The Kia Sorento sold in Korea and the one sold in the US are the same size, down to the inch. The lineups around that body are not. Korea keeps it to two powertrains and three seating layouts, while the US adds a non-turbo engine and a plug-in hybrid.
This guide compares the 2027 Sorento in both countries: seats, the hybrid, the 2.5 turbo, the US-only versions, fuel economy and starting prices.
How we checked
Korean specs, fuel economy and prices come from Kia Korea’s Sorento specification and price pages for The 2027 Sorento. US specs, fuel economy and prices come from Kia America’s press site pages for the 2027 Sorento, Sorento HEV and Sorento PHEV.
We didn’t use dealer sites, reviews or forums. Where a figure is our own conversion or arithmetic, we say so.
The short answer
Korea sells the Sorento as a 2.5 turbo or a 1.6 turbo hybrid, with 5 seats as standard and 6 or 7 as options. The US sells those two powertrains too, plus a 2.5 without a turbo and a plug-in hybrid, and its spec sheets list 6 or 7 seats.
| Korea | US | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 turbo hybrid | Yes | Yes |
| 2.5 turbo gas | Yes (281 PS) | Yes (274 hp) |
| 2.5 gas, no turbo | Not listed | Yes (LX and S) |
| Plug-in hybrid | Not listed | Yes (one trim) |
| Seats | 5 standard, 6 or 7 optional | 6 or 7, by trim |
| Starting price | ₩36,410,000 (2.5 turbo, 5 seats) | $32,590 (LX, before destination) |
Seats: 5, 6 or 7
This is where the two lineups differ most in everyday use. In Korea, every Sorento trim starts as a 5-seater (5인승). A third row costs extra: ₩690,000 for 7 seats (7인승) or ₩840,000 for 6 seats (6인승), which swaps the middle bench for two chairs.
Both options are offered on every 2.5 turbo trim, and on the hybrid at the same prices.
Kia America’s 2027 gas spec sheet lists 7 seats for the LX and S, and 6 seats for the EX and above. The hybrid spec sheet lists both 7- and 6-seat versions. We didn’t find a 5-seat Sorento on Kia America’s 2027 pages, and the plug-in spec sheet doesn’t state a seat count.
Seats also change the official numbers in Korea. The 2WD hybrid on 17- or 18-inch wheels is rated at 15.7 km/L as a 5-seater and 14.8 km/L with 6 or 7 seats.
For a bigger three-row Korean SUV, see our Hyundai Palisade Korea vs US guide. If you need more room than that, our Kia Carnival guide covers Kia’s minivan.
The hybrid both countries sell
The 1.6 turbo hybrid is sold in both countries with a 6-speed automatic. The engine figures match: Kia Korea lists 180 PS and 27.0 kgf·m, which is 177.5 hp and 195 lb-ft by our conversion. Kia America lists 177.5 hp and 195 lb-ft.
The motor is where the sheets differ. Kia Korea lists the drive motor at 47.7 kW (64 hp) and 264 Nm. Kia America lists 44.2 kW (59.3 hp) and 194.7 lb-ft, which converts to the same 264 Nm. So the torque matches, but the power figure doesn’t.
Kia America gives 232 hp and 270 lb-ft combined. Kia Korea’s page doesn’t give a combined output, and neither page explains the motor gap, so we won’t guess at a reason.
In the US, the 2027 hybrid comes as EX (FWD or AWD), X-Line EX and X-Line SX-Prestige, the last two with AWD. In Korea, the hybrid comes in the same five trims as the turbo, with 2WD or electronic 4WD (전자식 4WD).
Same 2.5 turbo, slightly different rating
Both countries sell a 2.5 turbo with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. Kia Korea rates it at 281 PS and 43.0 kgf·m. By our conversion that’s 277 hp and 311 lb-ft.
Kia America lists 311 lb-ft too, but 274 hp. The torque matches; the power figure is about 3 hp lower.
In the US, the turbo starts at the EX trim. Kia Korea’s price list shows only the turbo for gas models.
What only the US lineup has
A 2.5 without a turbo. The US LX and S use a 2.5 with 186 hp and 178 lb-ft, paired with an 8-speed automatic. It’s the cheapest way into a US Sorento. Kia Korea’s spec page lists no non-turbo engine.
A plug-in hybrid. For 2027, Kia America sells the Sorento PHEV in one trim, X-Line SX-Prestige with AWD. It lists 268 hp combined, a 14 kWh battery and 31 miles (about 50 km) of all-electric range. Kia Korea’s Sorento pages list no plug-in version.
Size, 4WD and AWD
In Korea, the Sorento is 4,815 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and 1,695 mm tall on a 2,815 mm wheelbase. Converted, that’s 189.6, 74.8, 66.7 and 110.8 inches, the same figures Kia America lists. The heights with roof rails match too, at 1,700 mm and 66.9 inches.
In Korea, electronic 4WD is a ₩2,320,000 option on every 2.5 turbo trim. The hybrid has its own 4WD price list, covered below.
In the US, the non-turbo LX is front-wheel drive and the S comes with FWD or AWD. The turbo EX and SX come either way, and the top X-Line SX-Prestige and X-Pro SX-Prestige trims come with AWD.
Official fuel economy
Korean fuel economy is government-reported (정부 신고 연비) in km/L, listed by drive, wheel size and seats. These are the combined figures from the 2027 spec page.
| Korean version | Combined, km/L | In US mpg (our conversion) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 turbo, 2WD | 10.8 (18 in) to 10.1 (20 in) | 25.4 to 23.8 |
| 2.5 turbo, 4WD | 9.9 (18 in, 5 seats) to 9.3 (20 in) | 23.3 to 21.9 |
| 1.6 turbo hybrid, 2WD | 15.7 (17–18 in, 5 seats) to 14.3 (20 in) | 36.9 to 33.6 |
| 1.6 turbo hybrid, 4WD | 13.8 (17 to 19 in) to 13.1 (20 in) | 32.5 to 30.8 |
Some versions are also listed with the built-in dashcam (빌트인 캠), which lowers the figure slightly. Kia notes that these come from a standard test mode and that real-world economy varies with road conditions, driving style, load, maintenance and outside temperature.
Kia America lists these EPA estimates, combined:
- 2.5 gas, no turbo: 26 mpg with FWD, 25 with AWD
- 2.5 turbo: 23 mpg with FWD or AWD
- Hybrid: 37 mpg for the EX with FWD, 34 for the X-Line trims with AWD (we left out the EX AWD, whose listed figures don’t add up)
- Plug-in hybrid: 74 MPGe, or 33 mpg on gas alone
The Korean figures are government-reported and the US ones are EPA estimates, so don’t read the two sets as a direct match. Our Kia K8 guide has a km/L converter if you want other units.
What the Sorento costs
These are starting prices from Kia Korea’s price page (as of November 1, 2026) and Kia America’s 2027 pricing releases. Korean prices are for 5 seats.
| Market | Version and trim | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Korea | 2.5 turbo, Prestige (프레스티지) | ₩36,410,000 |
| Korea | 1.6 turbo hybrid 2WD, Prestige | ₩40,630,000 before tax benefit, ₩39,630,000 after |
| Korea | 1.6 turbo hybrid 4WD, Prestige | ₩42,950,000 |
| US | 2.5 gas, LX | $32,590 |
| US | 2.5 turbo, EX FWD | $38,690 |
| US | Hybrid, EX FWD | $39,090 |
| US | Plug-in hybrid, X-Line SX-Prestige AWD | $53,890 |
Korea’s turbo also comes as Noblesse (노블레스), Signature (시그니처), X-Line and Black Edition (블랙 에디션), up to ₩44,410,000 before options. The 2WD hybrid is listed at two prices, before and after a tax benefit (세제혜택 전/후).
The 4WD hybrid list shows one price per trim. By our arithmetic, each equals the 2WD price before the benefit plus the ₩2,320,000 4WD option. We didn’t find an end date for the benefit or a note on which versions qualify, so check the current list before you budget.
US prices are MSRP and exclude a $1,495 destination charge. We haven’t converted between won and dollars, since exchange rates move and the two sets of prices aren’t built the same way.
One Korean detail: Kia Korea’s turbo price list includes Hi-Pass toll payment (e hi-pass) in the standard infotainment from the base Prestige trim. Kia notes that the unit alone doesn’t give toll discounts; those need separate registration. Our guide to Korean highway tolls and Hi-Pass explains how that works.
Finding a Sorento in Korea
On Korean sites, search 쏘렌토 (Sorento). Add 하이브리드 for the hybrid, and 6인승 or 7인승 if you need a third row, since 5 seats is the standard layout.
If you’re buying in Korea, our guide to buying a used car in Korea as a foreigner covers the paperwork. Our car tax guide covers what you’ll pay each year. For Kia’s smaller SUV, our Sportage Korea vs US guide runs the same comparison.
Where to check
- Korean specs and prices: Kia Korea Sorento specifications and Kia Korea Sorento prices (in Korean)
- US gas Sorento: 2027 Sorento overview and pricing and 2027 Sorento specifications on Kia America’s press site
- US hybrid: 2027 Sorento HEV pricing and specifications
- US plug-in hybrid: 2027 Sorento PHEV pricing and specifications
Last checked: November 4, 2026. Sources: Kia Korea specification and price pages for The 2027 Sorento (prices as of November 1, 2026); Kia America press site pages for the 2027 Sorento (overview of October 1, 2026, specifications), the 2027 Sorento HEV (overview of October 15, 2026, specifications) and the 2027 Sorento PHEV (overview of October 19, 2026, specifications). hp, lb-ft, inch, km and mpg figures are our own conversions.
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