Kia drops base Sorento PHEV trim, lifting 2027 starting price to $55,385

Kia has cut the entry-level EX trim from the Sorento plug-in hybrid line for 2027, pushing the SUV's starting price up by $5,600 to $55,385. The EX started at $49,785 for the 2026 model year.

Every 2027 Sorento PHEV is now the top X-Line SX Prestige trim, which costs $400 more than the equivalent 2026 version and gains a standard head-up display.

What the single remaining trim includes

The X-Line SX Prestige is set apart by 19-inch wheels and Gun Metal trim on the bumpers, door bottoms and grille, with "X-Line" embossed on the front seatbacks and machined wood trim inside. Standard equipment runs to a 360-degree camera system, Highway Driving Assist 2, a leather interior, a microsuede headliner, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic sunroof.

For 2027 the head-up display is new to the standard list, and Kia has swapped the Steel Gray paint option for Pale Gray.

The catch for buyers is that the cheaper route into the plug-in Sorento is gone. Anyone who wants the PHEV now pays for the full feature set whether they want it or not, and the $5,600 jump is mostly a trim decision rather than a price rise on like-for-like equipment.

Powertrain and economy stay put

The 2027 Sorento PHEV carries over a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder paired with an electric motor, producing a combined 261 horsepower through a six-speed automatic to all four wheels.

Kia has not yet published EPA figures for the 2027 model. Car and Driver expects them to match the previous car's 33 mpg combined and 30 miles of electric-only range, but those numbers are an expectation rather than a confirmed rating.

Where the PHEV sits in the Sorento range

The Sorento remains one of the few mid-size SUVs offered with three powertrain choices. Petrol-only and hybrid versions start between $34,085 and $49,485, with the plug-in hybrid at the top of the pricing ladder.

That spread matters for shoppers: the PHEV's new $55,385 entry point sits well above the hybrid's ceiling, so the plug-in only makes sense for buyers who can use its electric range and value the X-Line SX Prestige kit. Kia has not announced any additional PHEV trims for 2027.

RTR Vehicles has revealed the Mustang RTR Spec 5, a supercharged 870hp version of the 2026 Ford Mustang that will be capped at 50 examples, each starting at $159,999. Three cars have already been built and customer deliveries are underway, with the first handed over personally by RTR founder Vaughn Gittin Jr. to artist Caleb Clark, who commissioned the build.

What the Spec 5 changes under the skin

Every Spec 5 begins life as a standard V8-powered Mustang before RTR adds a supercharger to the 5.0-litre engine, lifting output to 870 horsepower. RTR also fits its Tactical Performance suspension system, which brings 30-way-adjustable front coilovers and adjustable front and rear sway bars, letting owners change ride height, stiffness and how neutral or tail-happy the car behaves.

Each car rides on 20-inch RTR forged wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres, and the soundtrack comes from a Borla exhaust developed jointly with RTR to produce a signature tone. The first car wears a colour called Terrain and a composite widebody kit.

The $159,999 starting price buys more than the hardware: every build includes a 3-year, 36,000-mile Ford factory warranty, and cars can be ordered directly through RTR's North Carolina facility or via RTR-authorised dealers. That warranty matters for buyers weighing a tuner car against a factory special, since it keeps the Ford backing intact rather than leaving owners to sort powertrain problems themselves.

Paint and personalisation push the price higher

RTR works with each buyer to personalise their car, starting from a run of standard colours. Premium colour choices add $7,500, while unique finishes such as Mystichrome cost $15,000, and that top tier also opens access to RTR's paint-to-sample programme.

The personalisation is where the real cost spread sits. A buyer who wants a one-off finish can add roughly ten per cent to the base price before any other options, which puts the Spec 5 in the territory of low-volume factory specials rather than ordinary tuner packages.

Spec 5 could spread to other Fords

RTR marketing and sales director Josh Hipp called the Mustang Spec 5 the company's "apex product" and said there is a strong likelihood the Spec 5 name will reach other Ford models. Asked directly about a Baja-ready Bronco Spec 5, Hipp said it "would be fair to assume that RTR could eventually release a Spec 5-level Bronco-type vehicle," while adding there was no information to share at this time.

Hipp framed RTR's push to stand alongside Ford as a performance division on 20 years of work on design, engineering and track capability, and on attracting a younger audience into both the Blue Oval and RTR. Nothing has been confirmed for a Bronco or any other model, so treat the wider Spec 5 range as a stated ambition rather than a product plan.

A tuner car priced like a factory special

At $159,999 the Spec 5 sits well above a standard V8 Mustang, and the 50-car cap means most buyers will never see one on a dealer forecourt. The proposition is straightforward: near-supercar power, a widebody stance and a factory warranty in a package that can be specified down to the paint. For drivers who want a Mustang that stands apart from the regular production line without giving up Ford's backing, that combination is the draw. The trade-off is that the car's value and character rest on RTR's engineering rather than Ford's own performance division, and the options list can add tens of thousands to the sticker.