By Paul Gover.
Families across Australia have flocked to the Kia Sorento.
Now they have another reason to put the South Korean seven-seater on their shopping list.
It’s the plug-in hybrid package that gives the Sorento a useful electric range of just under 70 kilometres, as well as a typical hybrid boost package for shorter trips.
The Sorento PHEV – plug-in hybrid electric vehicle – is the newest greenish machine from the South Korean carmaker, which is joining its Hyundai twin on the electrification journey with a wide range of battery only cars for the near future.
Right now, looking at an average Aussie family, the hybrid choices – including plug-ins – are relatively small and relatively costly.
In the case of the Kia, the starting price is just on $80,000.
That’s an awful lot for a Kia and a huge amount for green bragging rights at the dinner table.
There are cheaper all-electric SUVs, like the impressive Polestar 2, although they don’t have the size and family space of the Kia.
On that front, the Sorento is one of the very best in its class.
It is roomy with a reasonable third-row kiddie seat, has excellent equipment and quality, comes with a seven-year warranty, and has some nice touches including the big digital displays in the dashboard.
The PHEV is pitched right to the top end, with only one level of specification. It could be seen as a cash grab by Kia Australia, since there are lesser models across the Sorento range and even the fully-loaded diesel GT-Line is a whopping $15,000 less than the PHEV.
Upgrading to the hybrid also means sacrificing a little boot space and adding more than 50 kilograms to the weight. It also loses 500 kilos from its towing capacity.
But PHEV buyers will be looking for range and efficiency, and it scores on those fronts.
It has an official battery-only range of 68 kilometres and a claimed fuel economy as low as 1.8 litres/100km.
During my test I could not match either one, as the petrol engine was too eager to join the action on short trips and the overall economy – with lots of 80km/h zones – was more like 6 litres/100km.
But around a big city, with lots of regenerative braking to keep the battery topped-up, it would be much closer to the claims and definitely a solid green runner.
It’s also relatively easy to keep charged, taking only a couple of hours from a normal household plug, but the battery is obviously way smaller than a dedicated electric-only car.
Kia is doing impressive work at the moment and the Sorento, like the smaller Sportage that leads its class, is a top-drawer SUV.
It is quiet and drives nicely on all road surfaces, has good cornering grip, and does not feel as truck-like as some seven-seaters.
The cabin is top drawer stuff for a premium, not luxury, brand. It has everything you need with the GT-Line package.
The driver-assist systems can be over-eager, particularly on lane keeping, and the third row is definitely only for sub-teens.
Eventually, at the finish of my PHEV time I cannot get past the price.
The Sorento is a lovely family SUV, and it’s good to have a green package, but it just costs way too much.
THE BASICS
Kia Sorento PHEV
Price: from $79,330
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol plug-in hybrid
Power: 132kW/265Nm
Transmission: 6-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Position: big green family machine
Plus: quality, size, greenish
Minus: price, restricted range
THE TICK: not at this price
Score: 7/10
