock mode intended for mud/snow traction, not off-roading.

Three gasoline engine choices (2.4L I4, 2.0L turbo I4, 3.3L V6) cover mainstream needs, but the 2017 Sorento offers no electrified powertrain — Kia did not introduce a Sorento hybrid until several years later.

EPA combined rating for the 3.3L V6 AWD, the volume drivetrain pairing for the mainstream LX/EX/SX trims.

EPA city rating for the 3.3L V6 AWD volume configuration.

EPA highway rating for the 3.3L V6 AWD volume configuration.

Computed from the V6 AWD's 18.8-gallon fuel tank and 19 MPG EPA combined rating; no single manufacturer range figure is published for gas vehicles.

EPA's standard annual fuel cost estimate for the 3.3L V6 AWD volume configuration.

All 2017 Sorento engines (2.4L, 2.0T, 3.3L V6) run on regular 87-octane unleaded with no premium recommendation across any trim.

NHTSA's full new-car assessment of the 2017 Sorento returned the top overall rating, with only the rollover sub-score a notch below perfect.

All five crashworthiness tests scored Good and the optional front crash prevention system earned Superior, enough for Top Safety Pick; it missed TSP+ solely on headlight performance (scored separately at 3.3.1), which the item's own guidance treats as a top-band TSP result.

For 2017 every driver-assistance feature — forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise — is a paid option bundled into technology packages, and none is standard even on the range-topping SX Limited.

IIHS's track test of the optional front crash prevention system rated it Superior, avoiding collision outright in both the 12 mph and 25 mph runs; IIHS did not publish a separate nighttime pedestrian result for this model year, so the score stops short of the top of the band.

Blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert is alert-only (no braking intervention) and, per Kia's own 2017 trim documentation, requires stepping up to the LX V6 trim or higher — it is unavailable on the base LX four-cylinder volume configuration.

2017 Sorento offers only Lane Departure Warning — an audible/visual alert with no steering correction — there is no Lane Keep Assist or centering function in the lineup this model year.

Advanced Smart Cruise Control is optional and functional but this generation's system is a standalone adaptive-cruise feature without stop-and-go capability or any combined lane-centering highway-assist mode.

No hands-free highway driving system exists on the 2017 Sorento or in Kia's lineup at this point — the automaker introduced Highway Driving Assist years later, well after this generation.

IIHS rated both the standard halogen projector headlights and the optional curve-adaptive HID headlights Poor across the board, citing fair-at-best straightaway visibility and inadequate performance on curves.

Reviewers describe good front and side sightlines undercut by thick, sharply raked D-pillars that create rear three-quarter blind spots, partly offset by the standard backup camera and optional blind-spot monitoring rather than by the glass itself.

IIHS rated the LATCH hardware Acceptable (second-highest tier) with easy-to-find anchors and enough second-row room to install two seats side by side without crowding front occupants; the un-anchored third row limits use of car seats back there.

The volume V6 trims (LX V6, EX V6, SX) carry a third row of seats standard, making 7 the representative capacity for this powertrain configuration.

Official Kia figure, constant across trims for the 2017 model year.

Official Kia figure, constant across trims for the 2017 model year — generous for the mid-size SUV class.

Official Kia figure for 2nd-row headroom, constant across trims.

Official Kia figure for 2nd-row legroom, reviewers separately praised 2nd-row space as generous.

The optional third row (standard on V6 trims) measures 36.3 in headroom and 31.7 in legroom with only 11.3 cu ft of cargo space behind it — enough for kids or short-trip adults but not genuinely adult-usable, and it has no LATCH anchors of its own.

Official Kia figure for cargo space behind the 2nd row with the 3rd row folded, on the 7-passenger configuration.

Official Kia figure for maximum cargo volume with all rear seats folded flat.

Reasonable but unremarkable console bin, door pockets and 2nd-row sunshades on higher trims; no standout storage innovation like a giga-console or onboard power for this generation.

Front seats were praised as supportive for long drives, especially with the optional 14-way power driver's seat, and 2nd-row seats recline; the tight, low third row pulls the average down.

Reviewers noted a sophisticated ride even on top trims with 19-inch wheels, soaking up bumps without harshness — composed and comfortable for the class.

The Sorento was described as impressively quiet at highway speed, particularly on EX trim and above which adds a sound-reducing windshield.

Heated front seats arrive as low as the LX Convenience package, dual-zone auto climate is standard EX+, and the range-topping SX Limited adds heated 2nd-row seats, ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel — a solid spread but nothing standard on the volume trims and no rear-seat climate zone or remote pre-conditioning.

Entry L trim starts the 2017 Sorento lineup at a value-oriented price for the mid-size SUV segment.

LX is the most common volume pick since it opens up the V6 and standard third-row seating that the base L trim lacks.

RepairPal's average annual maintenance/repair figure, extrapolated across 5 years with typical cost escalation as the vehicle ages, lands below the segment norm.

The Sorento depreciates faster than segment leaders like the Highlander or CR-V; CarEdge and iSeeCars both put 5-year depreciation for the Sorento in the mid-to-high 50% range.

Kia's basic warranty is among the longest in the industry, tying the segment ceiling.

Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is a class-leading, well-documented brand pillar for this era.

Kia in this era bundled basic roadside assistance for the duration of the warranty but did not offer multi-year complimentary scheduled maintenance the way some rivals and luxury brands did.

$29,510 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (43% retained, or about $12,689) leaves about $16,821 in depreciation. Add the projected $2,950 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $19,771 in total.

Sources disagree for the 2017 model year: J.D. Power's own predicted-reliability rating for the 2017 Sorento was excellent (4.5/5), while Consumer Reports' owner-survey reliability came in below average with reported trouble spots in the exhaust system, steering and engine. Mixed signal between predictive and owner-experience sources.

Kia was mid-pack but visibly improving in dependability studies around the 2017 model year — it posted its then-best-ever 5th place finish in J.D. Power's 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study (which evaluated 2015-model-year vehicles), on the way to its #1 mass-market ranking by 2019/2021. 2017 sits in that upward trajectory rather than at either extreme.

The notorious Theta II engine fire/failure recall and class-action settlement is scoped to 2011-2016 MY 2.4L Theta II MPI engines and does not reach the 2017 model year. Recalls that do touch 2017 Sorentos are narrow and non-systemic: an accessory trailer-hitch wiring harness issue (2016-2017) and a fuel-pipe leak risk limited to vehicles that had a prior engine replacement (2012-2017) — nothing airbag/brake/steering-systemic for this specific year.

Both available engines carry documented long-term risk. The 2.4L GDI four is a later derivative of the Theta II family that continued to show a meaningful internal-failure rate industry-wide even after the worst 2011-2016 MPI-engine recall generation. The optional 3.3L V6, while more robust day-to-day, has a well-documented head-bolt problem that surfaces around 100k-150k miles and can progress to head-gasket failure and overheating. Neither engine has a clean high-mileage track record.

Reviewers consistently called out the cabin as punching above the Sorento's price point: soft-touch, richly textured surfaces, available two-tone trims and wood-grain accents that read as properly upscale on higher trims, a strong result for a mainstream mid-size SUV of this era.

Assembly was generally regarded as solid and consistent with the segment, though scattered owner reports mention minor rattles and vibrations rather than a clean sheet — squarely in the "generally solid with scattered complaints" band.

Kia's US dealer count in this era was adequate but noticeably smaller than the Detroit Three or Toyota/Honda, and J.D. Power dealer-service satisfaction studies have repeatedly placed Kia near the bottom of mass-market brands both before and after 2017 — coverage exists nationwide but the service experience is a known weak point, not a strength.

RepairPal tracks the Sorento at a below-average annual maintenance cost with a below-average probability of a severe repair, and Kia's parts network is mainstream dealer-and-aftermarket, not a specialty/import-premium cost structure — normal pricing and availability for the segment.

The EX trim, the mainstream step-up volume configuration for this generation, comes standard with Kia's 7-inch UVO touchscreen; smaller and larger screens bracket it by trim.

Contemporary reviewers praised UVO's tablet-like interface and logical menu layout as one of the better systems of its era, though some owners later reported occasional freezing and Bluetooth dropouts.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were newly added for 2017 but only via a wired USB connection — wireless phone projection did not exist in any mainstream vehicle at this point in the market, and the Sorento is no exception.

UVO's voice control handled basic commands adequately, and native navigation (SX/SX Limited only) was functional but unremarkable — most owners would default to CarPlay/Android Auto maps on lower trims that lack built-in nav at all.

The optional 10-speaker Infinity system with Clari-Fi digital music restoration on SX/SX Limited was well regarded, while the standard base audio is adequate but unremarkable.

The 2017 Sorento uses analog gauges with a small multi-information display between them across the lineup; the optional Advanced Technology package on LX adds only a 7-inch driver information display, not a full configurable digital cluster.

No over-the-air update capability of any kind — infotainment, maps, or vehicle software — existed on the 2017 Sorento; Kia's OTA capability arrived years later on newer platforms.

Kia's UVO eServices app (standard on EX+ trims with the telematics module) offered remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle locate, providing core remote functions though the experience and connectivity were basic by later-generation standards.

Two console rapid-charge USB ports are standard from LX up, but there is no factory wireless charging pad (only a dealer/OEM accessory), no confirmed 2nd-row USB provision, and no USB-C — modest device power for a 3-row family SUV.

Proximity entry with push-button start (Smart Key) is standard from EX up, and remote start is available via the UVO app or an accessory remote-start kit, but there is no phone-as-key or hands-free liftgate on this generation.

A rearview camera is standard across the lineup, rear parking sensors are standard from EX up, and a 360-degree surround view monitor is available on the range-topping SX Limited — a solid spread that stops short of top trims getting it standard.

No head-up display was offered on any 2017 Sorento trim — Kia did not bring HUD to the Sorento lineup until several generations later.

Wide door openings and a low step-in height ease loading kids and gear, 2nd-row LATCH anchors are IIHS-rated Acceptable with room for two child seats side by side, and 38 cu ft behind the 2nd row swallows a stroller — the unanchored 3rd row is the one recurring complaint.

Top-tier crash credentials (5-star NHTSA, IIHS Top Safety Pick) are standard regardless of trim, but every driver-assist feature — forward collision warning, AEB, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning — is a paid option, and blind-spot monitoring specifically requires stepping up to a V6 trim, leaving the most affordable family configurations without it.

A quiet cabin, generous 2nd-row head/legroom (39.3/39.4 in) and reclining 2nd-row seats support multi-hour trips for four, but the tight 3rd row and lack of any rear entertainment or rear climate zone this generation limit it for a fully-loaded family of six or seven.

Reviewers described precise, well-weighted steering and a size that is manageable in tight urban spaces while remaining stable on the highway — an easy, low-fatigue daily driver for the class, if unremarkable in outright refinement of the base 4-cylinder.

The volume V6 AWD configuration is EPA-rated 19 MPG combined with an estimated $3,400/yr fuel cost — noticeably thirstier and pricier per mile than most mid-size SUV rivals, even the 4-cylinder configurations only reach 22-24 MPG.

A 37.3 ft turning diameter and standard rearview camera (rear sensors from EX up) make the Sorento manageable in the city despite its mid-size 3-row footprint; only the range-topping SX Limited adds a full 360-degree view for tighter spots.

A 5,000 lb max tow rating (V6 with tow prep package) is usable for a light trailer or small boat, but there is no bed, and payload/cargo behind the seats is modest next to purpose-built work vehicles — light-to-moderate duty at best.

Kia's brand reliability was on an upward trajectory in this era, but the 2.4L GDI four and the 3.3L V6 both carry documented long-term wear issues (misfire/knock reports on the four, head-bolt failures around 100k-150k miles on the V6), so this is not a vehicle with a proven fleet/hard-use track record.

Standard roof rails support a basic rack, but there is no onboard power outlet, no dedicated tie-down/upfit system, and no aftermarket upfit ecosystem comparable to a truck or commercial van — a crossover with only incidental work provisions.

A quiet cabin and a composed, sophisticated ride support long highway stints, and the roughly 357-mile tank range (V6 AWD) is competitive, but adaptive cruise (optional, no stop-and-go) and the absence of lane-centering leave more driver fatigue on long stretches than newer rivals.

AWD is widely available with a front-biased on-demand system and an AWD Lock mode for slippery surfaces, but modest 7.3 in ground clearance, no low-range gearing, and no off-road-tuned trim keep it firmly pavement/gravel-road oriented rather than a genuine adventure vehicle.

Standard roof rails and a 60/40-split 2nd row folding to a near-flat load floor give it reasonable gear-hauling range, and 73 cu ft with all rear seats folded is competitive, though there is no factory crossbar/rack system or underfloor storage called out for this generation.

Reviewers found the Sorento composed and stable with good body control for a 3-row crossover, but it is not tuned for cornering enthusiasm — secure rather than engaging, in line with mainstream mid-size SUV rivals.

Steering was specifically called out as precise with good driver feedback, a step above the numb tuning common in this segment, with the SX's upgraded steering rack going further still.

No instrumented braking-distance test was found for this model year; pedal feel is described as adequate and unremarkable in period reviews, consistent with a conventional hydraulic system with no regenerative blending to manage.

The 3.3L V6 paired with the 6-speed automatic was praised as smooth with well-timed shifts, while the base 2.4L four was noted as needing to work harder under load — smooth for the volume V6 configuration specifically.

The cabin was described as impressively quiet at speed, especially from EX trim up which adds a sound-reducing windshield, indicating the V6 is well isolated under normal driving.

Official Kia curb-to-curb turning diameter for the AWD configuration, the volume drivetrain pairing.

The optional 14-way power driver's seat with memory and a raised crossover seating position give good sightlines and adjustability, though thick, sharply raked D-pillars create rear three-quarter blind spots that reviewers noted as a compromise.

The Sorento is a pleasant, competent family crossover rather than something enthusiasts seek out — smooth and composed, but with no sporting character, engine note or responsiveness that makes it memorable to drive.

Base L trim is fairly basic, but the mid-level EX brings leather, dual-zone climate control, rear park assist, and push-button start at a price still well under many rivals' equivalent trims.

U.S. News named the 2017 Sorento its Best 3-Row SUV for the Money despite ranking only 5th on pure quality among midsize SUVs, explicitly citing its price-to-content balance.

Five trims (L, LX, EX, SX, SX Limited/SXL) span three engines (2.4L I4, 3.3L V6, 2.0L turbo I4 on SX) and FWD/AWD, giving buyers a wide spread from budget 5-seater to loaded 3-row flagship.

The Sorento sold about 99,700 units in the US in 2017, a 13% decline from 2016 — a respectable mid-pack midsize-SUV volume but well behind segment leaders like the Highlander and Pilot, and trending down.

Kia's brand image in 2017 was solidly mainstream and improving on the back of long warranties and design gains, but still shy of the aspirational pull of Toyota/Honda in this segment (the Telluride-driven image lift came later).

Kia routinely offered meaningful factory incentives and financing offers on the Sorento in this era rather than commanding at-MSRP pricing.

2017 is the second model year of the third-generation Sorento (introduced for MY2016), so the platform and design were still current, well ahead of the 2018/2019 facelift.

The 2017 Sorento earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick and U.S. News's Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award, and was generally well-reviewed, but it wasn't typically the outright pick over the RAV4/CR-V/Highlander/Pilot in comparison tests.