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The Sorento changed a lot across four generations. The BL (to 2009) is body-on-frame with V6 engines. The XM (2011 to 2015) became a unibody crossover with 2.4-liter and V6 engines. The UM (2016 to 2020) added a 2.0-liter turbo and a 3.3 V6. The MQ4 (from 2021) offers 2.5-liter and 2.5 turbo engines, plus 1.6-liter turbo hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions.


The 2016 Kia Sorento belongs to the third-generation Sorento (UM), built for model years 2016–2020. It is the first model year of this generation: the platform, wiring and many procedures changed compared with the previous model, so a manual for an earlier year will not match it.
Check the model year on your VIN: on a 2016 vehicle the 10th character of the 17-digit VIN is “G”. Vehicles built for North America always carry the model year in that position; on some European or Australian vehicles it may be left unused, so in that case go by the registration papers or the build plate.
At about 10 years old, a 2016 vehicle often needs work on the cooling system, timing components, suspension bushings, motor mounts and corroded electrical connectors, all jobs where the exact factory procedure and torque values save time.
Same generation: 2017 Kia Sorento, 2018 Kia Sorento, 2019 Kia Sorento, 2020 Kia Sorento.
All Kia Sorento model years: 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026
2.4L I4
2.0L I4 Turbo
3.3L V6
