Kia's new flagship SUV is off to a good start. The Kia Sorento sold 1,739 units in September 2026. That was its first full month on sale in India. In the same month, Kia had its best month ever, with 32,017 cars sold.
The Sorento costs ₹27.99 lakh to ₹40.39 lakh (ex-showroom). For a car this expensive, 1,739 units in a month is a big number. Here is how it did, how it compares with its rivals, and what it means if you want one.
How many Sorentos did Kia sell?
Kia launched the Sorento on 4 September 2026. Rushlane and Autocar Professional report that Kia sent 1,739 Sorentos to its dealers in September. Kia had also sent 365 units in August to stock showrooms before the launch. That makes 2,104 units in two months.
Keep one thing in mind. These are wholesale numbers. They count cars sent from the factory to dealers, not cars handed over to buyers. The model-wise figures come from these reports. Kia itself has only shared its total.
The Sorento was Kia's fifth best-selling model in September. It made up about 5 percent of Kia's sales. It added 1,374 more units than in August. Rushlane says that was nearly half of Kia's growth over August.
| Kia model | September 2026 | September 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Seltos | 12,593 | 5,816 |
| Sonet | 9,493 | 9,020 |
| Carens and Carens Clavis | 6,319 | 7,338 |
| Syros and Syros EV | 1,848 | 465 |
| Sorento | 1,739 | New |
| Carnival | 25 | 61 |
| Total | 32,017 | 22,700 |
Kia's best month ever
September was a big month for the whole company. Kia sold 32,017 cars, up 41 percent from 22,700 a year ago. This is the first time Kia has crossed 30,000 units in one month in India. Its old best was 29,556 units in October 2025, says Autocar Professional.
The new Kia Seltos did most of the work. It sold 12,593 units, more than double its number from last September. The Sonet added 9,493 units. Together, these two made up nearly 7 out of every 10 Kias sold.
From July to September, Kia sold 89,259 cars. That is 38.5 percent more than in the same three months last year. Our September 2026 car sales report shows how the other brands did.
How the Sorento compares with its rivals
The Sorento is a big three-row SUV. Its main rivals are the Jeep Meridian, Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tayron. The Toyota Fortuner is the best-known big SUV in this space.
| SUV | Sales, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Toyota Fortuner | 3,185 |
| Kia Sorento | 1,739 |
| MG Majestor | 517 |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 98 |
| Jeep Meridian | 97 |
| Volkswagen Tayron | 49 |
The Kodiaq, Meridian and Tayron sold just 244 units between them. The Sorento sold about seven times as many as all three put together. Only the Fortuner sold more.
Price and local making help explain the gap, in our view. Autocar Professional says the Kodiaq and Tayron are put together from imported kits. The Sorento is made at Kia's plant in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. Many of its parts are made in India.
Kia Sorento price and specs
| Kia Sorento | Details |
|---|---|
| Price (ex-showroom, introductory) | ₹27.99 lakh to ₹40.39 lakh |
| Trims | HTE, HTE(O), HTK, HTK(A), HTX, HTX(A) |
| Hybrid | 1.6-litre turbo petrol (180 hp, 265 Nm) plus electric motor (65 hp, 264 Nm), 6-speed automatic |
| Diesel | 2.2-litre, 193 hp and 442 Nm, 8-speed DCT automatic |
| Drive | Front-wheel drive, AWD on HTX and HTX(A) |
| Seats | 6 or 7 |
| Length and wheelbase | 4,815 mm and 2,815 mm |
The diesel starts at ₹27.99 lakh and the hybrid at ₹29.49 lakh. The most expensive Sorento is the six-seat hybrid HTX(A) AWD with the Black Line pack. It costs ₹40.39 lakh. These are introductory prices, so they could go up later.
The Sorento is the only SUV in its class with a choice of six or seven seats. Autocar India says its hybrid is the only one in India with a turbo petrol engine. The top HTX(A) trim gets 10 airbags, Level 2+ ADAS and front and rear dashcams. A 360-degree camera and a 12-speaker Bose sound system come from the HTK trim up.
To know how it drives, read our Kia Sorento review.
A buyback plan adds some peace of mind
There is one more thing that could help sales. On 9 October 2026, Kia added the Sorento to its assured buyback plan. Under this plan, Kia fixes your car's resale value on the day you buy it.
Kia says petrol, diesel and hybrid cars can get up to 75 percent of their value back after three years. EVs get up to 70 percent. You can choose a plan of three, four or five years. You can pick a yearly limit of 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 km. The total cap is 1 lakh km. You sign up at the dealer when you buy the car. The final value depends on the plan terms.
What comes next for the Sorento
At the launch, Kia said the Sorento was not part of its first India plan, reports Autocar Professional. It needed a nod from Kia's head office. The diesel engine is imported for now. Kia plans to start making the hybrid engine in India next year.
Making the engine here could help Kia control costs. But one good month does not make a hit. The real test is whether the Sorento keeps this pace after the festive season. We will know more when the October numbers come out.
Our take
The Sorento has made a confident start. It starts under ₹28 lakh. It offers a hybrid and a six-seat choice. That gives it a clear edge over the imported rivals. The Fortuner still leads, and Toyota is working on a new one too. You can read about it in our 2027 Fortuner spy shot story.
For now, it has shown that buyers will pay big money for a Kia. You can see every version and price on our Kia Sorento page.
Kia Sorento sales FAQs
How many units did the Kia Sorento sell in September 2026?
It sold 1,739 units, as per wholesale numbers reported by Rushlane and Autocar Professional. It was the SUV's first full month on sale.
What is the price of the Kia Sorento?
The Sorento costs ₹27.99 lakh to ₹40.39 lakh, ex-showroom. These are introductory prices.
Which engines does the Kia Sorento get?
It gets a 1.6-litre turbo petrol strong hybrid and a 2.2-litre diesel. Both come with AWD on the top two trims.
Did the Sorento sell more than the Toyota Fortuner?
No. The Fortuner sold 3,185 units in September 2026. But the Sorento sold far more than the Kodiaq, Meridian and Tayron.
Is the Kia Sorento part of Kia's buyback plan?
Yes. Since 9 October 2026, it is part of Kia's assured buyback plan. Petrol, diesel and hybrid Kias can get up to 75 percent of their value back after three years. Terms apply.
Sales figures are wholesale (factory to dealer) numbers. Kia's total of 32,017 is from Kia. Model-wise numbers are from Rushlane and Autocar Professional, and rival numbers are from Autopunditz. Prices are introductory ex-showroom prices from Kia India and Autocar India. Sources: Kia India, Autocar Professional, Rushlane, Autocar India, Autopunditz, HT Auto.
