Comparison: Turning circle Kia Sorento vs. competitors 2025

Progressing through the ages like a fine wine, the KIA Sorento’s turning circle story is a narrative of gradual expansion. Starting with the XM generation in 2009, the Sorento began its journey with a modest 10.90 meters, maintaining this figure through its facelift up to 2015. The saga continued with the UM series, where the dance space expanded slightly to 11.10 meters, then to 11.30 meters post-facelift. The pièce de résistance, however, is the latest MQ4 model strutting into the room with an 11.60-meter turning circle, portraying the kind of growth spurt that leaves rivals both bemused and impressed.

Within the KIA's own stable, the Sorento is somewhat of a wide-set elder compared to its more nimble stablemates. Take, for instance, the KIA Picanto with its balletic 9.40 meters turning circle – reminiscent of a figure skater in peak form. The Rio, Stonic, and the entire troupe of Ceed variants pirouette within the 10.20 to 10.60 meters range, leaving the Sorento trailing with its more substantial girth. But it’s not the widest in the family; that honor goes to the KIA EV9, stretching the tape at a more generous 12.40 meters, making the Sorento's turning circle seem positively athletic in comparison.

Comparing the Sorento to the populous world of SUVs outside the KIA lineage brings an assortment of rivals into perspective. The Hyundai Staria stretches its limbs further with a turning circle of 11.90 meters, slightly larger than our protagonist. Conversely, the Mazda 2 seems to do pirouettes around our Sorento with a nimble 9.80 meters. Volkswagen's ID.4 and the Tesla Model Y orbit closer to the Sorento's domain at 10.30 meters and 12.10 meters, respectively. Notably, the behemoth Ineos Grenadier towers over with a turning circle measuring a gargantuan 13.50 meters, making the Sorento seem almost gazelle-like in its urban agility. Thus, in the grand ballet of turning circles, the Sorento occupies a middle ground, not the most nimble, but far from being a lumbering giant.