Are you looking for a family car that can seat more than the standard number of people with room for baggage? If so, you've probably wondered if the Kia Sorento has a third row of seats. Wonder no more, for we researched this question and have the answer for you right here.
Kia redesigned the Kia Sorento’s body to have a third row of seats starting with its third generation.
If you still have some more questions about the Kia Sorento's seating, don't worry. In this post, we'll discuss the topic in more detail. Find out more about the features of the Kia Sorento so you can decide if it is the right car for you and your family. Without further ado, let's get into it!
Does the Kia Sorento have third-row seating?
The third generation of Kia Sorento shared the same car platform with the Kia Carnival when it was released in 2015. The new car platform allowed the Kia Sorento to offer an optional third row of seats that gave it two seating configurations—a 5-seater or a 7-seater configuration.
The seating configuration of the Kia Sorento is dependent on the engine.
The 5-seater configuration was installed on a Kia Sorento trim (the Kia Sorento LX) that has the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine.
On the other hand, the 7-seater configuration was installed on Kia Sorento trims (Kia Sorento LX V6, Kia Sorento EX V6, Kia Sorento SX V6, and Kia Sorento SX Limited V6) that have the 3.3-liter V6 gasoline engine.
2016 Kia Sorento with new engine
Kia introduced a new engine for the Kia Sorento in 2016. The 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder gasoline engine has 240 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and can produce 260 ft.-lb. of torque at 1,450 RPM.
However, Kia Sorento trims that used this engine (Kia Sorento SX Limited and Kia Sorento EX) were equipped with a 5-seat configuration only.
2017 and 2018 Kia Sorento
Kia Sorento had seven different trims in 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately, Kia Sorento SX Limited was discontinued in 2017.
Four of the seven trims (the same four trims with a third row of seats from 2015) included a third row of seats while the remaining three (Kia Sorento L, Kia Sorento LX, and Kia Sorento EX) were equipped with the standard two rows of seats.
Similar to the previous year, the trims with the third row of seats were the ones equipped with the 3.3-liter V6 gasoline engine.
2019 Kia Sorento
The Kia Sorento increased the number of trims to eight in 2019. It discontinued Kia Sorento EX and added two new trims—Kia Sorento S V6 and Kia Sorento EX Sport V6.
The discontinuation of the Kia Sorento EX dropped the number of trims with only two rows of seats to two, while the addition of the two new trims increased the number of trims with three rows of seats to six.
The two new trims were equipped with the same 3.3-liter V6 engine.
2020 Kia Sorento
The number of trims available for Kia Sorento dropped to six in 2020. Kia Sorento EX Sport V6 and Kia Sorento SX Limited V6 were discontinued.
However, Kia Sorento started to include three rows of seats as a standard feature in all its trims in 2020. This marked the first time that all trims of Kia Sorento had three rows of seats. This trend would continue up to the present models’ trims.
2021 Kia Sorento changes
The number of trims available for 2021 increased to seven. However, some trims were dropped while two hybrid trims were introduced.
Only the Kia Sorento LX and the Kia Sorento S had seats for seven people including the driver. The other five trims, including the two new hybrid trims, only had six seats.
2022 Kia Sorento
From seven Kia Sorento trims in 2021, the number increased to 12 different trims in 2022.
The only trims with seven seats for this year were Kia Sorento LX, Kia Sorento S, and Kia Sorento X-Line S. The rest of the nine trims offered six seats in three rows.
What safety features does the Kia Sorento have?
Kia introduced the Drive Wise feature in Kia Sorento in 2021. It is a set of safety features that work together to make the Kia Sorento safer to drive for you and your family.
What is Kia Sorento Smart Cruise Control?
This is an automated driving feature that allows you to rest your foot during traffic. Set a speed and a distance between nearby vehicles and your Kia Sorento, and let it do the rest.
The Kia Sorento Smart Cruise Control will handle the throttle, slowing down, and even making a full stop if needed. It makes driving in traffic less stressful than it normally would.
How to start the Kia Sorento Smart Cruise Control
- Press the cruise control button on your steering wheel.
- Wait until you get to the speed that you want your Kia Sorento to maintain and press “Set.”
- Press the “Distance” button on your steering wheel to set the distance that you want to maintain between your Kia Sorento and other vehicles ahead.
- Wait for the traffic to stop for at least three seconds and press the “Resume” button or tap the accelerator. This will activate the Kia Sorento Smart Cruise Control and let it take over driving for you.
What is Kia Sorento Blind Spot Assistance?
This feature is a collision warning system that will inform you if there is an oncoming vehicle in your Kia’s blind spot and that there is a risk of a possible collision. It will also inform you if a vehicle switched to an adjacent lane, which might cause a possible collision.
The system uses sensors located in the rear bumpers and the side mirrors. These sensors continuously monitor for vehicles that enter your Sorento’s blind spot. The blind spots are usually the two lanes adjacent to the lane that you’re in.
You will hear an audible warning and see a visible signal on your side mirrors. These signals prompt you to check and be aware of the incoming vehicles in adjacent lanes from the rear.
The warnings can be different in different trims and year models. Thus, it is best to check the driver’s manual that came with your Kia Sorento to know more about the warning signs of this system.
What is Kia Sorento 360-Degree Surround View Mirror?
This feature eliminates the guesswork whenever you park and in most low-speed maneuvering. It makes use of several cameras located around your Kia Sorento.
The different views from these cameras are combined by the system to give you a 360-degree aerial view of your Kia Sorento.
The aerial view is displayed on your touchscreen display. From here, you can also choose to focus on a specific view. You can choose from front-left view, front-right view, full front view, rear-left view, rear-right view, full rear view, or the 360-degree aerial view of your Kia Sorento.
This is a great feature to help you park or maneuver in really tight areas. It allows you to see objects that you would not likely see from inside the vehicle without the assistance of these cameras.
What is Kia Sorento Rear Occupant Alert?
This is a standard feature in all Kia Sorento trims starting in 2021.
The Kia Sorento Rear Occupant Alert will inform you if there is still someone in the rear seats when you are about to leave your car. This feature uses ultrasonic sensors that detect if the rear seat is still occupied.
This is a great feature to remind you that your child or pet is still sleeping in the back seat when you’re about to exit your Kia Sorento. This feature can help save a life or help save someone from an injury.
This feature can also come with an app that you can download and install on a compatible device like your phone or tablet. The Rear Occupant Alert will notify you if there is a person on the rear seat of your Kia Sorento while you are away from it.
This feature can inform you if someone got inside your Kia while you are away from it or if you left someone inside.
How does the Kia Sorento Rear Occupant Alert work?
The system will activate a chime to alert you when you turn off your vehicle. There will be a visual warning message on the instrument cluster for those who are hearing impaired to remind them to check the rear seats.
A second alert will go off when you lock all the doors while you’re outside your Kia Sorento. The horn will sound for 25 seconds or so. The lights of your Kia will also flash if the system detects movement from inside the vehicle.
The third alert will send a notification to your smartphone. This alert will notify you of the rear seat occupant. You can receive this alert even when you’re away from your Kia Sorento.
In Closing
Many Kia Sorento trims offer a third row of seats. The seating capacity of Kia Sorento is tied to the engine that is installed.
However, newer Kia Sorento trims are moving towards six-passenger models.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might find the articles below equally interesting: