Tried & Tested: Kia Sorento PHEV 4

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 Put to the Test

By Amber Evans

First Impressions

Having had the opportunity to test out a Kia EV-9 last year on the exact same journey, and being sold on the brand there and then, I was delighted to have the chance to test their smaller, more-practical-for-my-needs Sorento. I was slightly worried this trip could cost me a lot of money, if I ended up loving the Sorento as much as I did the EV-9.

Taking an unfamiliar vehicle on a journey of this length is always slightly daunting – the importance of being confident with your own vehicle’s features and comforts only increases with the miles. I needn’t have given it a thought – the Sorento is so intuitive, and immensely comfortable, it was a pleasure becoming acquainted with it.

Space and Versatility

My first observation was how spacious it felt, despite being almost the same dimensions as my regular car, just 43cm longer at 4,815mm, and 12cm slimmer at 1,900mm. With that extra 43cm in length, Kia have magically found room for a third row of seats. This does affect the luggage compartment fairly dramatically as you may expect, but if you need seven seats and don’t have many bags, they’re there for the taking.

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 Luggage and Storage

With the five-seat configuration, the luggage compartment was more than enough for our needs for a week’s ski trip, and while we didn’t need to carry equipment, it certainly wouldn’t have been an issue, particularly as we had no rear passengers. The boot space available ranges from 175 litres with seven seats, 809 litres with five seats, and a massive 1,988 litres with both rear rows folded.

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 boot space with third row of seats in upright position

Comfort on the Long Haul

The cocoon of comfort and safety this vehicle offers meant we ate up the miles easily – the journey certainly felt more part of the holiday than a chore. The driving position offers great visibility, at SUV height, and with both a warning light and blind spot camera for collision avoidance, visibility and awareness really couldn’t be better.

High-Tech Cockpit

The cockpit boasts an impressive dash with ambient lighting and sleek screens, plus a customisable driver’s head up display. The connectivity is thorough, catering for both Apple and Android users, with the added bonus of a wireless charger in the centre console.

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 dual screen infotainment system and steering controls with navigation and media display

Tailored Seating for Two

The seats are super comfortable – my husband and I have very different preferences and needs for position and support, and we both found we could set these seats up exactly as we wanted them. Swapping drivers was effortless, thanks to being able to save both of our seat positions at the touch of a button.

Luxuries You Didn’t Know You Needed in the Kia Sorento PHEV 4

The Sorento offers the driver a seat massage at certain intervals; personally I overrode this feature (mainly due to how easily distracted I am), while my husband, on the other hand, spent all the time in between each ‘treatment’ waiting for the next one. There is also a hugging bucket-seat feature but, as it only kicks in at 80mph, I probably shouldn’t mention it to the UK market.

Steering Wheel Standout

While on the subject of comfort, the steering wheel deserves a mention (a sentence I never thought I’d say) – it has choices of heat level and is covered with ultra-soft faux-leather, which feels gorgeous to hold. Meet the steering wheel that makes you want to go on a journey just to hold it.

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 Handling in the Mountains

Navigating the tight mountain roads was a breeze. Some vehicles start to feel larger once the hairpins and blind bends arrive. Not so for the Sorento – it still felt compact externally on the more challenging roads.

Hybrid Efficiency

The Sorento is a plug-in hybrid; though we didn’t plug in during our trip, it would be a huge bonus at home for short journeys. The range from a full charge is listed as 34 miles, and despite not plugging in, the dash info showed we switched to electric at times during our journey having charged from regenerative braking.

Kia Sorento PHEV 4 interior showing front seats, centre console, and panoramic sunroof

Packed with Premium Features

With all the above it’s hard not to see this vehicle as the perfect replacement for our ageing SUV. Throw into the mix heated and cooled seats, sensor wipers, sensor headlights, heated door mirrors, forward and multi-collision brake assist, smart cruise control, lane assist, panoramic sunroof and a bucket-load of other features (the highest levels of equipment ever offered to Sorento customers), this car really is hard to beat.

Verdict

For our long journey the Kia Sorento PHEV 4 was absolutely ideal. The safety features and comfort meant the hours flew by, and we could both just as easily see this vehicle as our everyday car. So much so we will definitely be heading to our local Kia dealership to investigate further.