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Kia’s global D-segment SUV, comparable to the Hyundai Santa Fe once sold in India, could be finally launched next year
With models like the EV6, EV9, and Syros, Kia has made several attempts at creating new premium segments in the Indian car market. In 2026, the company is expected to set foot into the existing premium three-row SUV segment with the Sorento, which would compete directly with the Skoda Kodiaq and the upcoming VW Tayron.
Globally, the Kia Sorento is classified as a D-segment SUV and is currently in its fourth generation. Introduced in February 2020, the fourth-generation model was given a facelift in July 2023. Kia has imported a prototype of the latest model to India and is expected to conduct extensive road testing until launch, which we expect in the festive season of 2026.
The Kia Sorento features an elegant and largely conventional exterior, something that is rarely said about the brand’s newer models. An upright bonnet, vertical headlamps with T-shaped daytime running lights, a broad and rectangular radiator grille with a hexagonal motif, and vertical tail lights with diagonal LEDs are some of the key features of the three-row SUV. Kia offers as big as 20-inch wheels globally, but in India, it may use only 19-inch wheels.
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The interior of the Kia Sorento has a sleek and modern aesthetic with a horizontal dashboard that subtly connects with the front door panels, a four-spoke steering wheel featuring an off-centred brand logo, and a neat centre console featuring an electronic parking brake. A curved panel on the dashboard integrates a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, both running the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) operating system.
Kia offers the Sorento in six- and seven-seat versions, but which of the two it plans to offer in India is yet to be known. The company will likely launch it exclusively with a hybrid powertrain, which combines a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 132.4 kW (177 hp) and 265 Nm of torque with a permanent magnet synchronous motor that develops 47.7 kW (64 hp) and 250 Nm of torque. This combination delivers 176 kW (236 hp) of total power and 380 Nm of total torque.
Also Read: 5+ Midsize SUVs Launching In India By 2026; Maruti To Kia
A 1.49 kWh battery pack located under the front seat powers the electric motor. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard in the hybrid variant, while a mechanical all-wheel drive system is optional. The Sorento Hybrid FWD accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds and the Sorento Hybrid AWD in 9.0 seconds, and both have a top speed of 196 km/h.
According to European specifications, the Sorento Hybrid delivers a fuel economy of 15.2 km/l in the FWD configuration and 14.3 km/l in the AWD configuration. We think Kia will only bring the former to our market, priced at slightly over 35 lakh (ex-showroom).
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