A couple months ago, I tested the 2021 Kia Sorento. I’m not usually a fan of three-row SUVs, but I was surprised and ended up liking it. It didn’t offer enough to completely win me over, but this 2022 Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid (PHEV) just might have what it takes.
It’s rare that the sequel to a film is better than the original, but every now and again we come across a movie that surpasses its predecessor. Marvel is pretty good at sequels, I do love The Godfather Part II , and don’t @ me if you disagree, but I think Home Alone and Home Alone 2 are equally enjoyable — any time of the year.
Anyway, my point being, the Sorento PHEV is sort of like the sequel to the original Sorento, but the sequel has an added feature — it’s a plug-in hybrid — which instantly makes it a bit better than the first, right? Maybe.
First impressions
The driver’s seat was easy to get comfortable in, and I love how smooth the Sorento PHEV is; I often think that the hybrid powertrain will take away from the power and smoothness, but it doesn’t.
From the outside, it’s rather small and it’s hard to tell if there’s a third row squished into there, but it is (I’ll get back to that in a bit). I don’t mind that it’s smaller than the average full rise, larger-than-life three-row SUV, because regardless of size, no amount of added height or width in large SUVs seem to provide much more cargo space than what this one’s got, which is 357 litres behind the third row, meaning it doesn’t fit much.
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
Interior
The 50/50 folding seats in the third row made it really simple for me to travel with all three kids — two in the second row and one in the back — which also meant I could quickly fold down one of the third-row seats to gain that extra and much-needed cargo space. The downside is that unless I want to frequently remove my third-row car seat, which I do not, then we’ll never have the full third-row folded to take advantage of the intended amount of cargo space.
For a midsize SUV, it’s got quite a bit of legroom in both the second and third rows, at least if you’re a kid who doesn’t need much room. The third row seat bottoms are also very low to the floor. I commented on this when testing the 2021 Sorento, because my seven-year-old was especially excited that her feet could touch the ground. Consider this, however: her legs aren’t very long; if her feet touch the ground while she’s sitting on a booster seat, anyone who is the slightest bit taller than her will have their knees up roughly around chest level.
Many car manufacturers have tried to make family-friendly vehicles, and have considered the needs of busy parents and crazy kids. However, while I appreciate Kia’s attempt to make things easier for me, the fold button on the side of the seats isn’t all that great. It flings the seatback forward for easy access to the third row, but as I experienced when my kid’s massive snow boot hit the button, it can also do so accidentally. No children or boots were harmed, but while I like simple and efficient, this low-placed button might just be a little too efficient.
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
Plug-in hybrid
If you’re looking to save money on gas, this is definitely an option, especially if you’re only doing short drives to schools or grocery store runs, or if you work close to home. If it’s recharged daily (or nightly) — to a maximum of 51 km of range — you could probably manage to go months without spending money on fuel. You’ll never have to worry about range anxiety (especially if you’re going through somewhere like cottage country ), because the awesome thing about PHEVs is that they work as a normal hybrid vehicle, too.
So, if you do happen to forget to recharge it for a couple nights — and don’t act like it won’t happen — the combined fuel economy rating for electric and gas combined is approximately 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres, which is still a lot lower than other SUVs. If you do end up using hybrid more than electric, Kia says the combined fuel economy in gas + HEV only mode is 6.9 L/100 km.
Other features
In this top SX trim, seen here in $250 Snow White Pearl, there are loads of safety features and driver’s aids. My favourite is still the blind spot monitor that flashes when you flick your signal on, but I also appreciate the rear occupant alert that many cars are starting to incorporate. We often use the child-safety rear door locks; it’s usually a little button on the passengers’ doors that prohibits the passenger from opening the door from the inside. This SX trim has a button on the diver’s door that allows the driver to lock the rear doors and windows, though this simple feature isn’t standard on all trims.
Also exclusive to this top trim is the optional head-up display, as well as the Bose premium sound system — awesome for listening to Disney songs in high quality.
2022 Kia Sorento PHEV Photo by Renita Naraine
Final thoughts
The Sorento PHEV starts just under $45,000, but the SX trim inches toward premium territory at $54,995. If you can live without the Bose audio, HUD, and ventilated front seats, I’d stick with the lower trim.
I’m still on the fence about this PHEV. As a driver, I love it and could totally see myself in this car. It boasts great fuel ratings, it drives smoothly, it’s fairly affordable in the lower trims, and it’s really comfortable. However, as a parent of three little kids, I still think three-row SUVs aren’t the best option for my family, at least not while I’ve still got so many car seats in use and need the trunk space to fit both a stroller and groceries, on any given day.
It’s a great family car (for smaller families), and I would recommend adding it to your shortlist. However, also keep in mind that you should make time to test drive not only the car, but the rest of the interior. Do your car seats fit? Will long legs fit into the third row? Also, ensure your phone fits into the small wireless charging area, my husband’s didn’t fit unless the case was off, but we aren’t unscrewing the OtterBox every time it needs to be charged in the car.
Unfortunately, in a market full of similarly priced plug-in hybrid SUVs, it’s not always easy to stand apart from the crowd. But you never know, you might be as pleasantly surprised as I was by this 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV.
Keyword: Millennial Mom's Review: 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV