The Overlooked Kia SUV That Outsmarts The Competition

The mid-size SUV segment offers plenty of cool options. There are the popular likes of the Honda CR-V, the Toyota Highlander, and the rad-looking Hyundai Santa Fe. Then we have the less popular yet well-stacked options like the Volkswagen Atlas. While this segment thrives, an underrated contender has been making its way up behind the scenes. This Kia SUV was sort of mundane until 2023 MY, when it got a notable visual makeover that finally completed the package. It was a solid SUV with loads of features for the price, since its 2021 fourth-generation update.

But it is the visual overhaul with notable modern interior tweaks that finally upped the game of the Kia Sorento. It outsmarts popular rivals with more trim levels, more power, and a lot more technology and features. It has one of the highest trim level line-ups in the segment, which helps Kia help curate a Sorento for everyone. Oh, and the value for money proposition is so insane that even the sub-$31,000 Honda CR-V feels threatened!

The 2026 Kia Sorento Starts At Just $32,190

Eight Trims Help The Sorento Be Desirable For Many

With a starting price of $32,190, the 2026 Kia Sorento is not the most affordable of the lot, but it’s certainly in the top three. The Honda CR-V is its most affordable rival with a starting price of $30,920. Then comes its corporate twin—the $34,800 Hyundai Santa Fe. This is followed by the $39,310 Volkswagen Atlas and the $45,270 Toyota Highlander. The most affordable of the bunch is also the closest to the Kia Sorento’s value proposition, as the Honda CR-V is offered in seven trim levels.

The Hyundai Santa Fe and Volkswagen Atlas keep it shorter with five trim levels. But the Toyota Highlander is the most concise with three trims. Apart from offering the highest number of trims, Kia also makes sure to stack each of them wholesomely. Even the base LX trim comes with some pretty impressive standard features that are rare in rivals (more on this later). There are various styling packages, and you can choose between FWD and AWD. The most affordable AWD trim level starts from $42,590, further elevating its value-for-money proposition.

2026 Kia Sorento Trims And Pricing

Powered By A Standard 2.5-liter Four-Cylinder

Also, Available Is A Turbo 2.5-Liter Inline-Four

The base Sorento is powered by a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. It’s a peppy engine that makes peak torque at 4,000 RPM with a linear spread, making the Sorento an easy-to-drive SUV. Furthermore, its eight-speed automatic transmission makes things easier.

Engine And Gearbox Specs

Going up the trim table, Kia also offers a more powerful turbocharged version of this mill that produces 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. They go further by coupling this engine to a sportier eight-speed DCT gearbox. The Sorento is offered with a standard FWD drivetrain, with top-spec X-Line models featuring AWD. Apart from Kia, only the Honda CR-V and the Toyota Highlander provide more than one engine option, but even the top-spec trims of the rivals fall well short in terms of performance appeal.

The most powerful CR-V trim produces 190 horsepower, and the most powerful Toyota Highlander produces 265 horsepower. Sorento’s corporate twin is not far behind, with a 277-horsepower standard turbo-four engine, but it is still less powerful than the turbo Sorento. The Volkswagen Atlas has the most power-dense engine of the lot, producing 269 horsepower from a 2.0-liter mill.

Its Insane Value Is Evident From The Loaded Interior

Even The Base Trim Gets Pre-Cooling And Heating

The Kia Sorento’s true value proposition is clear in the number of features stacked on the inside. The base trim level, despite its aggressive pricing, offers a lot more than expected. However, we would like to divert your attention to the second S trim level and the insane number of features added with just a $2,900 bump. It adds dual-zone climate control, a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat with two-way power lumbar adjustment, heated front seats, and wireless phone charging.

Despite the price bump, the Sorento S remains the cheapest among its immediate rivals, with the $30,920 Honda CR-V the only exception. Even its most expensive rival, the $45,270 Toyota Highlander, offers features like a six-speaker audio system, a smaller eight-inch infotainment screen, and comfort and convenience features on par with the notably affordable Sorento base trim. The closest rival to matching the overall stacked appeal of this Kia is its corporate cousin of Hyundai. But then again, it is more expensive across the board.

Notable Comfort, Convenience, And Technology Features (On The Base Trim)

• 12.3-inch Touchscreen Infotainment with OTA Updates
• Pre-Cooling and Heating through Kia Connect
• First and third rows get two USB ports each
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel
• Six-speaker Audio System
• Solar Control Glass

Impressively Stacked Safety And Assistance Features

Even For The Sub-$33,000 Base Trim

Kia really impresses with the number of standard safety and assistive features it has packed into the 2026 Sorento. It is commendable to see that active and passive safety features are standard across the board. Even features like Hill-start Assist control and Downward Brake Control are standard, even on the base trim level. These are features that are absent even on the most expensive Toyota Highlander. Only the Hyundai Santa Fe matches the Kia Sorento with its similarly stacked safety suite.

The 2025 Sorento scores well, earning a 5/5 overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA. It has two recalls and zero investigations as of today. The 2026 MY, since carried over, will retain these ratings. Most rivals, although not as well-stacked as the Kia with its assistive suite of features, still offer five-star safety ratings from the NHTSA. Interesting, it is only the Hyundai Santa Fe that lags with an overall safety rating of 4/5.

Notable Safety And Assistive Features (On The Base Trim)

• Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection
• Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Parallel Exit Detection Technology
• Drive Attention Warning with Leading Vehicle Departure Alert
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist
• Smart Cruise Control with Stop And Go
• Lane Following and Keeping Assist
• Lane Departure Warning

Killer Looks That Help It Stand Out

Muscular, Sharp, And Curvy; All In One

Clearly, looks are subjective, but there is no denying the Kia Sorento is a handsome mid-size SUV with pleasing proportions. The 2021 redesign, along with the most recent 2024 visual tweaks, has transformed the Sorento into a head-turner. The Hyundai Santa Fe takes the spotlight with its radical and boxy design. The Volkswagen Atlas is chunky and has a commanding stance, but keeps it simple. The Toyota Highlander looks muscular and sharp, thanks to a fusion of sleek lines and arching fender flares. Its huge front grille and bumper make the Toyota look much bigger than it actually is. The Honda CR-V, although sharp and angular, has a very understated design with minimal cuts and arches.

Kia offers more styling options with its new X-Pro and X-Line series, which add a more rugged look. It gets unique features like exclusive 17/20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps, and a series of X-Line and X-Pro body styling tweaks. The X-Pro SX Prestige AWD trim also gets all-terrain tires, further elevating the Sorento’s rugged side. At the end of the day, its visual features are highlighted with the impressively low starting price. The 2026 Kia Sorento truly is an underdog that outsmarts the competition.

Sources: The EPA, NHTSA, Kia