Looking for a new car is all about choices. Let’s say you’re looking for a large SUV to handle the family, and you notice this month’s test vehicle—the three-row Kia Sorento PHEV AWD. It fills the bill, but represents a variety of choices. Let’s take a look at the different aspects of this versatile car.
How big is big
Three-row SUVs are proliferating in the market, but they’re not all the same size. The Sorento is one of three from Kia, but the smallest of the bunch. The plug-in hybrid (where the PHEV nomenclature comes from) model we tested seats six comfortably and still has some room for luggage, but check out the difference with the all-electric EV9 and gas-powered Telluride.
Sorento PHEV
110.8 inch wheelbase, 189.6 overall length in inches
Telluride
114 inch wheelbase, 196.9 overall length in inches
EV9
122.0 wheelbase, 197.2 overall length in inches
These are all big cars. The almost foot-longer wheelbase in the EV9, along with some advantages from having a compact all-electric powertrain, gives it substantially more room inside. Depending on the size of folks and amount of luggage you’re planning to haul, this could be an important consideration.
These bruisers don’t get sold by the pound, but the prices are as diverse as their wheelbases. Our Sorento has a base price of $53,090 (a lower trim level starts at $47,990). The Telluride starts at $36,390 and the EV9 begins at $54,900, although the variety of options can move those numbers all over the map.
How do you want to move
The size choice is only one way to slice the Sorento decision. You don’t have to move to a different Kia model to find powertrain choices. The Sorento comes in a gas-only model, a gas-electric hybrid and the plug-in hybrid we drove.
Our PHEV’s dual powertrain delivered a healthy 261 horsepower (hp) while the hybrid with the same turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine has 227 hp, and the gas Sorento has two engine options—one with 191 hp and a turbo upgrade that boosts the hp to 281 in a lighter vehicle.
Our PHEV was capable of 31 all-electric miles before it defaulted to a 33 mpg hybrid. Plugged in daily, we estimate we’d be able to travel about 80% of our tips on electrons. The hybrid’s fuel economy is the same as the PHEV in AWD models, two mpg more in the front-wheel drive model. The gas models range from 27 to 31 mpg on the highway.
Prices for the three models start at $31,990 for the base Sorento, $38,690 for the hybrid and $47,990 for the PHEV, which has AWD standard.
Other bits
Kia has a few other variables to throw into the mix. If a little serious off-roading is of interest, the PHEV and hybrid have 6.9 inches of ground clearance, enough for trail riding. But the gas Sorento has AWD models that offer 8.2 inches. All models have independent front and rear suspensions we found were well-designed to tackle highways and backroads competently. Its four-wheel disc brakes delivered solid stops.
Kias come with 10-year, 100,000-mile warranties that offer extended peace of mind. The PHEV trim we had—SX Prestige—was thoroughly stocked with all of the modern technology you could desire.
One final caveat. The Sorento is assembled in Korea, so new imports will be subject to the new 15% tariffs. Whether Kia decides to absorb the tariff or pass some along has yet to be seen, but don’t be surprised if Sorento prices slide north of the $54,690 that our tester carried. So if the Sorento PHEV whetted your automotive appetite, now is a good time to make that choice.
