The All-New 2022 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid

The 2022 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is in a league of its own. Literally.

Taking the Sorento Hybrid from 2021 a step further, the 2022 Sorento PHEV is the first non-luxury three-row plug-in electric hybrid vehicle. Part of Kia’s drive towards evolving from a car maker to a “Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider” following their announcement of a roadmap for carbon neutrality, the Sorento represents a big move towards fully-electric SUVs for the car maker. It’s one thing to talk about it – but does the Sorento PHEV demonstrate that Kia is starting their journey on the right foot?

Performance Features

The 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV certainly has some power behind it. The modern PHEV is all about giving some oomph on top of the gas savings. A turbocharged 1.6-liter hybrid engine offers 261 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, exactly what you’re looking for in a mid-size SUV. Thanks to the electric motor, this torque is instantaneous, getting the Kia off the line quickly. A conventional six-speed automatic transmission ties the engine to the Sorento’s standard all-wheel drive system, for grip in poor weather and on rough roads.

Charging time for the 13.8-kwH battery, on 240V fast charging current, is only 3.5 hours – easy to recharge even between pulling into work and going out for lunch! The all-electric range is 32 miles, so short commutes and running errands can be done without engaging the gas power. This adds up to an impressive 79 MPGe, and Kia estimates that between a full battery and full gas tank, the Sorento PHEV has 460 total miles of range.

Style and Technology

As mentioned at the start, this is the first three-row entry-level PHEV on the market. There’s room for up to six passengers! The Sorento PHEV isn’t short on space either – second-row passengers still get 39 inches of head room and 40 inches of legroom. That being said, the third row is pretty much only for children and young teens, with full-sized adults being comfortable for about the amount of time the Sorento can go on full-electric. With all three rows in place, the 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space is enough for some groceries. However, dropping the third row increases it to 45 cubic feet, while dropping the two rear rows opens up 75.5 cubic feet for a TV, dresser, lawn and garden needs, or whatever else you need to haul.

You’ll do it with both style and convenience as the Sorento comes well-equipped. In terms of comfort, you get dual-zone automatic climate control standard across the board, along with rear air conditioning vents. SynTex or genuine leather upholstery is offered, and the front seats are both power-adjustable and heated, with available ventilation and heated second row seats. Both the steering wheel and gear shift handle are leather-wrapped, and the interior is accented with chrome door handles and brushed metal accent trim.

Kia has incorporated plenty of technology into the Sorento PHEV to offer convenience and connection. A hands-free power liftgate and Smart Key with Remote Star and Push-Button start are standard across all trim levels. The standard 10.25-inch touch screen infotainment system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, standard navigation, and is the home for the Kia Connect Remote Connectivity with Mapcare. Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming is standard on all models, and the infotainment system features voice recognition. A whopping seven USB ports throughout the cabin allows all passengers to charge their phones at once, and an eighth data port in the front console hooks into the infotainment system.

Safety

Every modern vehicle features an impressive list of driver assist and active safety features, but the 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV goes one step further. An array of assistance systems including forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian, cyclist, and junction turning detection; stop-and-go adaptive cruise control; navigation-based smart cruise control; intelligent speed limit assist; lane tracing assist, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, rear parking sensors, Highway Driving Assist, driver attention monitoring, and a rearview camera with parking guidance. Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupant Alert are also both standard on all Sorento PHEV models. Available advanced safety features include the Blind-Spot View Monitor, Surround View Monitor, and forward parking sensors as well as reverse parking collision-avoidance assistance.

Trim Levels

The 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV is limited to two trim levels, both of which offer extensive features standard.

On the base S trim, you get SynTex simulated leather upholstery, cloth headliner, power amenities, and leather-wrapped gear shift and steering wheel. The front seats are heated, with the driver seat having 10-way power adjustability while the passenger seat offers 8-way adjustability. A six-speaker audio system with HD radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio can be controlled by steer-wheel-mounted buttons, along with the hands-free phone and cruise control systems.

Stepping up to the SX Prestige trim is beneficial, but many drivers will find that the base SX is just fine, especially for the price. The gauges inside are upgraded to a 12.3-inch LCD Display cluster, and the upholstery is upgraded to genuine leather seat trim. Ventilation is added to the heated front seats, and the driver seat is upgraded to 14-way power adjustability with 2-way power lumbar support and thigh extension, along with an Integrated Memory System that remembers seated settings, attached to individual key. Meanwhile the passenger seat offers 10-way adjustability with 2-way power lumbar support. Aluminum foot pedals add a hint of sportiness. Second-row seats are also heated, along with the steering wheel. The advanced Blind-Spot View Monitor, Surround View Monitor, and forward parking sensors safety features are standard on the SX Prestige, along with reverse parking collision-avoidance assistance. Everything is topped off by the 12-speaker high-performance Bose Premium Audio System with Centerpoint and SurroundStage technologies.

A panoramic sunroof with power sunshade is optional across both PHEV trims. LED interior and map lighting, as well as LED illuminated visor vanity mirrors, are also available to upgrade from standard lighting and standard illuminated vanity mirrors.