Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV AWD review

As nineties Aussie rockers The Badloves once sang, “Everyone’s a star but they won’t get far without a green limousine.”

Kia Australia seems to have enthusiastically embraced the sentiment by busily greening its fleet, adding both a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and more recently petrol-hybrid (HEV) versions to its Sorento large SUV range.

Sitting alongside the V6 petrol and four-cylinder turbo-diesel models, the new additions embolden Kia to claim this as the most diverse powertrain choice in a model range in Australia. However, there’s still no fully electric version of the Sorento, with Kia’s all-electric catalogue currently limited to the Niro and EV6.

The plug-in Sorento is offered in a single top-shelf GT-Line specification with AWD, delivering buyers a generous array of creature comforts, safety and driver assistance features, plus advanced infotainment technologies. The equipment list aligns neatly with the PHEV’s GT-Line peers, with the only obvious omission being deletion of the latter’s smart key remote parking assistant.

The electrification of the Sorento’s drivetrain doesn’t come cheaply, however, with the PHEV asking $15k more than its turbo-diesel powered equivalent, and nearly $10,600 more than its hybrid twin. Perhaps Kia’s bold pricing is due to the fact the Sorento has something of a lock on large PHEV SUVs priced below $100k, as there simply aren’t many offerings at or below its price.

It's also the most fuel efficient and lowest emissions model in the Sorento range, and the only version that meets more stringent Euro 6 emissions standards, with all other models being Euro 5 compliant.

Powering the PHEV is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor mounted between the engine and the six-speed auto transmission. Kia quote combined outputs of195kW/350Nm with the SUV’s electrical energy stored in a 14kWh lithium-ion battery-pack located beneath the vehicle floor.

The fourth generation Sorento was designed from the outset to accommodate electrified powertrains and therefore the PHEV retains the generous family-sized space of its petrol and diesel siblings, with only a minor reduction in the quoted cargo volumes.

In terms of functionality, the Sorento PHEV can operate in hybrid mode, using the petrol engine and/or the electric motor according to driving conditions, or in a dedicated EV mode. Kia claims an all-electric range of up to 68 kilometres, though on our test the system monitoring display showed an estimated range of 56km on a full charge. Despite the shortfall, this will still be enough to meet many commuter’s needs, and with the petrol engine as backup, ‘range anxiety’ is not an issue. Charging is simple, using either the supplied 10-amp, 3-pin cable or a cable equipped with Type 2 plug.

Sorento PHEV buyers still get all the well-considered practical and family-friendly touches found in other variants in the range, including five child-restraint points spread between the three rows, instead of the more usual three. The outer two seats in the second row are also ISOFIX capable.

Out on the road the PHEV, like other Sorento models, offers pleasing road manners and an agreeable driving experience, meaning there’s plenty here to entice those family buyers looking for a greener limousine.

Key stats

• MLP: $81,080
• ENGINE: 1.6-litre turbo-petrol 4 cylinder/electric plug-in hybrid
• ANCAP CRASH RATING: Five stars (2020)
• POWER CONSUMPTION (combined cycle, litres/100km): 1.6 (36g/km CO₂)
• FOR: Family friendly and practical, well equipped, safety and technology, spacious, useful electric-only range, hybrid does away with range anxiety.
• AGAINST: Price, third row seats better suited to kids.