Kia Sorento Car Camping Conversion: 3 Easy Ways to Hit the Road

For years, I was obsessed with van life, dreaming of the day I could join the movement. I’d watch video after video, imagining myself in a cosy van, ready to explore the world. But the reality? A good, reliable van was out of reach financially, and I had no clue about cars. Saving up for one felt like chasing a pipe dream—especially since it would leave me with little money for actual travel.

Then, one day while scrolling through YouTube, I stumbled upon a car camping video, and it was like a lightbulb went off. People were doing this—camping in regular cars! The excitement was immediate, and I realised, "I can do this too... and I can do it now!"

Fast forward to today, and I'm living in my 2011 Kia Sorento. Along the way, I met the love of my life, who was just as adventurous as I am. We even moved into the car together! Below, I'll walk you through the three different builds I've tried, each one catering to different needs, trip lengths, and skill levels. The best part? None of these builds involve permanent modifications to the car.

Build 1 - The Weekender: No Car Modifications

My first build was super simple. I folded down all five rear seats, cut a piece of plywood to size, sanded it down, and rested it on some wood posts I foraged from a construction site bin (saving my personal dollars and reducing waste in one go). No holes, no drilling—just a quick and easy setup.

The plywood rested on the folded middle seats, with the wooden posts evening out the bed. It made a fantastic weekend camper for how little time it took to make. There was a small amount of storage under the bed, and I could fit essentials like a water jug and a 10L esky behind the front seats.

Pros:

• Easy and quick to build

• No modifications needed

• Time-efficient and low commitment

• Easy to take in and out

  
  

Cons:

• Can’t sit up fully

• Limited storage space

Build 2 - The Longer Trip: More Storage, Minimal Mods

After a few longer trips, I wanted more storage space, so I made some non-permanent mods by removing the middle row of seats (it's a 7 seater car). This way, I still had two passenger seats available if needed, without fully converting the Kia into a non-passenger car. This version of the camper also has a tiny kitchen!

Removing the seats was easy—I just used a socket drive to unscrew the bolts, then screwed them back into the floor to avoid losing them. With the middle seats out, the rear of the mattress rested on the back seats, while the front was supported by another piece of scrap wood with a hinge, making the platform removable.

As the Kia Sorento is a 7 seater car, some cup holders and pockets protrude from the walls where the 6th and 7th seat are. This makes for a great 'bedside table' when traveling, however means that the plywood will need to be cut around it if you want to make the most of your bed space. Cutting around this will serve you well as it will 'hook' the plywood and help keep the platform from moving around.

Additionally, by cutting the tail end off the plywood, the new design gave me access to the Kia’s spare tire compartment, which I turned into a small kitchen area. It’s perfect for storing cups, cutlery, herbs, and spices. Definitely my favourite part of this version of the camper (you can see an image of this component in the build 3 photo).

For a short while I did make a shelf for the tail end of the platform - which I thought could serve as a location to cook on or rest things on whilst sleeping. It was made from some wooden flooring and secured with L brackets and wing nuts to the platform, making it removable. It did come in handy, but I just loved the wonderstruck feeling of laying with my head poking out this end of the car, gazing at the stars or whatever scenery was around. The shelf also interfered with jumping in and out of the car from the boot. If you did opt for this however, keep in mind the off-cut from the now kitchen could be used for this purpose to save scrap!

Lastly, to beautify the platform I stapled some funky fabric my dad had laying around to it (as can be seen resting on it in the picture).

Pros:

• Full sitting height in the car

• A tiny kitchen

• Much more storage space

  
  

Cons:

• More work involved in setting up

• Shelf can get in the way

• Slightly more difficult to remove from the car

Build 3 - The Full-Time Tavel Mode: Moving In

When it was time to move in full-time, I went all out with Build 3. This setup is our current living situation, and it has exceeded our expectations. We removed the rear seats entirely, added four metal posts to support the platform, and again repurposed scrap wood for the structure. This blessed us for more storage and a functional kitchen space.

A key here was utilising the existing bolts from where the rear seats were removed. I’m very lucky and grateful to have a dad that welded and cut some metal bits and bobs together to make this work. This holds the platform firmly in place.

We cut out the middle section of the rear storage, added another hinge, and voilà—a fully functional kitchen! We even added a storage container for all our kitchen gear, which is easily removable. Another piece of a random metal rod (which I think is from an old outdoor umbrella) contributed to support the kitchen lid, which we secured with a custom-made nook and some brackets. We also added some plating for cooking, perfect for resting hot pots and keeping things clean.

Although we did use welding for this build which requires skill and tools, don't be discouraged if you don't think this is possible for you. I am more than positive wood could be used in place of metal. Simply add a L bracket to a wooden post cut to size. We used what was available and I think my dad was simply having fun with it.

Pros:

• A larger, functional kitchen

• Ample storage space

• Perfect for full-time travel

  
  

Cons:

• Requires much more time and effort with measurements and building

• More tools necessary

  
  

Remember: It's not about the wheels, it's about the adventure!

Embracing the car camping lifestyle in my Kia Sorento has been nothing short of transformative. What began as a dream of van life evolved into a reality that’s accessible, affordable, and endlessly rewarding. Through each build, I’ve discovered that adventure isn’t about having the perfect vehicle—it’s about making the most of what you have and finding freedom on your own terms. So, whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or embarking on a full-time journey, remember: the road is yours to explore, and every kilometre is an opportunity to create your own adventure.