Next-gen popular family SUV takes shape in fresh renders: 2026 Kia Sorento appears online as new rival to the Toyota Kluger Hybrid, Hyundai Santa Fe and MG QS is under development and it could go hybrid only

Kia’s popular family SUV could be going hybrid only.

The next-generation Kia Sorento is under development and could be about to ditch petrol and diesel power when it arrives in late 2026 or early 2027, according to reports.

Fresh digital renders from NYMammoth show off the styling of the new Sorento.

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The digital illustrations show off a new front end, which is an evolution of the current Sorento. New headlights are combined with prominent DRLs and a two-tier grille will likely hide more safety tech.

It’s also got edgier styling with more panel creases and hard edges than the current version, which helps to butch up its looks with a more masculine appeal.

It is believed the bulk of the new Sorento line-up will use the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor set-up as the current Sorento Hybrid. This pair combines for 169kW and 350Nm and is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive layouts.

Unfortunately, it isn’t expected to use the new 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol hybrid set-up as featured in the new Hyundai Palisade that's also rumoured to eventually find its way into the Kia Tasman dual-cab ute eventually. That combo makes a beefy 250kW and 460Nm.

Kia Sorento digital render. (Image: NYMammoth)

The other option is the same plug-in hybrid power found in the current Sorento PHEV, which uses the same 1.6-litre turbo-petrol motor and pairs it with a more potent electric motor and larger battery. It can produce 195kW and 350Nm and Kia is believed to be targeting an electric-only driving range of more than 100km for the new version. This is likely achieved by upping the 14kWh battery found in the current version to something in the twenties.

Last year Kia Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Dennis Piccoli, told CarsGuide it was planning on strengthening its hybrid line-up in Australia through 2025 to help it offset any penalties under the federal government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

“What you’ll see through '25 is more variants of hybrid and plug-in hybrid, we’ll reach down deeper into the variant list of Sorento, Sportage and Carnival,” said Piccoli at the time.

The company will need more hybrid help moving forward as the CO2 limits imposed by the NVES get progressively lower, which opens the door to a hybrid only range for next-gen Sorento.

Online publication KoreanCarBlog, said diesel will not feature in the new Sorento and the chances the thirsty 3.5-litre petrol engine, and its 222 grams of CO2 per kilometre, won’t be back for an encore.