Following the industry trend, South Korean automobile manufacturer KIA has come up with the 2022 KIA Sorento Plug-in-Hybrid (PHEV).
Launched in August, KIA announced the prices of the PHEV model on 17th September. According to the press release, the hybrid option will start at $46,165.
The car is not sparsely equipped, as all PHEV models of the 7-seater midsize crossover will be higher trims, SX, or SX Prestige models (high-end models offered by KIA).
“The Sorento PHEV’s rare combination of drivability, efficiency, and spaciousness will make it a compelling choice for our customers,” said Sean Yoon, President & CEO, Kia North America and Kia America.
Since we have all the details on KIA’s new PHEV, it is only fair to discuss the features.
Engine
The Kia Sorento PHEV comes with a 1.6-liter turbo-four coupled with a 66.9 kW electric motor, which is fed electricity by way of a 13.8-kWh battery. Both, battery and engine work to generate 261hp.
The SUV comes with a six-speed automatic transmission with an all-wheel drive. According to the motortrend blog, Kia estimates its three-row plug-in hybrid will achieve 79 miles per gallon equivalent combined and travel a projected overall 460 miles with a full tank and battery pack. On all-electric configuration, the SUV’s range is 32 miles.
Exterior
The Sorento PHEV 2022 stands at 189.4 inches in length, 74.4 inches in with, and 66.3 inches in height. The ground clearance is 6.9 inches and the wheelbase is 10.8 inches.
The Car got a massive change on the design front last year and the same continues for this year as well.
While it might not look like much at first glance, Kia is changing to a more boxer look. It is no longer curved or rounded. It looks sleeker and resembles vehicles from a class above.
On the sides, the windows have gotten curvier, with a downward turn as we go to the back of the car.
Kia’s new logo splashes across the front grille and on the steering wheel, but everything else is familiar to previous models. Being a plug-in hybrid you’ll also get an extra access door on the passenger side for the charging port.
Interior
The Kia Sorento PHEV has up to 143.8 cubic feet (4,072 liters) of passenger space and 12.6 to 75.5 cubic feet of cargo room if you fold the third and second-row seats. Those are best-in-class numbers for a midsize crossover, according to Automoblog.
On the inside, standard features include a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation and UVO link, a wireless charging pad, Sirius XM, a proximity key, and a Bose sound system.
Read More: Pakistan to get a Plug-in-Hybrid by MG!!
However, the SX Premium trim grade adds a 2.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a blind-view monitor that activates when signaling left or right.
Safety
The standard safety features in KIA Sorento PHEV include Kia Drive Wise, which has blind-spot collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, lane following assist, smart cruise control, rear-cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view monitor, among many others.