Hyundai Palisade vs Kia Sorento
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
Too close to call on resale: both keep about 66% of their value over three years. Decide on the deal, not the badge.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| Palisade | Sorento | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 1 204 500 | R 999 995 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 21 053/m | R 17 478/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 81% | 82% |
| Retained after 3 years | 64% | 66% |
| Value after 3 years | R 771 366 | R 659 462 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 433 134 | R 340 533 |
| Value after 5 years | R 598 671 | R 520 274 |
| Our tier | Mainstream | Mainstream |
Hyundai Palisade →
Hyundai SA's flagship SUV arrived in 2021 with a 2.2 diesel and seating for up to eight. It undercuts premium German rivals on space per rand, and a new-generation hybrid is due locally during 2026. Volumes are small, so used examples are scarce.
Known for: flagship eight-seater undercutting the germans
Kia Sorento →
The Sorento arrived in 2003 as a ladder-frame 4x4 and has evolved into a premium-feeling seven-seat family SUV. The 2.2 turbodiesel is the volume choice in South Africa. Priced around the million-rand mark it sells in small numbers, so residuals behave more like a niche import than a mainstream Kia.
Known for: upmarket seven-seat diesel suv
Common questions
Which holds value better, the Hyundai Palisade or the Kia Sorento?
They are close to inseparable: 64% vs 66% retained after three years. Buy on price, spec and the deal you can get, not on resale.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The Hyundai Palisade loses about R 433 134 over three years and the Kia Sorento loses about R 340 533. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the Hyundai Palisade runs about R 21 053 per month and the Kia Sorento about R 17 478, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.