It’s harmful to face nonetheless in Australia’s hotly aggressive SUV market, however Kia definitely can’t be accused of doing so.
After launching right here in 2020, the fourth-generation Kia Sorento obtained a considerable mid-life replace in 2024, receiving the model’s new company face in addition to a completely overhauled inside.
Kia’s not finished both, with an replace due later this 12 months set to carry improved Lane Following Help 2 with steering wheel grip detection, plus Kia Digital Key 2 that permits your smartphone for use as a key fob.
Undoubtedly Kia needs to remain on prime of the big SUV phase. And there’s nothing else with the range the Sorento affords – petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, plus a alternative of front- or all-wheel drive.
It’s arguably among the many higher lookers within the phase too, with the facelift giving it an much more good-looking, premium look than earlier than. These turned off by the polarising Hyundai Santa Fe might discover this a soothing balm.
Watch: Paul’s video evaluate of the Sorento HEV AWD
To the top of August, the Sorento is sitting above even the Toyota Kluger and Subaru Outback within the gross sales race, whereas its Hyundai Santa Fe platform-mate is additional again within the rear-view mirror if gaining velocity.
The Sorento has managed to fend off its company cousin regardless of the Santa Fe lately receiving a complete redesign, and providing a a lot wider vary of hybrid variants.
In more and more hybrid-hungry Australia, that’s a key benefit to have. Kia says extra hybrid Sorentos are coming, however for now it has simply front- and all-wheel drive GT-Line Hybrids, with neither in nice provide.
That’s why throughout the first half of this 12 months, Hyundai offered nearly 5 instances as many Santa Fe Hybrids as Kia did of its Sorento Hybrid. So, is it price ready for an electrified Sorento?
How a lot does the Kia Sorento value?
Within the mid-size SUV phase, hybrids abound. Within the giant SUV phase, they’re a lot much less widespread.
| Mannequin | Worth earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 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 Sport Diesel AWD | $57,000 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ V6 FWD | $58,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento Sport+ Diesel AWD | $61,930 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line V6 FWD | $66,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Diesel AWD | $69,290 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid FWD | $70,330 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD | $73,330 |
| 2026 Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV AWD | $84,660 |
The Sorento takes on not solely its Santa Fe company cousin, but additionally the Toyota Kluger and… effectively, that’s just about it, except you increase your consideration record to incorporate mild-hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
You may get the Sorento Hybrid solely in GT-Line trim for now, albeit with a alternative of front- or all-wheel drive.
Hyundai will solely provide a base Santa Fe Hybrid with front-wheel drive, whereas all Toyota Klugers are all-wheel drive, so there’s not a direct equal to our GT-Line front-wheel drive tester in both lineup.
At $70,330 earlier than on-road prices, it’s priced nearly immediately between all-wheel drive Elite and Calligraphy variants of the Santa Fe Hybrid, and just under the mid-spec Kluger GXL. It’s additionally nearly precisely $1000 greater than a Sorento GT-Line diesel, which comes with all-wheel drive and really comparable gas economic system.
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Allow us to make it easier to discover your new automotive
Purchase your new automotive with out the stress. It is quick, easy and utterly free.
Nice service from Travis and crew, second time I’ve used this enterprise wouldn’t hesitate to suggest them to anybody
Craig C.
Bought a Ford Ranger in Sunshine Coast, QLD
CarExpert helped Craig save $7,224 on his Ford Ranger, now allow us to prevent in your subsequent new automotive.
What’s the Kia Sorento like on the within?
The pre-facelift Sorento had a little bit of an American flavour to its cabin, which has been changed with a extra uniform software of the Kia company look.
It’s arguably a extra elegant cabin than earlier than, however it’s not with out its flaws.
A whole lot of these are centred across the centre console. The edges of this, the place you might relaxation your knee, are exhausting. In addition they creak once you press them.
The centre console bin lid is creaky too, whereas the drive mode selector is a bit wobbly. These are disappointing construct high quality flaws in a cabin in any other case freed from them.
There are nice contact factors just like the gentle sprint prime and doorways (though the gentle driver’s armrest flexes a bit), or the suede headliner that’s so gentle you are feeling as if you can take a nap on it.
The controls, drive mode selector apart, are additionally beautiful to make use of. That features the rotary shifter dial and the varied bodily buttons and switches on the leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The local weather management panel, shared with the Sportage, represents a suitable stability between the analogue and digital worlds. It has correct knobs, however is in any other case touch-capacitive. This enables the array for use for adjusting the local weather management and, with the press of a button, the sound system.
This additionally allowed Kia designers to pen a cleanly styled centre stack, with out going to the extremes of Chinese language manufacturers that bury many of those controls in touchscreen menus.
The touchscreen itself is simple to navigate with crisp, fashionable graphics, and enhances an equally interesting digital instrument cluster. A head-up show lets you preserve your eyes on the street.
Step into the second row and there’s loads of house in each path, although centre-seat occupants will discover the centre console intrudes considerably on their leg room.
There are the requisite facilities – air vents, map pockets, a fold-down armrest with cupholders, and a pair of USB-C retailers. These are situated on the perimeters of the entrance seatbacks, making them considerably simpler to achieve than rivals’ retailers.
We additionally love the position of cupholders on the doorways, which means in case you’re travelling three-up within the second row there’s nonetheless a spot for individuals to pop their drinks.
Evaluating the Sorento and Santa Fe back-to-back although, it’s the Hyundai that’s higher packaged.
There appears to be extra third-row legroom within the Kia, however headroom is worse – at 180cm tall, I couldn’t sit up with out my head brushing the roof.
And any deficiency the Hyundai has in leg room will be resolved by merely sliding the second row ahead barely, as you are able to do within the Kia.
The Sorento’s steeply raked rear-quarter glass might make the SUV look a bit extra athletic, however it finally ends up making the third row really feel fairly darkish. Santa Fe occupants, in distinction, get way more pure gentle.
In addition they get curtain airbag protection, one thing the Kia solely affords for the entrance two rows. Third-row occupants do, nevertheless, get vents, a pair of USB retailers, two cupholders, and fan controls.
For those who’re transporting young children, you’ll discover top-tether youngster seat anchor factors for all seats within the second and third rows, plus 4 ISOFIX factors. That’s not at all times a given with three-row SUVs.
Additionally, severe kudos to Kia for nonetheless becoming a full-size alloy spare. We’re seeing an growing variety of manufacturers select to not provide even a space-saver spare, with tyre restore kits abounding. We all know which we’d reasonably have if we had a puncture on a rural street…
| Dimensions | Kia Sorento |
|---|---|
| Size | 4815mm |
| Width | 1900mm |
| Top | 1700mm |
| Wheelbase | 2815mm |
| Cargo capability | 179L (third row up) 608L (third row folded) 1996L (second and third rows folded) |
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s below the bonnet?
The Kia Sorento is the one automobile in its phase to supply a alternative of petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid energy.
| Specs | Kia Sorento Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.6L turbo 4cyl |
| Engine outputs | 132kW / 265Nm |
| Electrical motor outputs | 44kW / 264Nm |
| System outputs | 169kW / 350Nm |
| Battery | 1kWh lithium-ion |
| Transmission | 6-speed auto |
| Drive sort | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1909kg |
| Gasoline economic system (claimed) | 5.4L/100km |
| Gasoline economic system (as examined) | 6.2L/100km (inner-city, suburban and freeway loop) 7.1L/100km (over the course of every week) |
| Gasoline tank capability | 67L |
| Gasoline requirement | 91-octane common unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 122g/km |
| Emissions commonplace | Euro 5 |
| Braked tow capability | 1650kg |
The Sorento Hybrid’s noticed gas economic system of 6.2L/100km was fairly good, given once I took a smaller Hyundai Tucson Hybrid – which makes use of the identical fundamental powertrain – throughout an an identical inner-city, suburban and freeway loop, it used 6.1L/100km.
Consumption elevated to 7.1L/100km over the course of every week, in opposition to an official declare of 5.4L/100km. It’s price noting the extra inexpensive diesel makes use of 6.0L/100km. CO2 emissions are 122g/km within the hybrid and 158g/km within the diesel.
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the Kia Sorento drive?
So we all know the Kia Sorento Hybrid is economical, however what’s it really feel wish to drive?
If you take off, the petrol engine kicks in nearly instantly, although it engages easily.
It has a really completely different really feel than, say, a Toyota hybrid. A whole lot of that is because of the usage of a six-speed computerized transmission as a substitute of a CVT, so you possibly can really feel gear modifications.
A few of these really feel a bit slurred, significantly at low speeds, however in the end the Sorento feels – for higher or worse – extra like a standard petrol-powered automotive with some electrical help reasonably than a conventional hybrid.
You could suppose a 1.6-litre engine in a automotive this huge would have the Sorento feeling underdone however, whereas it’s no rocketship, it has sufficient grunt off the road.
It sounds a bit raspy however the cabin is mostly quiet, with engine, street and wind noise saved at bay – particularly, the combustion engine sounds prefer it’s working away someplace off within the distance.
The Sorento feels extra SUV-like to drive than its Santa Fe company cousin, and there’s a bit extra rebound over bumps and ruts and extra head toss.
The 19-inch wheels within the Sorento even have a little bit of an influence on trip high quality. It proved usually comfy even over regional roads, however on some city pavement the Sorento had an inclination to clomp considerably over bumps.
For those who worth driving engagement, the Sorento disappoints. The brake pedal feels picket and the steering has little really feel, so that you type of punt it right into a nook and dangle on.
Sport mode provides a bit weight, however it will probably’t handle the shortage of really feel, and it sees the Sorento maintain gears for longer.
The lane-keep help can be fairly assertive, so you might wish to flip that off on winding roads.
So, it’s not all that satisfying to drive in a rush, however in equity there’s not a number of pleasure to be discovered on this phase.
What’s extra necessary for a big household SUV is refinement, and right here the Sorento delivers. It additionally will get energy right down to the bottom easily, with torque steer well-managed and solely the occasional chirp from the tyres in additional spirited driving.
That assertive lane-keep help helps you from straying into one other lane, with the Lane Following Help preserving you neatly centred inside one and taking a number of the pressure out of freeway driving.
Hyundai Motor Group autos used to punish you for turning off the velocity restrict alert, however now you possibly can flip off this annoying chime and but nonetheless have street indicators seem inside the instrument cluster.
A digital rear-view mirror is a welcome inclusion. You could discover it distracting as I do, however it may be switched again to a daily mirror and is extraordinarily welcome once you’ve bought individuals or objects blocking your view out the rear window.
The Hyundai Motor Group’s Blind Spot View Monitor can be a useful function, displaying footage out of your blind spot within the instrument cluster once you’re indicating.
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The Sorento Hybrid is obtainable solely in GT-Line grade, the highest trim stage within the wider Sorento lineup.
Trusted Critiques, Smarter Decisions, Higher Costs
The place knowledgeable automotive critiques meet knowledgeable automotive shopping for – CarExpert offers you trusted recommendation, personalised service and actual financial savings in your subsequent new automotive.
2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid gear highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Full-size alloy spare
- Automated LED headlights
- Automated high-beam
- LED entrance fog lights
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
- Fingers-free energy tailgate
- Panoramic sunroof
- Rear privateness glass
- Eco, Sport, Sensible drive modes
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- Distant Sensible Parking Help
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- DAB digital radio
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- Wi-fi and wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
- Head-up show
- 12-speaker Bose sound system
- Nappa leather-based upholstery
- 14-way energy driver’s seat
- 4-way lumbar assist
- Cushion extension
- 2-person reminiscence
- Heating
- Air flow
- 10-way energy passenger seat
- 2-way lumbar assist
- Heating
- Air flow
- Second-row three-person bench
- Reclining
- 60:40 break up/flat folding
- Heating (for outboard seats)
- Third-row two-person bench
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Heated ‘premium’ steering wheel
- Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Digital rear-view mirror
- 64-colour ambient lighting
- 6 x USB retailers (2 in every row)
- Alloy scuff plates
- Alloy pedals
- Suede headliner
- 7-year Kia Join subscription
- Distant automobile monitoring, standing checking
- Distant management of locks, local weather management
- SOS emergency name operate
- Voice assistant
- Actual-time visitors updates
- Valet parking mode
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Is the Kia Sorento protected?
The Kia Sorento has a five-star security ranking from ANCAP, primarily based on testing carried out in 2020, and this ranking applies to petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.
| Class | Kia Sorento |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 82 per cent |
| Youngster occupant safety | 85 per cent |
| Susceptible street person safety | 63 per cent |
| Security help | 89 per cent |
Commonplace security gear contains:
- Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian, automobile and bicycle owner detection
- Junction help
- Reverse AEB
- Blind-spot help
- Blind Spot View Monitor
- Driver consideration alert
- Clever Velocity Restrict Help
- Lane Following Help (lane centring)
- Lane-keep help
- Rear occupant alert
- Protected Exit Help
- Encompass-view digicam
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Tyre strain monitoring
- Entrance, front-side and front-centre airbags
- Curtain airbags (1st and 2nd rows)
In contrast to many rivals with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and protected exit warning techniques that merely sound a chime or flash a lightweight, the Kia has blind-spot, rear cross-traffic, and protected exit help options which can actively intervene.
For instance, Protected Exit Help will cease an occupant from opening the rear doorways if it detects they’re about to exit the automobile into the trail of an oncoming automobile. Likewise, the Sorento’s blind-spot help and rear cross-traffic help options will apply the brakes in the event that they detect an imminent collision.
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Kia Sorento value to run?
The Kia might have an extended commonplace guarantee than its Hyundai cousin (seven years versus 5), however the latter is extra inexpensive to service and may prolong guarantee protection to seven years in case you service inside the Hyundai community.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 7 years, limitless kilometres – automobile 7 years, 150,000km – high-voltage elements |
| Roadside help | 8 years (service-activated) |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 10,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 7 years |
| Common annual service value | $650 |
| Whole capped-price service value | $4552 |
To see how the Kia Sorento strains up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid
We’re trying ahead to a wider vary of Kia Sorento Hybrids in Australia, as a result of basically it is a good SUV.
As anticipated of a Hyundai Motor Group automobile, there’s loads of slick expertise.
Design is subjective, however we don’t suppose we’re courting controversy by saying the Kia Sorento is probably the most enticing giant hybrid SUV available on the market, and that seven-year guarantee can’t be crushed on this a part of the market.
Nonetheless, we’d steer you in direction of a Santa Fe Hybrid, in case you can abdomen the styling. It’s better-packaged, has extra security package, and is barely higher to drive, and it’s in a lot higher provide in Australia.
In case your partner vetoes the polarising Santa Fe, nevertheless, and also you handle to really get your fingers on a Sorento Hybrid, you’re nonetheless getting a lot of the goodness simply in a extra standard wrapper.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new Kia Sorento. Click on right here to get an excellent deal
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
