In 2011, the Kia Sorento switched to a unibody chassis and a front-wheel-drive biased driveline allowing Kia to market the Sorento as a crossover. The Sorento which offers both 5-passenger and 7-passenger seating options is on the smaller end of the segment for 7-passenger vehicles. For example, the Sorento is about 4 inches shorter than a Toyota Highlander and over a foot shorter than a Ford Explorer. This places the Sorento at a disadvantage for three-row legroom and cargo volume. The base engine in the Sorento is a 2.4l four-cylinder. A more powerful V6 engine is included on higher trim levels. Like other Kia models, the Sorento represents a good value including desirable features for a lower price than many competitive vehicles. An all-wheel-drive Sorento V6 with leather seating lists for under $34,000.

Kia updated the Sorento SUV. The most visible change is revised styling in the front of the vehicle. The chassis has been re-engineered to increase rigidity and improve ride and handling. A new 3.3l V6 engine produces 290-bhp and 252 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4l four-cylinder engine carries over. The instrument panel has been updated to accommodate larger screens in the instrument cluster and in the center stack.