The Kia Sorento is quietly going about being the right SUV for a small family: It’s the right size for the right price, bigger than the Sportage, but smaller than the Telluride, has great cargo space with the third row folded down, and while the third row has little legroom, it’s there for when needed. For those cross shopping, it’s considerably less expensive than a Toyota Highlander, and easily comparable once you go up the trim ladder.
Which likely goes a long way to explain why the Sorento bumped up in sales by 37.5% in September 2026 versus September 2025.
The Sorento Is Kia’s Secret Weapon
2025 Kia Sorento interior shot of dashboard and steering wheelKia
While the Sportage continues to be Kia’s best-selling vehicle in the US, its sales are consistent year over year. However, as inflation continues to be out of control in 2026, the Sorento is coming into its own due to its Goldilocks size and space equation – and price. In September 2025, Kia sold 6,502 units of the Sorento compared to 8,939 in September this year, leading to an overall improvement of +4.3% for the year so far.
The Sorento and its 37.5% year-over-year rise in sales meaningfully helps Kia’s overall sales numbers across all models for 2026 so far. In 2025, it had sold 636,148 units by this point of the year. In 2026, Kia has sold 667,386 units so far – that’s a 4.9 percent increase.
Will 2027 Pricing Affect Sales?
2026 Kia Sorento Hybrid frotn 3/4 angle in blue while driving`Kia
The only major changes for the 2027 model year Kia Sorento are the inclusion of Jade Black Green paint as an option and the deletion of Jungle Green. Kia notes that the Jade Black Green paint is a popular color on the Telluride, which explains the move. The big deal, though, is that, and while car prices are rising alarmingly, Kia has announced only a $200 price increase on the base LX trim for the Sorento’s 2027 model year.
That kicks the Sorento lineup off at $32,590 for the entry-level LX (excluding destination), and there are ten trim levels in total. The most loaded front-wheel-drive model is the Sorento SX starting at $42,490, then the all-wheel-drive Sorento S starts at $37,490. We’re still waiting for pricing on the Sorento hybrid models.
Kia Sorento 2027 Model Year Pricing
(excludes $1,495 destination)
Sorento LX
$32,590
Sorento S FWD
$35,490
Sorento EX FWD
$38,690
Sorento SX
$42,490
Sorento S AWD
$37,490
Sorento EX AWD
$40,190
Sorento X-Line EX
$42,990
Sorento X-Line SX
$44,290
Sorento X-Line SX-Prestige
$46,990
Sorento X-Pro SX-Prestige
$47,990
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
Kia is crushing it in sales right now, and with vehicle prices bouncing around at record highs, buyers are clearly looking for more affordable options. Kia knows people want hybrids right now as gas prices hit wallet-destroying levels with no visible end in sight, so we’re going to be particularly interested when the Sorento hybrid prices drop.
However, the hybrids are still likely going to be more expensive to buy – currently the 2026 model year hybrid version starts at $38,890 and the plug-in hybrid at $48,290.
