Kia Motors is preparing to launch a new model in the Indian market. The company plans to introduce its powerful SUV in early September. This refers to the Kia Sorento, a large SUV, which is officially set to debut on September 4. The brand confirmed that the Kia Sorento will be equipped with All Wheel Drive functionality.
This vehicle will be the first Kia model for India to feature All Wheel Drive. The Sorento is positioned as a premium SUV that will occupy a niche similar to the Fortuner. Furthermore, the all-wheel-drive version will be equipped with a hybrid engine.
Globally, the Kia Sorento is available in both hybrid and diesel configurations. Although the company has not specified which engines will be offered in India, globally the Sorento is offered with a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline hybrid system, the Strong Hybrid. This system is equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter and produces 238 hp and 380 Nm of torque.
The Sorento is also available with a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine. It is worth noting that this engine is also used in the Kia Carnival, which generates 202 hp and 440 Nm of torque. All global versions of the Sorento feature all-wheel drive, but details for the Indian market are not yet clear.
Kia confirmed that the Sorento will be equipped with Live Gen AI, which is a voice assistant with artificial intelligence support inside the car. This system is designed for natural conversation and functions as a vehicle AI agent, allowing control over various car functions through commands.
The Kia Sorento may come in a seven-seater configuration. To reduce the final cost of the vehicle in India, production localization is planned. The estimated price for this model is between 30 and 35 lakh rupees, including export duties. Direct competitors to the All Wheel Drive version of the Kia Sorento in the market will be the Volkswagen Terron and Skoda Kodiaq.
