2026 Kia Sorento

Name: 2026 Kia Sorento Review
Brand: Kia

Release Date: Fall 2025

Estimated Price: Starting around $34,000

The 2026 Kia Sorento is a great all-around three-row SUV. It piles on the standard features and also delivers strong performance with the turbocharged engine. But a smallish third row and limited cargo capacity behind those seats may persuade you to step up to a bigger alternative.Read full review

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2026 Kia Sorento Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Abundance of standard and optional features
Ample second-row legroom
Sharp-looking and easy-to-use infotainment system
Quiet cabin on the highway

Cons

When raised, the third row limits cargo capacity
Rides a bit too stiff and uncomfortably on rough pavement

What's new

No significant changes expected for 2026
Part of the fourth Sorento generation introduced for 2021

Overview

The 2026 Kia Sorento is among the many vehicles that we here at Edmunds classify as a midsize three-row SUV. But the Sorento is distinctive because of its size. Compared to popular models such as the Kia Telluride or the Honda Pilot, the Sorento is smaller. That results in less space inside for people and stuff. So what's the point? Well, the Sorento is less expensive, which is certainly nice, and it's easier to drive and park. We certainly recommend the Sorento if you want a not-too-big SUV that you can use most of the time as a five-passenger ride, with the option to occasionally flip up the third-row seats to fit seven people.

Edmunds spotlight: A more rugged-looking Sorento

For those planning to take their Sorento off the beaten path, Kia offers X-Line and X-Pro versions of the SUV. If you want to tackle really tough trails, you probably should look elsewhere, but these slightly beefed-up Sorentos should be able to get you down nearly any dirt road to a campsite. The X-Line package can be added to the EX and SX trim levels and is standard on the SX Prestige trim. It adds roof rails, more rugged styling and additional ground clearance. The X-Pro can only be ordered on the SX Prestige and it tacks on all-terrain tires, increased towing capacity (up to 4,500 pounds), and upgraded leather.

Competitors to consider

Check out the Hyundai Santa Fe, which is mechanically related to the Sorento. It comes with a completely different look but many of the same technology upgrades found in the Kia. It also offers a similar amount of interior space and an off-road trim (the XRT) of its own. You might also want to take a look at a few of the other highly rated three-row SUVs, such as the Kia Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade, or the Toyota Highlander or Grand Highlander.

What’s it like to live with?

We wanted to get a more in-depth ownership experience for this small three-row SUV, so we added one to the Edmunds One-Year Road Test fleet. Over the course of a year and more than 20,000 miles, we discovered what works and what might need improvement. Our test focused on the 2021 Sorento, but many of our impressions still apply to the current model.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict

Great

8.2

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8/10

How does the Sorento drive? We tested the Sorento with the optional turbocharged engine and came away impressed. It's downright quick for a small SUV. And it wasn't just the sprint to 60 mph in a mere 6.7 seconds that impressed us but also the way the power continues to build at higher speeds. For comparison, this Sorento is nearly 3 seconds faster than the similarly sized Volkswagen Tiguan and a tick faster than even the V6-powered Honda Passport. Highway merging as well as passing is not a problem in the Sorento.

Slowing the Sorento can be done with confidence thanks to the nicely balanced and intuitive brake pedal. Stopping from 60 mph, the Sorento showed only a little nosedive and braked in just 121 feet, which is better than average for the class. That braking distance worsens slightly on the top trim thanks to its standard all-terrain tires. Handling is similarly confidence-inspiring, but we wish for a little more accuracy in the steering.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the Sorento? All three rows of seats provide better-than-expected comfort for a small SUV. The front seats on our top-of-the-line test vehicle offered heating, ventilation and a good range of adjustment. The second-row captain's chairs (a bench seat is standard on lower trim levels) were firm but more comfortable and supportive than bench seats found in other SUVs. The third-row seats are small and low to the floor but still offer enough support for adults. The dual-zone climate control is efficient and easy to use even if the touch-sensitive buttons aren't as responsive as traditional buttons.

Ride comfort isn't quite as impressive, and a steady stream of jitters heads into the cabin at lower speeds. The large 20-inch wheels of the Sorento we tested may have been the culprit, and the low-profile tires caused elevated road noise at freeway speeds. On the highway, the Sorento's ride is well controlled, imparting confidence and a sense of stability.

Interior

8.5/10

How’s the interior? Contrary to its small SUV classification, the Sorento offers ample space for adults in all three rows. You'll even find more legroom in the second row than in dedicated two-row SUVs such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Taller adults will have plenty of space. Even the third row is hospitable for adults, though it's a bit of a squeeze to get back there. Getting into the Sorento is otherwise an easy affair.

The Sorento carries over many of Kia's user-friendly attributes, and buyers new to the brand will have no problem getting a handle on the interior. Visibility is also quite good thanks to ample-size windows and good sight lines throughout the cabin. The optional surround-view camera system offers high-definition images and proves helpful in tight situations.

Technology

8.5/10

How’s the tech? The Sorento's updated tech includes a new infotainment system and a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen and an available digital instrument cluster. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard and not reserved for just higher trims. The infotainment system is responsive and easy to use. There are USB-C ports across all three rows as well as an available wireless charger. The sound quality of the optional Bose audio system is less impressive, and we never really found a sweet spot over a wide range of music.

Kia offers the Sorento with some of the best driver aids in this class, with everything from a surround-view camera system to automatic lane changing available on the Sorento. All of the systems work well. We didn't encounter any false alerts or issues during our testing.

Storage

8/10

How’s the storage? With the third-row seats up, there's only 12.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity, which equates to a row of about five grocery bags. Still, for a smaller three-row SUV, this is decent. With the third row dropped, the Sorento offers between 38.5 cubic feet and 45 cubic feet, depending on how far forward you slide the second-row seats. That's a bit more than what smaller two-row SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, offer.

Interior storage is another Sorento strong suit. There's ample, well-thought-out storage options in all three rows. Towing capacity for the Sorento with the turbocharged engine is a fairly standard 3,500 pounds, though X-Pro models can tow up to 4,500 pounds, which is far more than any other small three-row SUV.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Fuel Economy

8/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the all-wheel-drive Sorento with the turbocharged engine, which is what we tested, gets 24 mpg combined. We got a 25.2 mpg average over our mixed-driving evaluation route. As a bonus, the turbocharged Sorento doesn't need premium gasoline. The Sorento is not as frugal as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, but it exceeded the mpg numbers we got for the similarly powerful Honda Passport and Subaru Ascent on our eval route.

Value

8.5/10

Is the Sorento a good value? As we've come to expect from Kia, the Sorento is well equipped and well built. Even with bits of hard plastic scattered about the cabin, the Sorento features thoughtful detailing and premium touches throughout. Higher trims can be expensive, but the Sorento still manages to look and feel like a good value for the money.

Kia warranties are excellent, and the Sorento comes with five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties. Roadside assistance is more standard at five years/60,000 miles.

Wildcard

8/10

When equipped with the optional 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, the Kia Sorento is just about as much fun in a straight line as a small SUV can be. Not only is the impressive power addictive, so is the smoothness with which the Sorento goes about gathering speed. As for the rest of the Sorento experience, if you can imagine a baby version of the popular Telluride, you're not very far off. The available X-Pro trim gives the Sorento a little personality, though it's really not an off-roader despite the all-terrain tires.

Which Sorento does Edmunds recommend?

Kia hasn't released official information on the 2026 Sorento as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Sorento, we think it's well worth the expense to upgrade to the more powerful turbocharged engine, which is why the midrange EX trim gets our recommendation. Besides gaining a few added convenience features, this model is eligible for all-wheel drive, which should be especially helpful in rainy and snowy climates.

2026 Kia Sorento

2026 Kia Sorento Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds spotlight: A more rugged-looking Sorento

Competitors to consider

What’s it like to live with?

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Sorento does Edmunds recommend?

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