There is one command, among the many that dot the dashboard and center console of the new Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid, which was not foreseen and which - instead - summarizes one of the great advantages of this new model: anxiety on / off . Provocations aside, this top-of-the-range SUV, put to the test under normal conditions and on traditional work week and weekend itineraries, perfectly solves the number one problem of electrified models: that of battery autonomy. Despite the dimensions that are important (4.81m in length and 1.9 in width) and a weight of 1.982 kg, Kia Sorento can in fact count on an improved 'hybrid turbo' system that is more than appreciable in performance but even surprising in consumption and in emissions. Under the hood of the new generation of Sorento there isis a 1.6-liter T-GDi petrol engine powered by direct injection and turbocharging that delivers 180 hp and 265 Nm of torque, and which is complemented by the 66.9 kW (91 hp) and 304 Nm electric unit.
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Kia Sorento plugin hybrid
When the battery is charged, and the driver is looking for maximum performance, the two engines work together and the power can rise to 265 HP with a total of 350 Nm of torque, enough to give this large SUV the dynamism of a sports car.
The sprint from 0 to 100 km / h is achieved in 8.7 seconds and the maximum speed without limits is 193 km / h.
But where the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid offers its best is when it adopts a 'green' behavior and takes full advantage of the opportunities offered by the electric section.
You use the selector that provides the three positions Eco, Sport and Smart and you access the 'world' of electricity consisting of the aforementioned 66.9 kW motor and a 13.8 kWh lithium polymer battery. When traveling with the 'full' of electricity (which is done at the 3.6 kW home wall box in 4 hours) you can move with the heat engine off for 57 km (WLTP approval) but adopting a style of guide suitable for recharging the accumulator on the go, the benefit on compressive consumption is really important.
In normal use, the 'record' values of the homologation are not reached - that is 1,583 liters of petrol per 100 km - but you do not need to be a specialist to see values of the order of 4-5 liters per 100 km appear on the on-board computer, which means that the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid is able to travel, naturally making the most of the battery through regenerative braking, from 25 to 20 km with a liter, a really interesting result in everyday use. And let's not forget that WLTP approved CO2 emissions amounted to 38.37 g / km, giving access to many advantages in terms of current, past and future incentives.
If you think about the average mileage of the day of an average user, it is therefore evident that with a Phev like the new Sorento it is possible to travel in 100% electric mode for most of the day (and even more if you have the possibility of a recharge. add-on, for example in a shopping mall or office) and then tackle longer journeys - weekends or holidays - without the autonomy anxiety, unfortunately still linked to the use of Bev models.
Sorento Plug-in Hybrid is offered in a single 'top' configuration (seven seats, four-wheel drive and 6-speed automatic transmission) starting from 53 thousand euros, and with the flagship represented by the Kia warranty of 7 years and 150 thousand km of travel. Three finishing levels: Business, Style and Evolution. The latter, offered at 61 thousand euros, represents the maximum in terms of equipment: the panoramic glass roof, ventilation for the front seats, the Premium Sound System BOSE, the rear suspension are standard, in addition to the Sorento Style. with automatic leveling and above all the Around View Monitor with an ADAS equipment that is completed by Parking Collision Avoidance Assist (PCA), Blind Spot View Monitor and Head-up Display.
The help provided by the many video control systems in driving and parking maneuvers should be positively signaled in this SUV with its 'important' dimensions. Two cameras inserted in the external mirrors - for example - transmit images of traffic and the edges of the road on their respective sides to the display that acts as the main dashboard (right in correspondence with the two quadrants), a function that is activated automatically when the indicator is inserted left or right direction. No problem to move with Sorento Plug-in Hybrid on all types of terrain and surfaces: unlike some rival suvs, the four-wheel drive system does not use a second rear electric motor to transmit the motion to the wheels, but uses the traditional drive shaft. transmission. This,together with the presence of a six-speed automatic gearbox, also conventional, makes behavior and reaction close to the habits of most drivers and contributes to making the use of this modern SUV 'relaxing'.
