The electrified Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid wants to be your do-it-all SUV
We hope you didn’t buy a car last year, because get ready to have some serious buyer’s remorse as this year seems to be the year that manufacturers are going all in with electrifying their entire lineups.
Hybrids, plug-in hybrids, range-extender electric vehicles, and more will be dominating the market, and a prime example is how the first few vehicles launched this year have been electrified.
One of these is the Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid, which is a timely update to the automaker’s popular three-row SUV. Now an all-hybrid lineup, it comes in three variants: EX, EX+, and SX AWD.
Powering the new Sorento lineup is the 1.6-liter Gamma II gasoline engine mated to a front-mounted electric motor. Total power output is 235 horsepower and 367 Nm, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. A healthy performance figure that doesn’t sacrifice any efficiency figures.
Other benefits that the electric motor brings are additional terrain modes (AWD), E-Handling improvements that allow for smart torque vectoring, evasive handling assist, and improvements to power delivery and ride refinement. It can even tackle light off-roading with its decent 174mm of ground clearance.
As for the exterior, this being a mid-life refresh of the MQ4 PE generation means it retains most of the previous dimensions and boxy proportions, but gains new styling elements.
The biggest change is the quad-LED Star Map lighting on the front fascia, which brings it in line with the likes of the EV9 and Carnival. This is followed by 19-inch wheels across all variants, and a revised rear bumper and taillights.
The model variant featured in these photos is the SX AWD in its flagship color, Volcanic Sand Brown. Other colors include Aurora Black Pearl, Silky Silver, and Snow White Pearl.
The interior houses even more updates, such as the updated dashboard. It now houses two 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster (four inches for the EX) and an infotainment screen capable of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a dedicated function strip for both the climate and infotainment settings.
There also is a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, a 10-speaker Bose sound system, and wireless charging (EX+ and SX only).
Opt for the EX+ and SX, and it comes with leather upholstery and eight-way power adjustable ventilated front seats with memory function for the driver (EX comes with manual fabric seats).
Regardless of variant, the second-row bench seat comes with the push-button folding, walk-in, and sliding function for easy access to the third row that also folds flat, and even comes with dedicated aircon controls.
Storage space starts at 357L with all seats up, 1,090L with the third row down, and 2,139L with the second and third rows folded flat.
Safety-wise, this comes with the Kia Drivewise advanced driver assistance system suite. Advanced cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane keeping and following assistant, forward collision avoidance, parking collision avoidance, and a 360-degree camera with front, rear, and side parking sensors all come with the EX+ and SX.
Considering this vehicle’s size, seating, cargo capacity, and capabilities fall squarely into the ideal family vehicle for most Filipinos, is this enough to tempt you away from the stalwart diesel-powered PPVs, especially with the benefits that electrified vehicles receive? Prices are yet to be announced, so stay tuned for more updates on our page.
Photos by Sam Surla
