2021 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid variant uses 1.6-litre GDI engine and an electric motor to produce a combined power output of 264 PS and 350 Nm
The Plug-in hybrid version of the Sorento has to be its most powerful iteration yet and Kia plans to make a big deal out of it. Previously, Kia introduced the hybridised Sorento for the European market with the system capable of 230 PS maximum power and 350 Nm of peak torque, and the PHEV is the second of its kind. It derives power from the 1.6-litre turbo GDI petrol engine as the full hybrid.
It is capable of developing 180 PS and 265 Nm and it works in tandem with an electric motor generating 91 PS and 304 Nm. The combined system output is rated at 264 PS and 350 Nm, and is transferred to all the four wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox. The South Korean auto major claims that the transmission results in immediate acceleration response at any given speeds.
Moreover, it is said to deploy the full performance capacity of the engine and the electric motor at the same time. For better refinement, the electric motor gets laminated coating. The Li-ion battery pack of 13.8 kWh capacity is positioned underneath the floor. For higher efficiency and thermal management, it is water cooled – a first for Kia.
While the emission levels and fuel consumption are not officially revealed yet, Kia does not want to compromise on practicality with the position of the PHEV elements. With not much difference from the standard model, the Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid version gets 175 litres of bootspace when all the three rows are up (189 litres on the non-hybrid versions).
The hybrid, on the other hand, has 179 litres of trunk volume. The interior layout and features replicate the regular and hybrid models as the PHEV comes with a large 12.3-inch digital instrument panel with new graphics and dials, an updated 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with charging station locator, smartphone integration as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, UVO Connect, 12-speaker Bose audio, wireless charging facility and so on.
The 2021 Kia Sorento PHEV will go on sale in Europe in early 2021 and it has seven years/1.5 lakh km standard warranty. It features safety systems like Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with pedestrian, cyclists and vehicle detection, Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, Surround View Monitor, Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Rear Cross-traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, etc.