The Kia Sorento has gained more standard technology for 2026, but it will soon lose its most affordable variants.
Kia added more affordable hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants last year, meaning there’s now a whopping 20 Sorento variants on offer for model year 2026 (MY26).
However, four of these are in runout mode as Kia has discontinued the base powertrain, a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre petrol V6 offered only with front-wheel drive.
Stock of V6 Sorentos isn’t expected to last into the second quarter (April to June) of 2026.
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For MY26, Kia has added its latest generation of lane-centring technology, called Lane Following Assist 2.
It says this “delivers more precise and less intrusive steering control by directly monitoring and adjusting steering angle instead of doing so indirectly via the steering actuator”.
But don’t think you can just take your hands off the wheel, as Kia has added new sensors to prevent abuse.
New hands-on detection sensors on the steering wheel work in conjunction with the existing torque sensor to better determine whether you’ve actually got your hands on the steering wheel.
Finally, Kia has added ambient lighting elements on the front doors of GT-Line variants.
The Kia Sorento is the only model available in Australia to offer a choice of petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, though it won’t have this bragging right for much longer given the impending demise of the V6.
Pricing
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2026 Kia Sorento S V6 FWD | $51,380 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport V6 FWD | $54,000 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento S Diesel AWD | $54,380 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento S Hybrid FWD | $56,380 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport Diesel AWD | $57,000 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ V6 FWD | $58,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport Hybrid FWD | $59,000 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento S Hybrid AWD | $59,380 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ Diesel AWD | $61,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport Hybrid AWD | $62,000 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ Hybrid FWD | $63,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line V6 FWD | $66,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ Hybrid AWD | $66,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Diesel AWD | $69,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento S PHEV AWD | $70,880 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid FWD | $71,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport PHEV AWD | $73,500 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD | $74,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ PHEV AWD | $78,430 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV AWD | $86,790 |
Drivetrains and Efficiency
| Specifications | V6 | Diesel | Hybrid | PHEV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 | 2.2L turbo 4cyl | 1.6L turbo 4cyl | 1.6L turbo 4cyl |
| Fuel type | 91-octane regular unleaded | Diesel | 91-octane regular unleaded | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| Engine outputs | 200kW + 332Nm | 148kW + 440Nm | 132kW + 265Nm | 132kW + 265Nm |
| Electric motor outputs | – | – | 44kW + 264Nm | 67kW + 304Nm |
| System outputs | 169kW + 350Nm | 195kW + 350Nm | ||
| Battery | – | – | 1kWh | 14kWh |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto | 8-speed dual-clutch auto | 6-speed auto | 6-speed auto |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive | All-wheel drive | Front- or all-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
| Tare mass | 1898kg | 1974kg | 1909kg (FWD) 1972kg (AWD) | 2117kg |
| Fuel economy (claimed) | 9.8L/100km | 6.0L/100km | 5.4L/100km (FWD) 5.7L/100km (AWD) | 1.6L/100km |
| Electric driving range | – | – | – | 68km (NEDC) |
| Max AC charge rate | – | – | – | 3.3kW |
| Fuel tank capacity | 67L | 67L | 67L | 47L |
| CO2 emissions | 222g/km | 158g/km | 122g/km (FWD) 129g/km (AWD) | 37g/km |
| Braked towing capacity | 2000kg | 2000kg | 1650kg | 1010kg |
Kia claims the Sorento PHEV can be charged from 15 to 95 per cent in three hours and 26 minute using a 3.3kW EVSE charger.
Dimensions
All Sorentos feature three rows of seating.
| Dimensions | Kia Sorento |
|---|---|
| Length | 4815mm |
| Width | 1900mm |
| Height | 1700mm |
| Wheelbase | 2815mm |
| Cargo capacity | 179L (all rows up) 608L (third row folded) 1996L (second and third rows folded) |
| Ground clearance | 176mm |
The Sorento PHEV has slightly less cargo capacity, with 175 litres behind the third row, expanding to 604L with the third row dropped and 1988L with the second and third rows stowed. Its battery is located under the second-row seat, as with the hybrid.
Servicing and Warranty
Kia backs the Sorento with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty, with high-voltage batteries in hybrid and PHEV variants backed by a separate seven-year, 150,000km warranty.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km in petrol and diesel variants, and 12 months or 10,000km for hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.
Kia offers seven years of capped-price servicing, detailed below:
| Service | V6 | Diesel | Hybrid FWD | Hybrid AWD | PHEV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | $370 | $371 | $353 | $353 | $353 |
| 2 years | $582 | $583 | $733 | $733 | $733 |
| 3 years | $446 | $447 | $427 | $427 | $761 |
| 4 years | $765 | $818 | $1063 | $1099 | $1165 |
| 5 years | $417 | $418 | $397 | $397 | $397 |
| 6 years | $732 | $714 | $883 | $883 | $1248 |
| 7 years | $442 | $444 | $696 | $696 | $696 |
Safety
The Kia Sorento has a five-star rating from independent safety authority ANCAP. However, this is based on testing conducted in 2020, and therefore this rating will expire on December 31, 2026.
The rating applies to all members of the Sorento lineup, regardless of powertrain type.
| Category | Kia Sorento |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 82 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 85 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 63 per cent |
| Safety assist | 89 per cent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Junction turning assist
- Blind-spot assist
- Driver attention monitoring
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Multi-collision braking
- Rear occupant alert
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Safe exit warning
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Front, front-side and front-centre airbags
- Curtain airbags (first and second rows)
The GT-Line also adds:
- Blind-Spot View Monitor
- Parking Collision Avoidance Assist – Reverse
- Safe exit assist
- Side parking sensors
- Surround-view camera
As mentioned, the Sorento also gains Lane Following Assist 2 and hands-on detection sensors on the steering wheel.
Standard Equipment
There are four trim levels in the Sorento lineup.
The S comes standard with the following equipment:
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Full-size alloy spare
- Automatic reflector LED headlights
- LED front and rear fog lights
- Proximity entry with push-button start
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Power-folding exterior mirrors
- Electronic parking brake with auto hold
- Digital instrument cluster with 4.0-inch LCD display
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- Wireless and wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Over-the-air updates
- Kia Connect telematics
- Remote control of locks, climate control
- Remote vehicle status monitoring
- DAB+ digital radio
- 7-speaker sound system
- Air-conditioning (dual-zone climate control on hybrid, PHEV) with second-row vents
- Cloth upholstery
- 6-way manually height-adjustable driver’s seat
- Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Sliding, reclining and flat-folding (60:40) second-row seats
- 50:50 split/fold flat third-row seats
- Power windows with auto up/down for driver
The Sport adds:
- 18-inch alloy wheels (V6, diesel only)
- Rear privacy glass
- 10-way power driver’s seat with 2-way lumbar
- Satellite navigation
- Dual-zone climate control
- Third-row air vents
- Electrochromic auto-dimming rear-view mirror
The Sport+ adds:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- LED rear combination lights
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Heated exterior mirrors
- Heated steering wheel
- Leather-appointed upholstery
- Heated front seats
- 10-speaker Bose sound system
- Power windows with auto up/down for front and rear windows
- Cloth A/B-pillar trim
- High-gloss black console trim
- Second-row USB outlets x 2
- Third-row USB outlets x 2
- Sunshade blinds
The GT-Line adds:
- 20-inch alloy wheels (V6, diesel only)
- Panoramic sunroof
- Projector LED headlights
- Auto-dipping function for exterior mirrors
- Remote Smart Parking Assist
- Digital rear-view mirror
- Head-up display
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- Wireless phone charger
- LED interior lighting
- Quilted Nappa leather upholstery
- 14-way power driver’s seat
- 4-way lumbar
- Cushion extension
- Memory
- 10-way power passenger seat with 2-way lumbar
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated outboard second-row seats
- Suede headliner, sunvisors and A/B-pillar trim
- Alloy pedals
Colours
Clear White is the standard exterior paint finish across the range, with the following colours available for an extra $700:
- Steel Grey
- Silky Silver (HEV, PHEV only)
- Mineral Blue
- Aurora Black
- Gravity Blue
- Snow White Pearl
- Volcanic Sand Brown
- Cityscape Green