2026 Sorento Trim Comparisons

A three-row that fits a Jersey Shore life

Families around Lakewood, Brick, Toms River, and Howell tend to ask the same first question: do we really need something Telluride-sized? The Sorento's answer is that you can carry three rows without driving a school bus. It slots between the Sportage and Telluride, short enough for a Point Pleasant beach lot in July, tall enough to swallow a Costco run with the third row folded. That in-between footprint is the reason it keeps showing up in the same driveways year after year here.

The 2026 model year is a fine-tuning pass on the current generation, not a redesign. Every trim picks up a leather-trimmed steering wheel, X-Line and X-Pro versions get gloss-black grille and bumper trim, and AWD models add that standard Terrain Mode. If you shopped a 2025 and waited, the car you drove is still the car — now with a few things included that used to cost extra.

Two engines, one honest question

The LX and S carry a 2.5-liter four making 191 horsepower through a conventional eight-speed automatic. It's the quieter-wallet choice and the mileage champ of the gas range at an EPA-estimated 23 city / 31 highway with front-wheel drive. From EX up, Kia swaps in the turbocharged 2.5 with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch. Merging onto the Parkway at Exit 89 with the family aboard, the turbo is the one that never feels busy. It also unlocks 3,500 pounds of towing — 4,500 on the X-Pro — where the base engine is rated for 2,000.

Pick your 2026 Sorento

What buyers say about the Lakewood store

DiFeo Kia has been selling Sorentos long enough that the reviews name the model — and the people — over and over. A buyer this February: "Came in today to purchase a sorento and had a pleasant experience with Vito my salesman who everything smooth and easy." Another family last spring: "From the moment we pulled into the parking lot, until I drove away in a new Kia Sorento, the experience was fantastic. Simon Zino was our sales representative - he was pleasant, transparent, honest, and just a pleasure to deal with." Vito, Simon, Sammy Chow, and Joel all appear on the store's team page and in years of five-star reviews, which is its own kind of consistency.

Owning one in Ocean County

The buying decision is half the story; the other half lives in the Sorento service & repair guide, which covers Kia's roughly 8,000-mile maintenance rhythm, what shore-town driving does to tires and brakes, and the express service lane at the Lakewood store. The money side — New Jersey's 6.625% sales tax, the $1,495 destination charge, and how leasing a Sorento actually works — is laid out in the pricing & leasing guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 Sorento any good?

It's one of the few three-rows that balances family space against a footprint you can park at the shore, and 2026 sweetens the deal with standard Terrain Mode on AWD models, more standard BOSE audio across the range, and Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Reviewers' main gripes are the snug third row (true of every SUV this size) and the dual-clutch transmission's low-speed manners, which is worth judging on your own test drive.

How much should I pay for a 2026 Kia Sorento?

MSRPs run $32,390 to $47,790 plus $1,495 destination, and your out-the-door number in New Jersey adds 6.625% sales tax plus title and registration. Actual transaction price depends on the month's incentives — check current DiFeo Kia offers, and the pricing guide walks the full math.

What changed for 2026?

Terrain Mode became standard on AWD trims, X-Line and X-Pro gained gloss-black exterior trim, every Sorento got a leather-trimmed steering wheel, the EX added an available Premium Package (panoramic roof, BOSE, captain's chairs), and the SX made BOSE audio and a heated steering wheel standard. One subtraction: the S trim dropped built-in navigation and Wi-Fi.

Is there a 2026 Sorento Hybrid?

Yes — it's a separately priced model with its own trims, a 1.6-liter turbo hybrid powertrain, and EPA estimates up to 37 mpg combined. DiFeo Kia stocks both, so you can compare gas and hybrid side by side in one visit.

Kia Sorento or Toyota Highlander?

The Highlander is a half-size larger and priced accordingly; the Sorento counters with a lower starting price, a longer powertrain warranty, and an easier-to-park body. If your third row is for boosters and grandparents rather than adults on every trip, the Sorento's size usually wins the driveway vote.

Where can I test drive one near Toms River or Brick?

DiFeo Kia at 1320 Ocean Ave in Lakewood keeps the Sorento range in stock — browse live inventory or book a test drive online, with at-home delivery available.

Eight trims, one showroom

The guides above will get your shortlist to two or three trims; sitting in them settles it. The whole ladder — bench or captain's chairs, base or turbo, street or X-Pro — lives on one lot in Lakewood, a few minutes off Route 9 and the Parkway, at the only Kia store in town.