The Kia Telluride is a hugely popular SUV. People love it for its unique aesthetic, roomy, high-tech interior, and outstanding warranty. It adds up to a well-balanced family vehicle that’s a good fit for many families. However, there’s another Kia SUV that’s technically in the same segment as the Telluride that’s sometimes overlooked. Let’s look at some of the benefits of the Kia Sorento.

The Kia Sorento has great resale value

J.D. Power is a strong authority in assigning resale value. According to J.D. Power, the Kia Sorento earns a score of 87 out of 100 in the Resale category. That’s good enough for a “Great” designation. It’s not as good as the 92 resale score that the Telluride gets, but the Sorento still earns an impressive score in resale value.

Resale value is more important in today’s car market than it used to be. Used car prices are stubbornly high compared to the pre-COVID automotive marketplace. Buying a car or SUV with excellent resale value compared to a competitor with poor resale value can save the owner a bundle when it’s time to sell or trade in.

Multiple hybrid options

Another big perk of the Kia Sorento is its multiple hybrid options. You can get a Sorento with a conventional hybrid powertrain that returns 37 combined mpg with FWD and 34 mpg with AWD. There’s also a plug-in hybrid powertrain available, giving the Sorento an impressive 32-mile all-electric range without sacrificing the practicality of this family SUV.

The Kia Telluride, however, has no hybrid options. The standard V6 in the Telluride gets a respectable fuel economy rating of up to 22 combined mpg.

The Kia Sorento’s affordable pricing

On top of its great resale value, the Kia Sorento is notable for being one of the most affordable midsize three-row SUVs on the market. The 2023 Kia Sorento has a starting MSRP of $30,090. That’s quite a bit lower than the Telluride’s starting price of $35,990. The Sorento is cheaper mainly because it’s on the smaller side of the midsize SUV segment.

The Sorento is even a good value in the affordable base trim. The Sorento LX has some impressive standard features like LED headlights, one-touch sliding and folding second-row seats, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Kia Drive Wise safety tech features like automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist.

What’s it like driving the 2023 Kia Sorento?

Another big perk of the Kia Sorento is its available turbo engine that pumps out 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. It’s in the EX trim and up, which makes the starting price for this excellent engine only $35,990. The turbo engine in the Sorento makes it legitimately exciting to drive while retaining all of the practicality of a midsize SUV. It also gives the Sorento a 3,500-pound towing capacity.

The Kia Sorento is a great value

All of the above makes the Kia Sorento an excellent buy among midsize three-row SUVs. It’s not the roomiest in the third row. Still, if you only occasionally need the extra seating, the Kia Sorento is an affordable and efficient SUV with great resale value and a class-leading warranty.