Kia drives into premium SUV segment with Sorento

Expanding its presence in the SUV segment, Kia India on Friday launched the Sorento in the price range of Rs 27.99 - 40.39 lakh. The South Korean automaker's latest offering, which is also its first vehicle to come with a hybrid powertrain in India, will compete against the likes of highly established models such as Mahindra XUV7X0, Toyota HyCross and Fortuner, and Skoda Kodiaq.

Riding on the success of the Seltos and Sonet SUVs, the carmaker said the Sorento is not limited to the D-segment but will target buyers across segments looking for a premium three-row SUV.

“Dimensionally and in terms of engine capacity, the Sorento falls in the D-segment SUV space. This segment will be about 45,000 units this year, and we believe it will hit 100,000 units by 2030. So there is a big opportunity here. Having said that, we are positioning our vehicle as a premium three-row SUV. By offering a strong value proposition, we are looking to attract customers from different segments. We are not limiting ourselves to one segment as such,” Atul Sood, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Kia India, told TNIE.

Sood expects Kia to retain its growth momentum in the coming months and close calendar year 2026 with strong double-digit growth. Between January-August, Kia India’s wholesales stand at 220,991 units, compared with 183,882 units over the same period in 2025, a growth of 20.1%.

Besides introducing a hybrid model, Kia on Friday also unveiled its plan for launching factory-fitted CNG versions of the Carens and Carens Clavis, a flex-fuel version of the Syros and a hybrid version of the Carnival. Kia said that it will follow a multi-powertrain technology drive for sustainable mobility in India.

“More than expanding our portfolio, Sorento reflects our commitment to bringing globally proven products and future-ready technologies to meet the evolving aspirations of Indian customers. We are confident that it will set a new benchmark for the segment and further strengthen Kia’s premium journey in India, said Gwanggu Lee, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India.

For over twenty-four years and four generations, the Kia Sorento has retailed more than 4.8 million units globally across 132 countries. Besides a Hybrid powertrain, the Sorento is launched alongside a Diesel powertrain option. The SUV is also the first in its segment to offer a Hybrid powertrain with All-Wheel Drive (AWD).