The 2026 Kia Sorento has been revealed in Korea, bringing a range of feature enhancements including smarter safety technology.
Kia Australia has confirmed the updated large SUV is due to arrive here during the fourth quarter (October to December) of 2025.
“Any potential feature upgrades will be confirmed in due course,” a company spokesperson added.
All Korean-market Sorento variants get Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA2) with steering wheel grip detection, which CarExpert understands will also be offered here.
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LFA2 is an upgraded version of Kia’s lane-centring system, and now features a hands-on sensor to better detect if you’re taking your hands off the wheel and letting the car drive you. Performance of the system is also claimed to have been improved.
Other changes for the 2026 Sorento include a new four-spoke steering wheel design, as well as ambient lighting that has been expanded to the front door pockets.
There are new 19-inch alloy wheels, while ‘touch-type’ exterior door handles also feature on some Korean-market Sorentos.
So too does Kia Digital Key 2, which utilises near-field communication, Bluetooth and ultra-wideband technology to allow you to use your smartphone like a key fob to lock, unlock and start the vehicle without even taking it out of your pocket.
You can also share digital keys with family and friends, with specific access levels.
Kia Digital Key 2 has yet to appear on any Australian-market Kias, and sister brand Hyundai has only just introduced this technology with the new Ioniq 9 large electric SUV.
Overall, the updates to the Sorento for 2026 are minor – but then the Toyota Kluger rival did receive a substantial mid-life update in 2024.
This brought fresh styling inside and out plus a new 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen running Kia’s latest infotainment software, and while powertrains were carried over from the pre-update model, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was homologated to newer Euro 6e emissions standards.
Kia Australia has indicated both PHEV and regular hybrid versions of the Sorento will be more widely available from later this year.
The hybrid and PHEV powertrains are currently exclusive to the flagship GT-Line trim, and have long been supply-constrained.
That explains why so far this year, the Sorento Hybrid is being outsold by almost five-to-one by the related Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.
But the Santa Fe can’t match the Sorento – at least not in Australia – in offering a PHEV powertrain. The Sorento is unique in the large mainstream SUV segment in offering petrol, diesel, hybrid and PHEV powertrains.
Despite the shortfall in hybrid sales, the Sorento continues to outsell the Santa Fe. To the end of June, Kia has delivered 5165 Sorentos this year, against 3212 Santa Fes. It’s also outselling the Toyota Kluger (4611) and Mazda CX-80 (2065).
