Key Points:
- The 2026 Kia Sorento starts at $33,635 (all prices include $1,445 destination charge) and gets more standard luxury equipment on the X-Line and SX trim levels.
- Standard Terrain Modes for all-wheel-drive variants include settings for mud, sand and snow.
- X-Line trims now feature standard black exterior accents.
After a refresh two model years ago to bring its styling more in line with the larger Telluride, the Kia Sorento is little changed for 2026. The uplevel X-Line trims feature updated black exterior accents, and all AWD Sorentos now include Terrain Modes with unique powertrain and traction control settings for mud, sand and snow. There’s also more standard luxury equipment on the X-Line EX, which gains a 12-speaker Bose sound system, and the SX, which gets the Bose audio system, a heated steering wheel and rear window shades.
Related: 2024 Kia Sorento Review: There Isn’t Only 1 Highlander
Release Date and Pricing
The 2026 Kia Sorento is on sale now. Full pricing is as follows:
- LX: $33,635
- S: $36,535
- EX: $39,735
- SX: $43,535
- X-Line EX: $44,035
- X-Line SX: $45,335
- X-Line SX Prestige: $48,035
- X-Pro SX Prestige: $49,035
Trim Levels
The entry-level Sorento LX rides on 17-inch wheels and features LED front lighting, heated side mirrors, keyless entry and start, and remote start. Inside are cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, six speakers, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The S trim level upgrades to 18-inch wheels and adds synthetic-leather seating, heated front seats, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation and a wireless phone charger.
Buyers who step up to the EX receive 20-inch wheels, LED foglights, a power liftgate and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat. The X-Line package is available on the EX and SX; it includes a torque-vectoring AWD system with a locking center differential, black 20-inch wheels, black lower trim on the front and rear bumpers, a black grille surround, dark-chrome window trim and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
Available in standard and X-Line forms, the SX includes LED taillights, rain-sensing windshield wipers and a panoramic moonroof. Its cabin features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, second-row captain’s chairs, second-row window shades and the 12-speaker Bose audio system.
Buyers seeking the most luxurious Sorento can choose between the X-Line SX Prestige and the X-Pro SX Prestige. Both feature the X-Line’s black exterior trim, as well as Digital Key 2.0, which allows owners to use their smartphone as a vehicle key and monitor the vehicle remotely. Inside, the SX Prestige is upgraded with perforated leather upholstery, a 14-way power driver’s seat with adjustable thigh support, a 10-way adjustable passenger seat and heated outboard second-row seats. The X-Pro swaps out the 20-inch wheels for matte-black 17-inch pieces wearing all-terrain tires.
Standard and Available Safety Features
Kia’s Drive Wise safety suite is standard on every 2026 Sorento. It includes forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, oncoming traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and steering assist, lane-centering steering, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor and automatic high beams.
The S trim level adds front and rear parking sensors, and the SX includes front cross-traffic alert, blind spot cameras and blind spot intervention steering assist, a 360-degree camera system, and Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 hands-on semi-autonomous driving technology.
Read More About the Kia Sorento:
- 2025 Kia Sorento Named IIHS Top Safety Pick, Mixed Results in Grab-Bag Test Session
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2024 Kia Sorento?
- Which 3-Row SUVs Offer Captain’s Chairs?
- 2025 Cars.com Affordability Report: Best Value New Cars
- Research the Kia Sorento
Powertrain Specs and MPG
The Sorento LX and S are powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 191 horsepower and 195 pounds-feet of torque and paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The EX, SX and SX Prestige get a turbocharged version of the same four-cylinder, boosted to 281 hp and 312 pounds-feet and mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed automatic. The entry-level LX trim is only available with front-wheel drive; AWD is optional on the S and EX (for $2,000 on the S and $1,500 on the EX) and standard on all X-Line trims.
With the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder, Kia says the Sorento returns an EPA-rated 23/31/26 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD and 23/28/25 mpg with AWD (official EPA estimates for the 2026 model are not yet available). The turbocharged four-cylinder is rated at 20/29/23 mpg with FWD and 20/27/23 with AWD.
With the base engine, the 2026 Kia Sorento is rated to tow up to 2,000 pounds; with the optional towing package, the turbo can lug up to 3,500 pounds with FWD and up to 4,500 with AWD.
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