Daily commuters can start with the 2027 Kia Sorento LX and S, which pair a 186-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder with an 8-speed automatic. With front-wheel drive they earn an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined (23 city/31 highway), and Kia notes that mileage will vary with options, how and where you drive, and the vehicle's condition.

The EX is where the turbo begins, and every trim from there up mates a 274-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter to an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. The LX and S carry a 2,000-lb tow rating, the EX and X-Line trims go up to 3,500 lb, the X-Pro SX Prestige AWD reaches 4,500 lb, and towing requires additional equipment.

• LX and S engine: 178 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm
• Turbo torque peaks at 311 lb-ft (1,700-4,000 rpm)
• Available torque-vectoring AWD on the S and EX
• AWD and Terrain Mode standard on X-Line and X-Pro
• EPA-estimated 20 city/29 highway mpg on EX FWD and SX
• Regular 87-octane fuel and a 17.7-gallon tank

Phone-first drivers get the essentials on every 2027 Kia Sorento: a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that connect without a cable, and Bluetooth with multi-device connectivity. Kia Connect comes standard too, and a purchase or lease includes a complimentary 3-year subscription.

Want navigation? It starts at the EX, along with a Wi-Fi Hotspot (data plan required). Cord-free phone charging and two second-row USB charging ports begin with the S. Screen fans should look at the SX, where a 12.3-inch instrument display joins the touchscreen to form Kia's 24-inch combined panoramic display.

• Two USB charging ports for the third row, all trims
• Front console: one USB data port, two charging ports
• 12-speaker Bose audio standard from the SX up
• Digital Key 2.0 with either Prestige trim
• 115V power inverter on both Prestige trims
• Smart Key and push-button start standard

Kia counts 16 Collision Avoidance & Safety Assist Features on the 2027 Kia Sorento LX, welcome news for a household with a new teen driver. Safe Exit Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Rear Occupant Alert and Lane Following Assist come on all eight trims, and they support, not replace, safe driving.

Every SX trim adds camera views: a 360-degree Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor, on top of front and rear parking sensors from the S. Highway Driving Assist, for certain federal highways, comes in at the EX, and the two Prestige trims add Evasive Steering Assist and Highway Driving Assist 2.

• Junction turning detection built into Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Every trim has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
• Dynamic Parking Guidance on the Rearview Monitor, every trim
• EX and above add Navigation-Based Smart Cruise Control
• Prestige trims add Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
• LATCH child-seat anchors standard throughout

Wheels are an easy way to tell 2027 Kia Sorento trims apart: 17-inch alloys on an LX, 18-inch gloss black and machined wheels on an S, and 20-inch designs on the EX, SX and X-Line trims. An X-Pro SX Prestige stands out on 17-inch matte black wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires.

Lighting is another tell. High Beam Assist and LED projector headlights come on every Sorento, LED fog lights start at the EX, and LED combination taillights mark all four SX trims. Overhead, the SX brings a standard panoramic sunroof, which the S and EX can add through a package.

• Black Jade Green joins the palette at the EX
• Key-sensing Smart Power Liftgate on EX and higher trims
• Blackout trim and high-utility roof rails on X-Line, X-Pro
• Rain-sensing wipers and power-folding mirrors on SX trims
• X-Pro gets its own front and rear fascias
• 110.8-inch wheelbase on every trim

Head count comes first. Seven riders point to the 2027 Kia Sorento LX, S or EX and their 60/40 second-row bench. Six riders open up the SX, the three X-Line trims and the X-Pro SX Prestige, where captain's chairs fill the second row, and a front-wheel-drive EX can switch to the chairs with the EX Premium Package.

Second-row riders gain their own upgrades on the way up: all four SX trims add integrated window sunshades, and both Prestige trims heat the outboard second-row seats. Front-seat comfort follows the same climb: heat from the S, then ventilation and a heated steering wheel on every SX trim.

• All seats up: 12.6 cu ft of cargo (SAE)
• Third row folded: 38.5 to 45.0 cu ft
• Second and third rows folded: 75.5 cu ft
• 50/50 split-folding third row in every Sorento
• Second-row hip room measures 55.1 inches
• Driver's seat memory on the two Prestige trims