The plug-in hybrid SUV boasts 261 hp and a total range of 740 km
A year after its European debut, the Kia Sorento PHEV has now been officially announced for the U.S. market, where it will be sold as a 2022 model. The automaker says the plug-in hybrid SUV will arrive in showrooms in the third quarter of this year and pricing will be announced closer to its on-sale date.
The mechanicals are unchanged from the Euro-spec model, which means there’s 261 hp on tap courtesy of a 1.6-litre T-GDi mill and a 66.9 kW electric motor. A six-speed automatic transmission routes the power to the ground via a standard AWD system with centre locking differential. A Snow Mode is included to enhance its go-anywhere capability.
With a 13.8 kWh battery, Kia is hopeful that its three-row SUV can cover up to 51 km on electricity alone. Meanwhile, the combination of the petrol engine and battery is expected to give the plug-in Sorento a whopping total range of 740 km and a combined rating of 79 MPGe.
Design-wise, the Sorento PHEV is the spitting image of other variants of the Sorento, save for some minor details such as the specialised rear badging, a plug port located at rear quarter panel and standard 19-inch wheels. It will be offered in two trims, namely the SX and SX-P.
Inside, the SUV features a three-row seating with a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row. There’s plenty of legroom here, thanks to the versatile N3 platform, which increases the wheelbase by nearly 1.4 inches. In addition, the platform also increases the Sorento’s tensile strength by 4 percent, which in turn improves its driving dynamics, ride and handling, as well as NVH.
As for equipment, the Sorento PHEV comes standard with a 12.3-inch full digital meter cluster, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, 8 USB charging ports, a Bose premium sound system with up to 12 speakers and a wireless smartphone charging pad. There’s also a Surround View Monitor that utilises four cameras to provide a 360-degree perspective around the vehicle.
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Also equipped is a suite of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), which comprises of Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist – Rear (BCA-Rear), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Highway Driving Assist (HDA) and Navigation Based Smart Cruise Control-Curve (NSCC-C), to name a few.
