History/Overview
Kia redesigned its mid-size Sorento SUV into an all-new generation last year, giving it sharp styling that reflects the brand’s desire to project a youthful, sporty vibe.
What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year
For 2022, there are two new Sorento hybrid variants. One is the plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, that you’re reading about here; a conventional hybrid without plug-in functionality is covered in a separate buyer’s guide entry.
Available Trims
Kia offers the Sorento PHEV in EX, EX+ and SX trim levels. Power is from a 1.6L turbo four-cylinder and an electric motor, a six-speed automatic transmission, and AWD. Kia says a full charge of the Sorento’s battery yields 51 km of EV driving.
Standard Features
EX trim starts with 19-inch wheels, LED headlights and fog lights, leatherette upholstery, heated/power front seats, heated steering wheel, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration, a six-speaker stereo, wireless phone charging, and passive keyless entry with hands-free tailgate. EX’s safety kit comprises blind spot collision intervention, lane keep/follow assist, forward collision avoidance assist, front and rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist.
EX+ adds LED taillights, a panoramic sunroof, power-folding side mirrors, rear-door sun shades, heated rear seats, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, highway drive assist, ambient lighting, and forward intersection assist.
SX gains real leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, premium audio, a digital gauge cluster, head-up driver display, rear collision avoidance assist, blind spot view monitor, and 360-degree cameras.
Fuel Economy
Kia’s energy consumption ratings for the Sorento PHEV are 2.8/3.2 Le/100 km (city/highway) when running on electricity alone. As of this writing, Kia hadn’t published fuel consumption estimates for the PHEV’s gas-electric mode, but they should be similar to the 6.4/7.0 L/100 km (city/highway) figures for the conventional hybrid model.
Competition
There aren’t many mid-size SUVs with plug-in functionality just yet. The Sorento PHEV’s closest competitor is the redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the Toyota RAV4 Prime, and the new-for-2022 Hyundai Tucson PHEV.
