Kia Sorento

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Yes, the Kia Sorento Hybrid is slated for an India launch in August-September 2026, and Kia is clearly positioning it as a premium three-row SUV.This Kia car comes with a 1.6‑litre turbo-petrol engine paired with an electric motor, with the system developing around 227 hp and over 350 Nm, driving through a 6‑speed automatic gearbox. Globally, it’s offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, and that mix is likely to be mirrored for India as well.It’s a properly spacious seven-seat SUV, roughly 4.8 m long and 1.9 m wide, so think bigger than a Kia Carens and right in the zone of the Skoda Kodiaq and Toyota Fortuner in terms of footprint and cabin room. Expect a flexible three-row layout, generous boot space with the third row down, and the usual load of Kia kit - panoramic sunroof, ADAS, large screens, and connected-car features.Price-wise, the Sorento Hybrid is expected to sit in the Rs 35-40 lakh (ex-showroom) band, and it will naturally tug buyers both up from something like a Mahindra XUV 7XO and away from the Skoda Kodiaq–Fortuner crowd.

Kia Sorento

Skoda Kodiaq

Toyota Fortuner

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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Since your budget is over Rs 30 lakhs, we'd suggest waiting for the Kia Sorento. It is a three-row SUV that's likely to be launched with hybrid and diesel-automatic powertrain options. As expected from a Kia, the Sorento is likely to be feature-rich too, with a high-quality interior and comfy seats. This one could be a good upgrade from your petrol manual Jeep Compass.Alternatively, you could consider the top-spec Mahindra XUV 7XO diesel-automatic. It has comfy seats, an excellent suspension tune, and a spacious cabin. Also, the diesel-auto will be quite efficient.

Kia Sorento

Jeep Compass

Mahindra XUV 7XO

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Unfortunately, there aren't too many options in the sub-40 lakh space as of now. However, Kia will soon launch the Sorento, which is a three-row SUV, expected to come with a hybrid and a diesel powertrain. It's expected to be easy to drive, feature-packed, and have a sophisticated interior. Alternatively, if you can up your budget by a few lakhs, you could get the Skoda Kodiaq Lounge variant. Besides having excellent driving dynamics and a solid build, it also gets a powerful 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, which you are likely to enjoy particularly on your weekend highway drives.

Skoda Kodiaq

Kia Sorento

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Buy the Toyota Camry. The rear seat of this sedan car is genuinely lounge-like with a power recline function. The ride is soft, and the cabin is quiet. The petrol strong hybrid powertrain is one of the best around, feels refined and effortless in the city, and has enough power on the highway. You get the smoothness and efficiency of an EV without the stress of having to charge it. And Toyota's low running costs and excellent service quality will give you peace of mind too.It does not feel particularly thrilling to drive, and it is a sedan, so speed breakers or steep ramps need more care than an SUV. If you do want an SUV stance and a punchier engine, the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tayron are good upgrades from your Tucson. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is eager, and it cruises beautifully, and the ride is exceptional too. It's just that, being a turbo petrol in a large SUV, these two are not very fuel efficient.Sadly, there are no plans for Hyundai to bring in a new Tucson or Santa Fe. Kia, however, is looking at bringing in the Sorento, the Santa Fe's counterpart from its portfolio, later this year or early next year, possibly with hybrid power. If you aren't in a hurry, that might be worth waiting for.

Toyota Camry

Skoda Kodiaq

Volkswagen Tayron

Kia Sorento

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For your requirements, we'd recommend not an SUV or a sedan, but the Toyota Innova Hycross ZX(O) Hybrid. In your 40‑lakh range, it combines Toyota's famous longevity and reliability, the safety net of 6 airbags and ADAS, and outstanding long‑distance comfort for equal city and highway use. Toyota’s hybrid MPV has an 8‑year/1,60,000km battery warranty and 10,000km/12‑month service intervals. For your 50:50 city-highway split, the smooth e‑CVT is smooth around town and the steering light, with the e-motor doing a good percentage of the propulsion, which of course also keeps efficiency high. And surprisingly, on the highway, it still uses a lot of e-power, making sure the 2.0-litre petrol engine never feels overwhelmed. It's spacious, of course, and comfortable too - far more than its ladder-frame counterpart, the Crysta. If the MPV body style is not for you, and you're not in a huge hurry, Kia is expected to launch its premium SUV, the Sorento, which could also get a strong hybrid powertrain; it might be worth waiting for.

Toyota Innova HyCross

Kia Sorento