Kia has officially launched the new Sorento SUV in India, with prices starting at Rs 27.99 lakh (ex-showroom). Positioned as the brand’s flagship ICE SUV and sitting above the Seltos in the lineup, the Sorento enters a crowded segment where it will go up against the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq, Jeep Meridian and Volkswagen Tayron.
The new SUV brings something none of Kia’s other India-bound models have offered so far: a strong-hybrid powertrain paired with all-wheel drive, alongside a more conventional diesel option.
Kia Sorento: Design And Dimensions
The Sorento measures 4,815mm in length, 1,900mm in width and 1,785mm in height, riding on a 2,815mm wheelbase that Kia claims is the longest and widest in its segment. That size translates into a boxy, upright stance that’s hard to miss on the road.
Up front, the SUV gets vertically stacked headlamps and DRLs flanking Kia’s signature tiger-nose grille. The design theme carries through to the rear, where vertically oriented tail lamps mirror the front-end treatment. The look is rounded off with 18-inch alloy wheels.
Buyers get eight paint scheme options to choose from, including an all-black variant for those who want a stealthier look.
Variant-Wise Pricing
Kia has confirmed the Sorento’s pricing across three main trims — HTE, HTK and HTX — with both six-seat and seven-seat layouts available depending on the variant chosen. The SUV’s ex-showroom price starts at Rs 27.99 lakh, with the top-spec AWD hybrid and diesel versions commanding a premium over the base trim.
Kia Sorento: Interior And Features
Kia has gone all-in on cabin technology with the Sorento. Depending on the variant, buyers get a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen paired with either a smaller 4-inch instrument cluster or a matching 12.3-inch digital display for a fully digital dashboard look.
Higher trims step things up further with Kia’s full CCNC navigation suite, Kia Connect 2.0 connected-car tech, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, a digital key, a head-up display, and a generative-AI voice assistant. Buyers can also pick between two distinct interior themes to suit their taste.
Comfort And Convenience
The feature list is extensive and includes:
- Ventilated front and second-row seats
- Relaxation seats with recline function
- A 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
- 4-way power adjustment for the front passenger seat
- A panoramic sunroof
- Ambient interior lighting
- A powered tailgate
- A 12-speaker Bose sound system
The second-row captain seats can recline and slide, and also get ventilation — a feature usually reserved for pricier flagship SUVs.
Seating And Practicality
The Sorento is built as a three-row SUV with seating for seven, though Kia is also offering a six-seat configuration for buyers who prioritise second-row comfort over outright capacity. Practical touches include remote second-row seat folding and ISOFIX child-seat mounts in both the second and third rows, making it a genuinely family-friendly package.
Kia Sorento: Safety Features
Safety kit scales up meaningfully as you move up the variant ladder. Base trims come with seven airbags and a 26-feature safety package, while mid and higher variants add three more airbags (taking the total to ten) along with up to 28 standard safety features.
The range-topping variant is the standout here, adding Level 2+ ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) built around a 30-feature suite. This includes a surround-view monitor, blind-view monitor, remote parking assist, a digital inside rearview mirror (IRVM), a front-and-rear dashcam, and multi-collision braking that automatically applies brakes after an initial impact to help prevent secondary collisions.
Kia Sorento: Engine And Powertrain Options
The Sorento marks a first for Kia in India — it’s the brand’s first model here to offer a strong-hybrid powertrain, and the first to be offered with all-wheel drive.
The hybrid setup pairs a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor. The engine alone makes 180hp, and the electric motor contributes an additional 65hp, for a combined system output of 238hp and 265Nm of torque. This hybrid powertrain is offered exclusively with all-wheel drive.
For buyers who prefer diesel power, the Sorento offers a 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 193hp and 442Nm of torque. This unit comes with front-wheel drive on the lower variants, while the range-topping HTX grade gets all-wheel drive as standard.
Both powertrains come with multiple drive modes and terrain modes, letting drivers tailor throttle response, steering feel and traction settings to road and weather conditions.
What This Means For Buyers
With the Sorento, Kia is making a clear play for buyers who’ve traditionally looked at the Toyota Fortuner or Skoda Kodiaq for a big, three-row family SUV, but want more powertrain choice and a heavier dose of technology. The combination of a strong-hybrid AWD option, a torquey diesel, and a long features list — from ventilated captain seats to Level 2+ ADAS — gives Kia a genuine flagship to sit above the Seltos in its India lineup.
How the Sorento’s real-world pricing stacks up trim-for-trim against its rivals will likely be the deciding factor for buyers cross-shopping this segment in the coming months.
