Kia now also offers the Sorento, which was relaunched in 2020, as a plug-in hybrid. Like all representatives of his guild, he also relies on a large battery and two powerful motors. The interaction of the two is, however, a bit peculiar.
Plug-in hybrids are now offered in large numbers in Germany. What they all have in common is the mix of a combustion engine and an electric motor. However, there are many different strategies for the drive units, the type of gearbox and the question of which engine does more or less work and when. The new Sorento 1.6 T-GDI plug-in hybrid also does its own thing. The bottom line, however, is that it drives similarly to other PHEVs: lively, electric over longer distances and therefore also low in emissions.
Power pack
Visually, the top version of the fourth Sorento generation introduced in 2020 differs from diesel or full hybrid only in details. Distinguishing features are specially designed 19-inch wheels, an extra flap for the charging cable connection or the E in the license plate, which it can carry thanks to its extended electric range.
For the drive, the Koreans rely on a modernized 1,6-liter turbo gasoline engine, which comes up with technology delicacies such as fully variable valve opening times, 350 bar direct injection or cooled low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation. It should provide a lush 132 kW / 180 PS with well-mannered drinking habits. The four-cylinder is combined with a nimble and smooth 6-stage automatic converter that changes gears and integrates a 67 kW / 91 PS electric motor. Since both units provide their respective maximum output at different points in time, Kia specifies a system output of 194 kW / 265 PS and 350 Newton meters. The double heart is combined with a lithium-ion battery with an energy content of 13,8 kWh and a classic mechanical all-wheel drive, which, if necessary, transfers up to 100 percent of the drive power to the rear axle via a cardan shaft.
Combustion supports depending on the driving style
When starting, the Sorento remains silent in the so-called automatic mode. If there is enough power in the battery and the accelerator is sensitive, you can start up purely electrically. Depending on the driving situation and the position of the accelerator, the combustion engine joins in or goes out spontaneously. Alternatively, there is also a hybrid mode, in which both units also act in virtuoso alternation, and an EV mode that prioritizes electric driving. While other plug-in hybrids operate purely electric driving with extremely strict discipline, in the Sorento, even in EV mode, interventions are relatively frequent and already low-threshold. If the accelerator pedal is spontaneously only pressed a little more than half the way down, the hum of the four-cylinder engine often joins in and the virtual needle in the digital tachometer snaps upwards. In practical terms, this means that purely electric and therefore emission-free driving over long distances is hardly possible with the Sorento. Theoretically, it can even drive up to 140 km / h purely electrically, but you will probably only experience this for a short time in situations when you lift the gas pedal at this speed. Then the gasoline engine would switch off at least for a short time. Electrical range specifications for the Sorento PHEV are therefore only of a theoretical nature, because the gasoline engine interferes comparatively often. According to the WLTP, 54 kilometers would be possible in the mix without the assistance of the gasoline engine; only in city traffic it should be 70 kilometers.
For the charging technology, Kia opted for a type 2 connection and an onboard charger for a maximum of 3,3 kW charging power. Ideally, charging takes three and a half hours at a 240-volt charging station. Commuters with a somewhat longer commute could then regularly charge the battery at work and / or overnight at home and thus move the Korean, who weighs up to 2.174 kilograms, with comparatively low fuel consumption. The combined consumption gives Kia 1,6 liters per 100 kilometers. However, this value can vary widely in practice. After our test drive with a lot of electric driving shares as well as frequent support from the combustion engine, the on-board computer showed an average of 4,6 liters. As a PHEV, the Sorento also offers the seductive potential of a lively drive that allows a sprint to 100 km / h in 8,7 seconds and a top speed of 193 km / h. Anyone who savored this potential at least a little will have to live with significantly higher gasoline consumption.
Traction weakens
Despite a drive technology that is quite extensive due to the many components, the Sorento PHEV cuts a good figure in terms of utility. The battery embedded in the vehicle floor only takes up 23 liters of storage space in the five-seater version, which is a negligible loss in view of the 2.077 liters available. On the other hand, you have to accept compromises when it comes to the trailer load, because while the diesel can take a lush 2,5 tons on the hook, the PHEV only pulls a maximum of 1,5 tons. The permissible vertical load is 100 kilograms, which means that several pedelecs can be carried on a rear bicycle rack.
Thanks to the innovation bonus, the new Sorento plug-in hybrid is also interesting in terms of price. The list price for the PHEV, which is available from the Vision version, is around 54.000 euros, which is 6.650 euros more than the classic diesel with all-wheel drive and the same configuration. But minus the innovation bonus, the actual price for the part-time electricity provider drops to around 48.000 euros. As a plug-in hybrid, the Sorento is only a good 700 euros more expensive than a comparable diesel. In view of the added value thanks to the two smart drive units that work together, this surcharge is bearable.
Technical data
Five-door, five- or seven-seat D-segment SUV; Length: 4,81 meters, width: 1,90 meters (width with exterior mirrors: 2,17 meters), height: 1,70 meters, wheelbase: 2,82 meters, trunk volume, five-seater plug-in hybrid: 898 - 2.077 liter
1,6-liter four-cylinder petrol engine in combination with an electric motor; System output 195 kW / 265 PS, maximum torque: 350 Nm, all-wheel drive, six-speed automatic transmission, 0-100 km / h: 8,7 s, Vmax: 193 km / h, standard consumption: 1,6 liters / 100 kilometers and 16,1, 100 kWh / 2 kilometers, CO36 emissions: 6 g / km, emissions standard: Euro 53.940d, efficiency class: A +, price: from XNUMX euros
In brief
Why: because you want a vehicle that can really do a lot
Why not: because you want a large SUV that can pull as much as possible
What else: BMW X5 xDrive45e, DS 7 Crossback E-Tense 4 × 4, Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e, Volvo XC60 Recharge T6
