Kia India launches Sorento, marks carmaker’s entry into three-row SUV segment

Kia India launched the all-new Sorento in Gurugram on Thursday, marking the South Korean carmaker’s entry into the country’s premium three-row SUV segment and introducing its first strong-hybrid powertrain for Indian buyers. The flagship SUV was unveiled at “Kia Inspiration Day,” and the Korean carmaker also unveiled the strong-hybrid variant of the Carnival MPV and their first-factory-fitted CNG vehicle on the Carens and Clavis MPVs.

Priced from Rs 27.99 lakh to Rs 40.39 lakh (ex-showroom), the Sorento is offered with diesel and strong-hybrid powertrain options, six- and seven-seat layouts, and all-wheel-drive variants. The SUV is assembled locally at Kia’s Anantapur plant in Andhra Pradesh. The launch signals Kia’s broader push to diversify beyond compact SUVs like the Seltos and Sonet into the higher-margin premium space.

Speaking to The Pioneer, Kia India Managing Director Guanggu Lee cited the fact that the vehicle is almost completely manufactured in India as a reason for the competitive pricing. “While the hybrid engine is currently being imported, we expect to start manufacturing the engine in our factory by April.”

The Sorento also comes with a Diesel powertrain and while Lee expected the new strong-hybrid to be the more variant, he added that Diesel remains a popular choice among Indian buyers, citing the 35 percent share of Diesel sales on the popular Seltos and Sonet SUVs but admitted that Kia India was facing some supply-side issues with Diesel engines currently.

“Kia is a global company but local customers all have their own preferences. Diesel might be losing popularity in other countries, but it is popular in India.

Similarly, the huge spike in demand for CNG is why we have launched the CNG model today, yet we are also prepared for the future with the showcase of the ‘Flex-Fuel’ variant of the Syros today”, Lee said.

While sales for EVs have improved, Kia India is betting heavily on Hybrids. “When I interact with some customers, they feel that hybrid technology is the best”, Lee said. At a recent investor day in Korea, Kia had announced several hybrid models for India, including for the Seltos, however, Lee refused to confirm any timelines for those launches and said that the company will constantly assess the market.