Kia Sorento PHEV, an SUV to use well

This is not about comparing Kia with Audi, BMW or Mercedes. Les premiums allemands n’ont pas la même image, ont une grande antériorité sur le marché européen et naviguent dans des sphères tarifaires différentes, souvent justifiées par des habitacles tirés à quatre épingles et des technologies d’avant-garde. En revanche, beaucoup d’autres, et même Volkswagen, ont de quoi se sentir visés ! Avec son nouveau fer de lance Kia, marque coréenne dont le siège européen est à Francfort (Allemagne justement), met en exergue les progrès réalisés par le groupe Hyundai-Kia (le premier possède le second), et se positionne comme un sérieux concurrent. Qui aurait cru cela il y a seulement 10 ans ?

Bigger, better finished, more technological

The Sorento is the last model to display the brand's old logo, which disappeared during the second confinement in favor of more dynamic graphics. That doesn't stop this SUV from being in the mix with a rather distinctive design, a little more flashy than what the brand had accustomed us to until now. With such dimensions (more than 4,80 m long), it is aimed more at the American market which likes cars with a gleaming appearance. On our side of the Atlantic, it will serve as an image vehicle, with companies as its main target. Moreover, on the French market, it is only offered as a plug-in hybrid, with a bonus of 1000 euros (on the entry-level version) and above all no tax on company vehicles (for 48 months ). Note that it exists in diesel in other European countries, notably in Germany or Belgium, but that Kia France has decided to do without it to avoid a penalty harming its image.

Welcoming and well finished, this 4th generation Sorento is the best Kia ever produced to date, before perhaps the EV6 electric UFO which will arrive in October. Large multifunction screen, digital instrument cluster, head-up display, latest generation connected infotainment system, nothing is missing. This large SUV, in its high-end definition, is also very comfortable: ventilated and heated electric leather seats, air conditioning in three rows of seats, USB sockets galore and proven practicality thanks to numerous storage spaces. In the trunk, the two extra seats are easily put in place, and their access is facilitated by a system for advancing the row 2 bench, which is activated by a simple button located at the top of the backrest. Once the two children are in the back – don't plan to fit two adults there for a long trip – the bench seat can still slide to free up some space in row 3. Obviously, in this configuration, the carrying capacity is reduced : the trunk volume increases from 809 liters (7-seater version in 5-seater configuration) to 175 liters with all seats occupied. We can not have everything.

57 km all-electric

This is what the Sorento claims in terms of “zero emissions” driving. On our test route, we reached 50 km mixing city and countryside. This is good for a car of this size and weight (more than 2 tonnes), especially since once the electrical reserves are exhausted, the car switches to hybrid mode with, as a result, controlled consumption for the size: approximately 8 liters/100 km on the road. By getting a little angry or in the mountains, when the hybrid system battery is completely empty, consumption then increases a little more and the 1.6 unit finds itself a little alone when restarting. But the different modes (notably Sport or Smart) allow you to regenerate more quickly. With 265 hp of cumulative power, or 180 hp for the thermal engine alone, the Sorento is never caught off guard. Certainly, it does not have the mechanical nobility of a V6, but it offers good operating flexibility. In addition, it is very well soundproofed (double glazing), and any noise from the 4-cylinder does not resonate in the cabin.

When driving fast, the weight and dimensions are logically felt, but that is not the destiny of this family model. However, it surprises with its ability to link turns while limiting its roll. Like the Hyundai Santa Fe with which it shares its chassis, its development was supervised by the teams of Albert Biermann, the former boss of BMW's M department, recruited at a high price by Hyundai-Kia in 2018. And you can feel it! Generally speaking, the wise Korean cars that we have known for several years have progressed well in terms of behavior. Agility does not reach the level of the best, but dynamism is essential. The steering of the Sorento is pleasant and rather precise, the brakes do not perform miracles in terms of feel (a little artificial in relation to the hybrid system), but the efficiency is there. The machine is equipped with an arsenal of driving aids, and even fun features, such as the projection of the rear view (by camera) in the digital instrument cluster when the indicator is activated. At first it's amusing, in town or on the highway we happily take a look.

Equipped with four-wheel drive, this new electrified SUV also has transmission modes for playing off-road: snow, mud and sand. But with barely more than 17 cm of ground clearance, a wheelbase greater than 2,80 m and more than two tonnes on the scale, we will prefer to use it all-terrain rather than taking it to a crossing zone .

The entry-level price of the Kia Sorento is set at 48 euros, and benefits from a bonus of 990 euros. But in this case it has 1000 seats, and its equipment is not 5% in line with the high-end character that we expect from this type of car. For questions of comfort of use and resale advantages, it is better to look either towards the Active livery (100 euros), or towards the Premium version (subject of our test) with 52 seats and super equipped which reaches 900 euros and no longer has any bonuses. But what will matter above all, after the design and the budget, is your real need for a seven-seater plug-in hybrid SUV…

VERDICT

A real success for this Korean SUV, habitable, well equipped and economical at the pump if its PHEV technology is well exploited (in short, if you plug your car into the mains every evening). Its dynamic side also speaks in its favour, allowing it to be on close terms with the masters of the category, most often German and overpriced.