Kia has officially launched the 2026 Kia Sorento, a refreshed model of its best-selling mid-size SUV, on Monday, July 14th, in South Korea. The new model brings enhanced advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and premium design upgrades, and our colleagues at ShortsCar captured it in the wild. What do you think?
Advanced Safety and Smart Features Standardized
One of the key highlights of the 2026 Sorento is the standardization of Lane Keeping Assist 2 (LKA 2) and steering wheel grip detection across all trims, providing drivers with a safer and more convenient driving experience.
Kia has also made popular features like Digital Key 2 and touch-type outside door handles standard starting from the Noblesse trim, enhancing everyday usability and tech appeal.
Interior and Exterior Refinements
The 2026 Sorento now features a newly designed four-spoke steering wheel, while ambient lighting has been extended to the front door map pockets, elevating the interior’s premium atmosphere.
On the outside, the hybrid model gains a new set of stylish 19-inch wheels, available starting from the Signature trim. Notably, even when selecting the 19-inch wheels on 2WD hybrid models, customers can still enjoy South Korea’s eco-friendly vehicle tax benefits.
New X-Line Trim Replaces Gravity
Kia has rebranded the previous Gravity trim as the new “X-Line”, enhancing its rugged and bold appearance with black emblems and wheel caps, creating a more adventurous aesthetic unique to this trim.
2026 Kia Sorento Pricing (Korea) — Converted to USD and EUR
2.5L Turbo Gasoline
| Trim | KRW (₩) | USD ($) | EUR (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige | 35.8M | ~$25,800 | ~€24,000 |
| Noblesse | 38.91M | ~$28,000 | ~€26,000 |
| Signature | 41.68M | ~$30,000 | ~€27,900 |
| X-Line | 42.6M | ~$30,700 | ~€28,600 |
2.2L Diesel
| Trim | KRW (₩) | USD ($) | EUR (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige | 37.5M | ~$27,000 | ~€25,100 |
| Noblesse | 40.61M | ~$29,200 | ~€27,200 |
| Signature | 43.38M | ~$31,200 | ~€29,000 |
| X-Line | 44.31M | ~$31,900 | ~€29,700 |
1.6L Turbo Hybrid (2WD)
| Trim | KRW (₩) | USD ($) | EUR (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige | 38.96M | ~$28,100 | ~€26,100 |
| Noblesse | 42.17M | ~$30,400 | ~€28,200 |
| Signature | 44.67M | ~$32,200 | ~€29,900 |
| X-Line | 45.59M | ~$32,800 | ~€30,600 |
1.6L Turbo Hybrid (4WD)
| Trim | KRW (₩) | USD ($) | EUR (€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige | 42.25M | ~$30,400 | ~€28,300 |
| Noblesse | 45.46M | ~$32,700 | ~€30,500 |
| Signature | 47.95M | ~$34,500 | ~€32,100 |
| X-Line | 48.88M | ~$35,200 | ~€32,800 |
Maintaining Its Position as Korea’s Top-Selling SUV
A Kia spokesperson commented:
“The Sorento continues to dominate the mid-size SUV market in Korea, topping sales charts in both 2024 and the first half of 2025. With the 2026 update, we’re confident it will offer even greater satisfaction to our customers.”
