Kia Sorento has been spotted undisguised at a dealer yard just days before its 4 September India launch, giving buyers their clearest look yet at what a roughly Rs 40 lakh three-row SUV from Kia will actually offer. The unit spotted carries a DCT badge, pointing to a diesel powertrain option, and shows a seven-seat cabin with equipment that’s rarely offered at this price point in India. With bookings already open and production underway at Kia’s Anantapur plant, the Sorento is set to slot in above the Seltos and go up against the Toyota Fortuner, Skoda Kodiaq and Jeep Meridian.
Kia Sorento: Powertrain and Dimensions
The spotted vehicle’s DCT badge indicates Kia’s 2.2-litre diesel engine, expected to produce around 199 hp and 441 Nm through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic — the same unit used in the . A second option, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol strong-hybrid making roughly 237 hp and 380 Nm with a 6-speed automatic, is also confirmed for the India lineup and all-wheel drive is expected on this variant.
At 4,815 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and riding a 2,815 mm wheelbase, the Sorento sits meaningfully larger than the Seltos, with 19-inch alloys, vertical LED lighting and roof rails adding to its road presence.
New Kia Sorento Interior Spied (Image Credits: Vahan Warta – X)
Kia Sorento: Cabin Layout and Features
The dealer-yard unit uses a seven-seat configuration with a 60:40 split second-row bench that slides and reclines and not the captain seats seen on an earlier, higher-spec test unit — a signal that Kia may offer more than one seating and equipment layout at launch.
Third-row passengers get dedicated AC vents, a Type-C charging port, cupholders and a 12V socket, addressing a common complaint with three-row SUVs where the last row is treated as an afterthought. Visible equipment includes twin 12.3-inch screens, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and powered front seats, Bose audio, wireless charging, a 360-degree camera as well as a powered tailgate with electric second-row release buttons.
Kia Sorento: What This Means for Buyers
For Indian buyers cross-shopping this segment, the confirmed feature list narrows the real choice to trim level rather than whether the segment offers premium equipment at all — Kia appears set to differentiate Sorento variants primarily through seating configuration (six versus seven seats) and cabin theme instead of a stripped-down base model.
With pricing still unannounced and industry expectation pegging it near Rs 28 lakh to Rs 30 lakh ex-showroom, buyers comparing the Sorento against the or Skoda Kodiaq should wait for the 4 September reveal before assuming feature parity across the full price band.