Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid AWD — Style Meets Sense (Mostly)

You don't usually associate seven-seat SUVs with hybrid drivetrains and head-turning design, but Kia thinks it's time we do. Enter the 2025 Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid AWD—midsize three-row crossover that aims to prove you can have brains, beauty, and a little eco-consciousness, all without giving up family-hauling utility or driving comfort.

- By JACOB OLIVA

We recently took Kia's newest hybrid up to Baguio and beyond, along with other media personnel, and after several days on the road, I came home with plenty of thoughts—some glowing, some grumbly. Long story short, the Sorento SX Turbo Hybrid AWD is a top-spec machine that's part suburban shuttle, part mountain crawler, and part tech lounge. For the rest, read along.

GENERALLY GOOD-LOOKING WITHOUT LOOKING GENERIC

Let's start with the obvious: the Sorento is a looker. While technically a facelift of the previous-gen model, it doesn't look like one. With a reworked front end and bold Starlight LED lighting signatures, the Sorento looks modern and upscale. Our tester came in a moody shade called Volcanic Sand Brown, which catches the light in all the right ways. It's a refreshingly original paint job in a sea of white, black, and grayscale SUVs.

At a glance, the Sorento doesn't scream "off-roader," and to be fair, it's not trying to be one. Ground clearance is modest, which pays dividends in easier ingress/egress but limits its rock-crawling credibility. That said, don't count it out when the pavement ends—this AWD hybrid proved more than capable on loose rocks and unpaved roads within the Cordillera highlands, but more on this later.

The 19-inch alloys wrapped in highway tires add a sporty touch, though some more rugged rubber would have added confidence on the bevy of rough terrains we tackled.

COMFORTABLE, THOUGHTFUL, MOSTLY PRACTICAL CABIN

The Sorento's interior feels like it was designed by someone who has taste and is tech-savvy. The high-rise center console gives it a cockpit-like vibe, and the rotary shifter, while unconventional, is intuitive enough after a few hours behind the wheel. Materials feel upscale across the board. Our unit had white leather upholstery—a pleasure to look at, but you'll think twice before letting your kids climb in with ice cream cones.