Scoreboard & Screens: The 2024 Kia Sorento Takes Center Stage in the 3-Row SUV Class!

As football scoreboards become the center of attention nationwide and here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis, we are “bowled over” with the features and functionality of new vehicles arriving each day! The 2024 Kia Sorento is an excellent utility player and 3-row choice, and it now comes with four powertrains. The base trim comes with a non-turbo 4-cylinder and front-wheel drive if you’re on a budget, or there’s the option of the off-road-ready and luxurious turbocharged X-Pro model if you’re looking for extra fun. 

The Plug-In Hybrid model can provide an estimated 32 miles on all-electric driving before the gas engine kicks in, with the regular hybrid providing an extra boost of acceleration and great fuel economy as well. All the non-hybrid trims received a mid-cycle refresh for 2024 that spruces things up with a fresh front grill and revised tail lights, along with freshly updated wheel designs. The infotainment system and dashboard are also updated, with the X-Pro and X-Line trims adding a rugged element of appeal. 

The Car and Driver review crew was impressed with the EX-Hybrid, which comes standard with a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder hybrid powertrain that packs a bit of appealing extra muscle. The EX also includes the comfort of heated front seats, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and remote start. The 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder cranks out 191 horsepower as standard, with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder above it delivering 281 eager horses. These excited test drivers embarked out on the town with the SX trim and enjoyed its incredibly firm brake feedback, and poised handling. 

The exploration-prepped X-Pro trim comes equipped with a center locking differential, all-terrain tires, and 17-inch wheels. The maximum towing capacity for the Sorento is 4000 pounds, which is still adequate for the weekender’s water toys or other recreational items. The 2024 Sorento Hybrid front-wheel-drive models get 39 mpg city and 35 mpg highway, while all-wheel-drive models achieve 36 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. A 4.3-inch digital gauge display and a separate 12.3-inch infotainment screen are standard, with higher-level trims changing things up with a 12.3-inch reconfigurable gauge display. 

The rear-seat entertainment system has been one of the features most appreciated by busy parents; letting the miles pass by with younger ones whose attention is captivated makes a huge difference! The Sorento also features an optional wireless charging pad and immersive 12-speaker Bose stereo. The KBB review staff were impressed by the Sorento’s affordability and efficiency, while also ranking Kia’s stellar warranty coverage as the best in its class. This team of enthusiasts loved the quicker acceleration of the more powerful engine, along with the greater towing capacity. 

For buyers who don’t travel often with more than five people and perhaps spend a good deal of time navigating tight parking lots, the Sorento is a very attractive and adventuresome means of moving through your week! With the 3rd row folded down, you get a generous cargo hold with 38.5 cubic feet of space, with 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space directly behind the 3rd row. The standard Kia Drive Wise safety suite included with every Sorento provides lane keep assist, automatic high beams, driver attention warning, and automatic emergency braking. EX trims and up feature the Smart Power Tailgate, which accommodates hands-free opening and closing. 

New Details On the 4-Door Scene: A Closer Look at the 2024 Kia Sedan Lineup

2023 ended on an exhilarating note, with the promise of new models to come to the lot here at Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis! This past year, Kia recorded its highest-ever sales, with a 13% increase over 2022. Captivating exterior designs, interiors with all the latest features, and world-class warranty coverage have won over fans such as the writers at TopSpeed.com. 

Today, we are going to offer a closer look at the 2024 Kia Sedan Lineup: crossovers have long been king, but these models provide a more driver-focused connection to the ever-inviting road.

The 2024 Kia Forte comes ready for daily drive duty in LX, LXS, GT-Line, and GT trims. As you ascend the trim levels, it becomes sportier and more aggressive. Drivers have lately demanded larger screens, as enjoying the best in tech features on the go has become essential. The Forte’s base LS trim now features an 8-inch infotainment screen as standard, along with the LXS variant. The GT-Line and GT both have the larger 10.3-inch display with Sirius XM and in-dash navigation. 

Hardcore purists will appreciate the opportunity to score a manual transmission, along with the GT-Line’s turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four cylinder that cranks out 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. The interior is so well-designed that it rivals much pricier competition, and it’s a sedan that the Edmunds.com review crew praised for being “grown-up yet small, and a fantastic value for the money.”

The 2024 Kia K5 is known for bold and boisterous styling, along with a roofline that screams “fast enough and sleek enough” for rightfully power-hungry times. The K5 comes to the table with a very well-organized interior and is a prideful benchmark of where the good stuff starts regarding upscale materials. Refined wood trim and ambient interior lighting are a few extras that have done so remarkably well at helping Kia stand out from other dreadfully ordinary options.

The top-of-the-line GT variant features a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that puts out 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. It is highly recommended for anyone looking to escape the confines of cars that don’t strive to be special. Stake your claim on the streets with bigger brakes, XL 19-inch rims with wide tires, and an automatic 8-speed transmission. Car and Driver deemed the K5 “One handsome devil, and full of unnecessary fun”, while also praising it for sophisticated and straightforward looks. 

The 2023 Kia Stinger was unquestionably the most powerful sedan in the Kia lineup, with last year’s model seeing its final run. Graced with meaningful dark chrome and dual twin-exit exhausts, the Stinger existed as a symbol of everything fantastic that could be injected into a modern vehicle. A 9-speaker audio system comes as standard, with the option of upgrading to the placidly clear and exorbitant 15-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio system. 

The Stinger’s full and g-force-inducing potential Is unleashed courtesy of the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, which cranks out 368 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Here a haven of sorts for performance enthusiasts was born, along with very firm competition to revolt against the Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Going out with a well-seasoned bang was made possible with the Apex Special Edition, which adds upgraded Brembo brakes, black fender trim, black mirror housing, and carbon-fiber-look interior trim. 

If you’re looking for a sedan, we can help! Head to Jim Butler Kia and we’ll help you upgrade to your perfect new Kia.

2024 Kia Seltos Exudes Greatness Courtesy of X-Line Trim, Gain in Horsepower

The third and capable crossover SUV in the Kia lineup this year is the Kia Seltos, and it is available with all-wheel drive. Featured in Car and Driver over the last week, the introduction of the new X-Line trim has rugged vehicle fans nationwide buzzing with chatter and excitement. 

This trim offers 18-inch wheels, a unique grille design, and special badging. Even without this trail-ready and capable trim addition, the 2024 Seltos now boasts a revised front end with a larger grille, updated front and rear fascias, and a taillight design that is much wider than before. Inside, the current Selto’s analog gauges are traded in for a digital set that features a 4.2-inch digital display screen, and an even larger 10.3-inch instrument cluster for you to efficiently control all the vehicle’s vitals. 

As the age of electrification draws near and astutely reminds consumers of all the luxuries they enjoy most, current models have had to step up their game to retain savvy buyers. The new Seltos’ cabin offers many perks, such as lane change assist, adaptive cruise control, power opening liftgate, and cooling front seats on the top-line SX trim. The 2.0-liter or turbocharged 1.6-liter powertrain are great power sources prepared for long haul.

The second and more powerful option now benefits from a 20-horsepower increase, allowing it to clock in at 195 horsepower total. There's also a brand-new HP automatic transmission that replaces this year's 7-speed unit. The Motor Trend team all agreed that the Kia Connect features such as digital key and OTA functionality allow for a level of competitive edge and appeal that drivers will desire. The body’s recent overhaul allowed for Kia to work with some new lighting features that tie the front LED projection lights in nicely with the iconic Kia grille.

The Seltos was named “Best Subcompact SUV” for the second year in a row by Kelley Blue Book, solidifying its worth in a large sea of vehicles. The Seltos’ spacious upscale interior with modern technology, class-leading cargo room, and reasonable price were all factors in this accolade that deemed it a segment leader. With its abundance of attitude, the Seltos is going to be one of our favorite 2024 models. As the holidays get into full swing, there's no time like the present to carefully weigh your options for your next amazing automobile!