Key Points:
- The black-trimmed X-Line SX Prestige trim level joins the Kia Sorento Hybrid lineup for the 2026 model year.
- Terrain mode is now standard with all-wheel drive.
- The 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid starts at $40,335 (all prices include the $1,445 destination charge).
The 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid checks a lot of boxes for families as a three-row, six- or seven-passenger (depending on trim level) SUV that achieves up to an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined. For the 2026 model year, Kia’s X-Line appearance package is now standard on the range-topping SX Prestige trim level, bringing no new content but featuring black finishes on the wheels and exterior trim pieces. Additionally, Terrain mode is now included on all-wheel-drive variants, adding customized vehicle settings for mud, sand and snow.
The 2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid is on sale now. The entry-level EX trim starts at $40,335 and the X-Line SX Prestige at $48,635.
Related: Which Hybrid Vehicles Have All-Wheel Drive?
Trim Levels
The regular gas-powered Sorento starts at $33,635 and is available in a wide range of trim levels, but Kia figures its Sorento buyers are looking for a little more standard content in the hybrid SUV. The brand only builds the gas-electric model in the top two trims, the EX and X-Line SX Prestige.
The EX rides on 19-inch wheels and features front LED lighting, heated side mirrors, a power liftgate, keyless entry and starting, and remote start. Its cabin is upholstered in synthetic leather and boasts heated and power-adjustable front seats (10-way adjustable for the driver, eight ways for the passenger), dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Standard safety tech on the Sorento Hybrid EX includes forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering steering, lane departure warning, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, a driver attention monitor and automatic high beams.
In addition to its new black exterior bits, the X-Line SX Prestige gets rain-sensing windshield wipers, a panoramic moonroof and LED taillights. Inside, it features perforated leather seating, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 14-way power driver’s seat, a 10-way passenger seat, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated second-row captain’s chairs, second-row window shades, a Bose sound system and Digital Key 2.0, which allows owners to use a paired smartphone as the vehicle key and remotely monitor the vehicle.
Upgrading to the X-Line SX Prestige reinforces the safety suite with front cross-traffic alert, emergency steering assist, blind spot intervention, Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 hands-on semi-autonomous driving technology, a 360-degree parking camera, blind spot cameras, side parking sensors and reverse automatic braking.
Read More About the Kia Sorento Hybrid:
- 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid Review: Big Vehicle With Small-Vehicle Fuel Economy
- Which 3-Row SUVs Offer Captain’s Chairs?
- Is the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid a Good SUV? 5 Pros and 5 Cons
- Research the Kia Sorento Hybrid
- Find Your Next Car
Powertrain Specs and MPG
A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine powers the Sorento Hybrid and is assisted by a pair of electric motors for a combined 227 horsepower and 258 pounds-feet of torque. The hybrid powertrain routes its output through a six-speed automatic transmission. The base EX trim comes with standard front-wheel drive; AWD is a $1,800 option on the EX and is standard on the X-Line SX Prestige.
Official EPA fuel-economy estimates are not yet available for the 2026 model, but the 2025 FWD Sorento Hybrid returns an EPA-rated 36/36/36 mpg city/highway/combined, while the AWD version is rated at 34/34/34 mpg.
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