Thanks all. It's a 2019 Kia Sorento with the 3.3L Lambda II GDI (non-turbo) engine. It calls for API SM or above (with an asterisk that if SM is not available then use SN or above). My line of thinking is that they just wrote in the manual what was available at the time. Plus, if SP is stricter and backward compatible with what is before it, then it can only do good to use it, correct (e.g. lower Ca for better LSPI protection for SP, and better timing chain protection in SN+)? The same applies to other standards like European ones, which I sort of implied when I said I prefer using L SAPS oils since they are supposed to minimize deposits in DI engines - even though I could probably use a full SAPS euro oil. I wouldn't be as concerned with say a dual port/direct injected Toyota engine as I am with Kia, especially since they had documented issues with their engines.
On a side note, I was having some oil consumption by 3.5K miles (about 1/2 qt), still "acceptable" according to the manufacturers I suppose, but it still doesn't sit well with me. I'd been using whatever the dealership was putting in it (some cheap "synthetic blend"). After coming on this forum and learning more about oils, I switched to full synthetic. I lowered my OCI to 3.5K-4K miles compared to the 5K miles the dealership service was putting into the computer (something the dealership must have been definitely aware of given the snowy cold winters of the state I live in, which would trigger the "severe" maintenance schedule as per the manual, reducing the OCI to 3,750 miles - but of course they conveniently disregard to mention to the user, who will end up being screwed if there is an issue with the engine). I switched to full synthetic 4 OCIs ago (the first two still run to 5K miles because of a lot of highway miles, but still 1/2 qt consumption by 3.5K miles). I used HPL's EC30 in my last run for 3,800 miles, and I didn't experience any consumption during it. Still early to call it though. Now I'm running M1 5W-30 ESP for about 500 miles into the OCI. I like that it's thicker for the hot summer. I also purchased 7 qts of HPL 5W-30 which I plan to use when it's cooler, and after I run one or two more OCIs using either M1 5W-30 ESP or M1 5W-30 EP + EC30 (I purchased 2 qts of it, and I have one remaining) for a slower, methodical, gentler cleaning before using HPL. So now you see why I'm being paranoid with this engine