Kia has unveiled the 2022 Sorento Turbo Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) SUV, further expanding the brand’s ambitious ‘Plan S’ electrification strategy and the fourth generation Sorento model range.
The Sorento PHEV now joins the petrol-powered and turbo hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variants of the Sorento. Powering the new Sorento PHEV is a 66.9 kW electric motor and a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine that produce 261 hp.
Electric range
The SUV also has a targeted 51 km pure electric driving range with a projected combined overall range of 740 km. Further enhancing the Sorento’s powertrain is the standard torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system.
Set to be built in Hwasung, Korea alongside the Sorento HEV, the Kia Sorento PHEV will be offered in two trims – SX and SX-P.
Design
Design wise, the 2022 Sorento PHEV gets some unique features like a specialised rear badge, the plug port on the rear quarter panel, and special 19-inch wheels to set it apart from the other variants.
Inside, the new Kia Sorento PHEV gets standard three-row seating with second-row captain’s chairs, standard Syntex synthetic leather seating or available perforated leather seats, as well as aluminium sport pedals
Like the rest of the Sorento model range, the Sorento PHEV offers a wide array of available technology, which includes:
- 12.3-inch full digital meter cluster
- 8 USB charging ports
- 10.25-inch high-resolution colour touchscreen display
- Wireless smartphone charging pad
- Bose premium sound system
- Standard Rear Occupant Alert (ROA)
Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems:
- Blind Spot Collision Avoidance Assist
- Driver Attention Warning (DAW)
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)
- Highway Driving Assist (HDA)
- Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA)
- Lane Following Assist (LFA)
- Navigation Based Smart Cruise Control-Curve (NSCC-C)
- Parking Distance Warning-Reverse (PDW-R)
- Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
- Safe Exist Assist (SEA)
The new Sorento is also the first car to be equipped with Kia’s innovative Multi-Collision Brake system, helping to prevent passengers from being involved in secondary collisions after an initial impact.
The system is designed to help prevent or mitigate the severity of a secondary collision, which may occur after initial impact as the vehicle continues to a stop, often out of the driver’s control.
The MCB system
The fourth-generation Sorento will be the first Kia sold in Europe to include this innovative new safety technology.
The Sorento is already one of the safest cars in its class, fitted with a wide range of collision mitigating technology, including Kia’s latest Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA) technology with pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle detection.
MCB extends the Sorento’s safety remit by focusing on the situation immediately after an accident, further improving the car’s extensive safety package.
