Kia has launched the Sorento in India at Rs 27.99 lakh for the diesel and Rs 29.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the hybrid, marking the brand’s entry into the premium three-row SUV segment and its first hybrid offering here. For Indian buyers evaluating this new entrant against the Fortuner, Kodiaq and Tayron, five details stand out most: the price spread across nine variants, a hybrid-AWD combination none of its rivals currently offer, a global-first AI assistant debuting specifically on the India-spec car, ventilated second-row seats, and a 30-feature ADAS Level 2+ safety suite. Here’s what each of these actually means for buyers.
Kia Sorento Design Details
1. Nine Variants, Two Powertrains, Wide Price Spread
The Sorento spans nine trims across diesel and hybrid options, starting at Rs 27.99 lakh for the base diesel and climbing to Rs 40.39 lakh for the top hybrid Black Line AWD variant, ex-showroom. That’s a Rs 12.4 lakh gap between entry and top-spec, wider than most rivals in this segment.
2. Hybrid Powertrain With AWD, a Segment First
The 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid makes a combined 245hp from its 180hp engine and 65hp electric motor, and is offered with all-wheel drive, something Kia says no rival currently matches. The 2.2-litre diesel makes 193hp and 442Nm, also available with AWD on higher trims.
3. Kia AI Assistant Debuts Globally on This Car
Kia’s Real-Time Generative AI assistant makes its worldwide debut on the before any other market gets it, supporting natural conversation, vehicle control via voice, and integration with the owner’s manual through a “Hey Kia” wake word.
4. Ventilated Second-Row Seats, a Segment First
Beyond the expected ventilated front seats, the extends 3-step cooling to the second row as well, a feature Kia claims is first in this segment, available across both 6-seat captain-chair and 7-seat bench layouts.
5. 30-Feature ADAS and Up to 10 Airbags
Safety includes ADAS Level 2+ with 30 features covering highway driving assist and blind-spot collision avoidance alongside 7 standard airbags rising to 10 on top variants, built on Kia’s global N3 platform for added structural safety.