Sorento has best of both worlds

TO enjoy the best of a plug-in hybrid you must keep the comparatively small range electric power source “topped up” and let the car’s engine management system do the rest (when teamed with a conventional engine).

I found this worked a treat on a trip to the Lake District a few years ago and also recently in France, in a Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid.

Before you venture abroad with a pure EV (electric vehicle) it is worth checking where and when you can charge it up. The AA says, “crossing the Channel in an EV might be regarded as a brave decision now but it won’t be long before it becomes the norm.”

With all that in mind, you get the best of both worlds driving a plug-in hybrid such as the Kia Sorento.

It was stress-free with regard to engine power because its main power source was its 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine (thus eliminating range anxiety).

The Kia Sorento is a consistently popular model for Kia in the UK. The current fourth-generation model has been on sale since August 2020, and in 2024 saw a major update, with a refreshed exterior and interior design, and an expanded specification line-up.

The updated Sorento takes design inspiration from the brand’s flagship SUV, the Kia EV9. This includes vertical headlights and “star map” daytime running lights, with redesigned alloy wheels and a new bonnet design to further emphasise the Sorento’s bold, rugged appearance.

The car features a redesigned gloss black radiator grille, as well as black side sill and wheel arch mouldings, giving it a distinctive stance on the road. Highlights and chrome details around the exterior bring a shine to the model and contrast the black for a premium and refined appearance.

Inside, the Sorento is newly aligned with Kia’s latest SUV models, fully embracing Kia’s “opposites united” design philosophy.

The Sorento remains one of the best-equipped models in its segment, benefiting from several new premium features, dual curved 12.3in displays, ambient lighting and fingerprint recognition and a customisable head-up display on ‘4’ grade models.

The Sorento is available in well equipped ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’ specification levels across all three powertrains, making a total of nine model configurations available.

It sits above the Ceed family, Niro and Sportage in the brand’s line-up, slotting just beneath the flagship all-electric EV9.

Test car in France: Kia Sorento PHEV ‘2’ 1.6-litre T-GDi 6-speed automatic, on the road: £47,405.