Kia Sorento PHEV 2021 Review

The Kia Sorento has already been widely recognised as a trailblazer for the Korean car-maker, and that’s especially the case with the new 2021 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV).

The first plug-in offering in the competitive mainstream seven-seat large SUV ranks in Australia, the Sorento PHEV arrives this month in a solitary high-spec GT-Line model grade.

On paper, it boasts remarkable fuel economy with minimal cabin compromise – features that should extend its appeal.

But how well do those benefits translate on the road, and are they ultimately worth it?

For all of its underbody tech, which includes an EV range of up to 68km together with an on-paper fuel consumption claim of 1.6L/100km, the 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV GT-Line is not cheap.

In fact, the Kia Sorento PHEV stands as the Korean brand’s most expensive vehicle ever sold in Australia.

It’s priced from $79,330 plus on-road costs, making it a whopping $15,260 more expensive than the current Kia Sorento diesel AWD GT-Line flagship.

Taking into account Kia’s current drive-away pricing offer, the PHEV is listed at $81,990 while the flagship diesel GT-Line comes in at $67,290 – essentially paring back the premium to $14,700.

Kia concedes the flagship GT-Line stands as the only electrified member in its Sorento line-up for the foreseeable future, too. That’s due to supply constraints which are affecting not only the Sorento, but most models within Kia’s Australian line-up.

The stock situation means there is only limited supply of the Sorento PHEV GT-Line available locally. Kia hasn’t clarified exact numbers at this time.

In equipment terms, the PHEV mirrors the existing diesel-powered GT-Line flagship. There’s 19-inch alloy wheels (with full-size alloy spare), quilted Nappa leather-appointed upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats (the driver’s seat with 14-way power adjustment), heating for outer seats in the second row, a heated steering wheel, head-up display, parking sensors, reversing camera and 360-degree camera, dual-zone climate control and a panoramic sunroof.

Infotainment is strong, too, with a 10.25-inch centre touch-screen display, 12.3-inch TFI digital instrument cluster display, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 12-speaker Bose audio system, sat-nav, wireless phone charging and eight USB ports across the three rows.

A five-star ANCAP safety rating (2020) carries over to the PHEV variant, thanks to the latest safety acronyms and airbag coverage across all three rows (albeit partial window coverage for the third row).

Our detailed pricing story gives the full rundown, but in essence the PHEV model retains the donor car’s ability to automatically brake in certain scenarios, hold its position in the lane and automatically keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

The lane keep assist function feels a little overzealous with its applications, tugging at the steering wheel to correct your line even though it may not seem apparent that you’re about to wander out of your lane. Otherwise, most of the Sorento’s safety functions feel well tuned and benign in their interventions.

The PHEV version is fitted standard with a Type 2 AC charger and one-stage regenerative braking.
It includes a full-size alloy spare wheel and offers a 1500kg braked towing capacity (500kg less than other Sorento models) with 100kg downball weight (100kg less).

The Kia Sorento PHEV is backed by Kia’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Servicing intervals are spaced every 12 months/10,000km, the latter slightly shorter than the 15,000km intervals set for other Kia Sorento models.

According to Kia, the first seven years’ worth of servicing will set buyers back $4903 (indicative pricing only). That compares with $3463 for the diesel equivalent.

The 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV introduces some pretty decent underbody changes for the award-winning seven-seat SUV.

A new-for-the-Sorento 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine combines with a 67kW electric motor feeding energy from a 13.8kWh battery pack mounted under the second-row seat.

All told, the plug-in hybrid system produces 195kW and 350Nm. Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 1.6L/100km on the official combined cycle, while the maximum EV range is listed at 68km.

Drive is apportioned to all four wheels via a six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and part-time all-wheel drive system.

The hybrid system imposes a circa-70kg weight penalty compared with the diesel-powered, all-wheel drive Sorento GT-Line. It also pays a minimal 12-litre penalty in terms of boot space, which measures a sizeable 604 litres with the rear seats stowed, extending to 1988L with the second-row seats folded.

With all seats in place, Kia says the Sorento PHEV has 175 litres of boot space.

The PHEV model takes about 3:25h to charge to 95 per cent capacity when using a household power point.

The SUV has three different driving modes (Eco, Sport and Smart) plus three different terrain modes in its off-road suite (Snow, Mud and Sand).

It also rides on a familiar suspension design comprising MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link configuration at the rear.

You’d hardly pick the 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV from its regular stablemates in the skin. That’s because the only visual details differentiating it externally is an additional filler flap for the electric port, as well as a subtle PHEV badge on the tailgate.

Inside, it’s all good news for existing Kia Sorento aficionados – or prospective buyers for that matter.

The 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV GT-Line retains all the hallmarks of the award-winning seven-seater: considered proportions, excellent storage, wide door openings, strong appointments and great in-car tech.

Some of the clever convenience features installed include second-row sun shades, power-operated second-row seats to access the third row and a handy passenger talk speaker system for the driver to communicate with rear occupants.

The quilted Nappa leather-appointed seats imbue the cabin with a certain luxe factor, and the contact points are furnished in quality, soft-touch materials that go a long way in justifying the purchase price.

Entering the third row is a relative cinch courtesy of one-touch electric buttons. Once back there, there’s enough room for little ones or even adults on shorter journeys. The second row is good for any kind of company, such are the proportions.

Five top-tether strap points and two ISOFIX attachment points mean the Sorento is well set up for child restraints. Air vents and USB ports at all three rows are both noteworthy inclusions.

As ever, the Kia’s elaborate infotainment system is easy to come to terms with – thanks to a combination of easy-to-navigate native menus and a desired amount of physical switchgear.

Proof of the 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV’s trailblazer attributes is best evidenced on the road.

Pulling away from the kerbside is met with relative silence as the electric portion of the drivetrain takes up the initial slack to provide smooth passage to around-town speed.

The electric motor feels both instant and linear with its torque and power distribution to lend the Kia Sorento an initially more polished first impression than its existing petrol- or diesel-powered stablemates.

And when the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine is called into play, it chimes in fairly unobtrusively to provide additional shove under acceleration.

The matching six-speed automatic transmission is a bit of a blight on the experience, lacking the immediacy and ratio spread of the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic used in the diesel Sorento. At highway speeds, the engine spins at about 2000rpm.

That brings us to fuel economy and EV range. On a 300km trip, we managed 5.5L/100km, which is well above the claim.

Clearly, the efficiency of the Sorento PHEV is hypothetical, based on how much battery charge is available, the distance of travel and the kind of driving you’re doing.

The electric architecture doesn’t boast multi-stage regenerative braking as found on other plug-in hybrid models including the Volvo XC90 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid, either. So capturing more charge via the brakes isn’t as effective.

Our road test made exclusive use of the electric drivetrain for the first 55km or so, at which point the battery was depleted, reverting the drivetrain to pure petrol power.

Given the lack of compatible charging infrastructure on the day of testing, we remained on a combination of petrol power and, once the regenerative braking helped restore some charge, combined hybrid power.

In this setting, the Kia Sorento PHEV continues to work well. But its clear preference is for a full bank of charge – otherwise, you’re simply driving round a seven-seat SUV with additional weight on board.

In every other respect, the Sorento PHEV lives up to the lofty benchmarks set by its internal combustion siblings.

A comfortable ride is balanced against a great dynamic skillset and corner-tackling ability. Even with a 70kg weight penalty, the Sorento PHEV hunkers down through corners and offers a pleasant driving experience that feels slightly at odds with its 4.81-metre length.

The drive experience is both polished and refined, with minimal cabin noise and a planted and comfortable underlying bent.

The 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV is a worthy addition to Kia’s award-winning seven-seat SUV line-up.

With only a solitary GT-Line variant to choose from, the combination of a lofty purchase price, lower towing capacity and more expensive servicing (including shorter intervals) means it will likely apply to environmentally-conscious buyers and fleets more than budget-conscious Aussie families.

However, with more affordable model grades in the pipeline, along with a regular non-plug-in hybrid powertrain coming too, this first foray into electrification of the Kia Sorento paves the way for an exciting future.

How much does the 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV GT-Line cost?
Price: $79,330 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol-electric
Output: 132kW/265Nm (electric motor: 67kW/304Nm)
Combined output: 195kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Battery: 13.8kWh lithium-ion polymer
Range: 68km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 16.1kWh/100km (ADR)
Fuel: 1.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 36g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)