The Kia Sorento is among the nonetheless few massive SUVs in Australia accessible with a hybrid choice – however spoiler alert, it’s nonetheless in very brief provide.
Notice: That is an up to date model of a evaluation first revealed in June, as there have been no main modifications to pricing for specification up to now six months since publication.
Now we have up to date key particulars reminiscent of pricing and specs with the hottest info accessible. Learn the unique model of this evaluation right here
WATCH: Paul’s video evaluation of the 2024 Kia Sorento GT-Line HEV AWD
That is the Kia Sorento GT-Line HEV AWD, which is the penultimate variant within the vary sitting below the much more electrified Sorento GT-Line PHEV AWD, which prices $11,000 extra.
Priced from slightly over $73,000 earlier than on-road prices, the up to date mannequin is a couple of thousand {dollars} dearer than earlier than – and provide remains to be pegged round 20 items monthly, sadly.
Nonetheless, the top-spec Sorento Hybrid is across the identical cash as a mid-tier Toyota Kluger Hybrid. The associated Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid has simply arrived with higher provide and a wider vary of variants, however a extra polarising design.
Key upgrades as a part of the mid-life refresh embody a contemporary exterior design, in addition to an up to date inside and an enhanced know-how suite. The hybrid drivetrain, in the meantime, is unchanged.
Must you be getting within the queue for one in every of these electrified Kias, or are you higher off taking a look at different choices?
How does the Kia Sorento evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Kia Sorento towards equally sized autos.
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Sorento
How a lot does the Kia Sorento price?
The mannequin 12 months 2025 (MY25) Kia Sorento didn’t see any additional value changes because the preliminary launch earlier within the 12 months, although every facelifted mannequin carries a circa-$3000 premium over the equal pre-update mannequin.
| Mannequin | Worth earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2025 Kia Sorento S V6 FWD | $50,680 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento S Diesel AWD | $53,680 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento Sport V6 FWD | $53,300 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento Sport Diesel AWD | $56,300 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento Sport+ V6 FWD | $58,230 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento Sport+ Diesel AWD | $61,230 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line V6 FWD | $65,590 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line Diesel AWD | $68,590 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line HEV FWD | $70,330 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line HEV AWD | $73,330 |
| 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV AWD | $84,660 |
As was the case pre-update, the Sorento Hybrid (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid are solely accessible in top-spec GT-Line guise as a result of restricted provide.
Kia Australia says it’s working with the manufacturing unit to extend allocation, however the automobile is sourced from the manufacturing unit that provides Europe, North America and the Korean home market.
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s the Kia Sorento like on the within?
In case you’ve sat in an up to date Sorento GT-Line, it’s just about the identical right here.
Save for power move graphics and a devoted hybrid menu within the infotainment system and cluster, it’s in any other case the identical as a Sorento GT-Line in V6 or diesel flavours.
Meaning you get a properly trimmed cabin with Nappa leather-based upholstery, lashings of gloss black, and brighter silver tones, and it’s all properly put collectively and has an upmarket feel and look to it.
Even the bottom Sorento S scores a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Kia Join, and better grades get embedded satellite tv for pc navigation with real-time site visitors updates. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are additionally customary throughout the board, as is DAB radio.
The GT-Line will get the upscale twin 12.3-inch array which successfully offers the Sorento the identical full digital cockpit because the bigger all-electric EV9.
There’s additionally a 10-inch head-up show with higher graphics, and might mission turn-by-turn navigation prompts from third-party mapping apps from smartphones. There’s a digital rear-view mirror on the flagship too.
Kia’s newest software program options right here, bringing wi-fi smartphone mirroring throughout the vary (yay!) and Kia Join for linked navigation, over the air software program updates, and distant capabilities together with cabin pre-conditioning, and extra.
Greater grades provide prolonged performance too, reminiscent of encompass digital camera snapshots on the GT-Line, and you’ll management the car’s home windows GT-Line fashions with auto up/down performance.
All of that is accessed by way of the Kia Join smartphone app. We’ve tried these options in different Kias, and so they’re useful when you get all of it arrange. The Bose 12-speaker premium audio system can also be good, with crisp audio and punchy bass.
Consolation and area up entrance are fairly good, with loads of nooks and crannies to retailer your telephones, wallets, and keys. There’s an enormous shelf below the centre stack in your cellphone, toothed cupholders, and several other bins and cubbies – although the door pockets will solely match smaller bottles.
The GT-Line presents a wi-fi cellphone quick charger. Price noting is among the cubbies aren’t felt or rubber lined so tougher gadgets can rattle round a bit.
One other new function of the Sorento is the contact bar that serves as a local weather management panel and digital arduous controls for the infotainment system. We’ve seen this on the EV6 and Sportage; not like some touch-based controls the Kia ones work very like typical switchgear.
As earlier than, the GT-Line will get a slew of luxurious options like heated and ventilated entrance seats, in addition to a heated steering wheel and handbook rear sunshades. A panoramic sunroof is once more reserved for the flagship, and it’s an awesome function in case your youngsters prefer to search for on the sky whereas within the automobile.
Not a lot has modified within the rear aside from some new seat designs and new USB-C ports on the seat backs in greater fashions, however there’s nonetheless loads of goodness within the second and third rows.
Adults simply match behind adults within the second row, even three abreast with out it being an excessive amount of of a squeeze. The third row is among the extra sensible for the phase, although it’s not so good as the Palisade or Carnival and the curtain airbags solely cowl that second window – and due to this fact technically don’t provide full three-row protection.
The Sorento can also be very kid-friendly, with 5 top-tether and 4 ISOFIX anchors which means you may refill the rear two rows with youngster capsules should you want the area. The second row has a one-touch entrance perform too to make getting out and in of the rearmost seats simpler.
The third row itself stays among the best at school, with sufficient room for average-sized adults for shorter journeys and greater than sufficient area for youths. Disappointingly, the Sorento doesn’t get a correct third zone of automated local weather management like quite a few rivals do.
Rounding out the rear facilities are a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, net-type map pockets behind the entrance seats, cupholders, and bottle holders within the doorways themselves, in addition to a 12V outlet behind the centre console. GT-Line fashions additionally function heated outer second-row seats.
No matter which Sorento you select, there’s a full-size alloy spare wheel below the boot ground as properly. Props to Kia for persevering with to supply this, which little doubt can be a key level of distinction to many consumers.
| Dimensions | Kia Sorento HEV |
|---|---|
| Size | 4815mm |
| Width | 1900mm |
| Top | 1700mm |
| Wheelbase | 2815mm |
| Boot capability | 179-1995 litres |
| Gross Automobile Mass (GVM) | 2580kg – FWD 2640kg – AWD |
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s below the bonnet?
As earlier than, it’s a 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid drivetrain beneath the pores and skin.
| Specs | Kia Sorento HEV |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.6L 4cyl turbo-petrol HEV |
| Energy | 169kW |
| Engine torque | 350Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed auto |
| Pushed wheels | FWD or AWD |
| Kerb weight | 1951kg – FWD 2014kg – AWD |
| Gas economic system – declare | 5.4L/100km – FWD 5.7L/100km – AWD |
| Gas economic system – noticed | 6.8L/100km |
| Gas tank measurement | 67 litres |
| Gas requirement | 91 RON |
| CO2 emissions | 122g/km – FWD 129g/km – AWD |
| Emissions customary | Euro 5 |
| Most tow capability | 1650kg – braked |
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the Kia Sorento drive?
The combustion-only Sorento vary is already good, and the HEV provides an electrified powertrain into that blend.
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Abroad mannequin proven
With a small turbocharged engine and an electrical motor constructed into the six-speed automated transmission, the Sorento HEV requires little studying curve to get accustomed to its driving traits.
The Sorento HEV will typically begin in silence, however on chilly begins the petrol engine fires up shortly after with the buzzy, muted tone this unit has in different Hyundai-Kia merchandise. It typically sends slight vibrations into the cabin, however it’s removed from harsh.
Being mated to a traditional auto and never a dual-clutch, in addition to having an electrical motor fill the void that will usually be turbo lag, the Sorento HEV really will get off the road fairly easily.
In comparison with one thing like a Kluger Hybrid, which makes use of an e-CVT, you would possibly must get used to the shifting between cogs, however in any other case it’s fairly typical. You’ll discover it doesn’t keep in EV mode a lot throughout acceleration except you’re actually feathering it or rolling at gradual speeds in stop-start site visitors.
The Sorento HEV is clearly pitched at those who hardly ever enterprise onto the open highway, with its hybrid system doing its greatest work on the town. The gearing sees the 1.6-litre engine spinning at about 2000rpm at 100km/h. By comparability, the V6 and diesel can be far much less harassed on the freeway due to their eight-speed ‘packing containers.
It’s additionally evident within the indicated gas consumption. Our week ended with an indicated readout of 6.8L/100km which is sweet for this measurement of car given we primarily drove to and from the workplace in peak hour with excessive site visitors, although it’s nonetheless a bit up on the model’s 5.7L/100km declare. Spend extra time on the freeway and also you’ll see sevens.
Technically the electrical motor acts as a launch gear and reverse, so you can take into account it a seven-speeder, however the ultimate drive seems a contact brief to essentially make this a correct all-rounder. In case you spend extra time on the freeway, the diesel even with out idle stop-start will do higher numbers than the costlier hybrid.
In any other case it’s all just about customary Sorento, as with the mid-life replace each the Sorento HEV and PHEV have been given the identical trip and dealing with tune as the broader vary, which wasn’t the case beforehand. As you’d anticipate, the Sorento HEV handles with accuracy and confidence, with a beautiful stability between consolation and engagement.
The up to date mannequin feels properly tied collectively to masks its measurement, and is slightly softer in its damping so as to add an additional layer of compliance over undulations and tougher hits.
The Sorento HEV barely has any added weight in comparison with the equal petrol or diesel. Whereas Kia Australia doesn’t quote 0-100km/h occasions, the UK division quotes 8.7 seconds for the Sorento Hybrid, with the PHEV decreasing that to eight.4 seconds. In keeping with British specs, the diesel is sort of half a second slower.
It doesn’t really feel as outright punchy because the V6, nor as effortlessly torquey because the diesel. It splits the 2 by way of efficiency and refinement, including the electrified low-speed drive as a bonus whereas additionally reaching diesel-like economic system for essentially the most half.
Insulation from highway and wind noise is sweet, and the brand new Santa Fe arguably pushes the sport ahead once more with its very clear concentrate on premium rivals by way of presentation and atmosphere.
The array of driver help techniques works properly, as we discovered within the core vary. Freeway Driving Help combines adaptive cruise and lane centring for a semi-autonomous freeway driving expertise, and works properly if for the odd confusion in freeway building zones or if a car all of the sudden cuts you off.
Blind Spot View Monitor bolsters the usual blind-spot and rear cross-traffic help options by displaying you a stay facet digital camera feed each time you point out, and the encompass digital camera with 3D view likewise will increase visibility.
If there’s one criticism, it’s the annoying beeps and bongs of the Velocity Restrict Help default to on and might be fairly annoying even when they’re quieter than earlier iterations. Finest so as to add the shortcut to the help menu to the star-labelled button on the steering wheel.
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The Sorento HEV is solely provided in flagship GT-Line trim, which means it comes totally loaded.
Sorento HEV GT-Line highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Full measurement spare wheel
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Blind Spot View Monitor
- Distant Sensible Parking Help
- Parking Collision Avoidance Help – Reverse
- Quilted Nappa leather-appointed seats
- Digital centre mirror
- Suede headliner
- Inside temper lighting
- 360-degree encompass view monitor
- Heated, ventilated entrance seats
- Heated second-row seats – outer
- Panoramic sunroof – powered
- Kia Join
- Over the Air (OTA) updates
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Is the Kia Sorento secure?
The brand new Sorento carries over the pre-update mannequin’s five-star ANCAP security ranking, based mostly on Euro NCAP exams.
| Class | Kia Sorento |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 82 per cent |
| Little one occupant safety | 85 per cent |
| Susceptible highway consumer safety | 63 per cent |
| Security help | 89 per cent |
Customary security options embody:
- 7 airbags incl. front-centre
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Automobile detection
- Pedestrian detection
- Bike owner detection
- Junction help
- Blind-spot help
- Driver consideration alert
- Freeway Driving Help (HDA)
- Adaptive cruise incl. cease/go
- Lane Following Help
- Navigation-based
- Lane Following Help
- Lane hold help
- Clever Velocity Restrict Help
- Parking sensors entrance, rear
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Reversing digital camera
- Secure Exit Warning
- Tyre stress monitoring
Kia Join options embody:
- eCall
- Distant lock
- Distant local weather management
- Automobile monitoring
- Automobile standing monitoring
- Voice assistant
- Vacation spot ship to car
- Actual-time site visitors updates
- Valet parking mode
It’s price noting the up to date Australian vary doesn’t decide up extra airbags like Korean fashions, which get rear-side inflators and a driver’s knee airbag – bringing the entire to 10.
Native fashions additionally seem to overlook out on the ‘reverse information lamp’ that’s much like the tail lamps provided by Genesis fashions.
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the Kia Sorento price to run?
The Kia Sorento lineup is roofed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee. Excessive-voltage battery and motor elements for electrified fashions are lined for seven years or 150,000 kilometres.
| Servicing and Guarantee | Kia Sorento HEV |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 7 years, limitless kilometres – car 7 years or 150,000 kilometres – HV battery |
| Roadside help | 7 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 10,000 kilometres |
| Capped-price servicing | As much as 7 years |
| Complete capped-price service price | $4545 – HEV FWD* $4581 – HEV AWD* |
Scheduled upkeep is required each 12 months or 10,000 kilometres – whichever comes first. Kia fashions with turbocharged petrol engines have shorter mileage intervals than naturally aspirated petrols and turbo-diesels.
It’s additionally price noting the associated Hyundai Santa Fe with an analogous hybrid system is much cheaper to service, a minimum of over a five-year interval.
*MY24 service pricing proven
To see how the Kia Sorento traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the Kia Sorento
The Sorento Hybrid stays a strong choice for households wanting to cut back their emissions, if you will get your fingers on one.
Whereas the Australian-market diesel continues with older Euro 5 emissions techniques, the HEV is definitely the cleanest technique to get round. In case you’re spending extra time on the town, it’ll outdo each the V6 and oiler for gas consumption.
It’ll take a while to make up the $4000-$5000 premium over the equal V6 and diesel, and the dearth of nationwide drive-away pricing implies that preliminary deficit might be wider from the get-go. However, should you’re not solely shopping for for the gas financial savings and simply common discount of influence and maybe future resale, it might be the higher wager.
There are some things going towards it, nevertheless. Excessive relative consumption on the freeway is one, which I think about will solely worsen with seven on board. As famous earlier, common freeway stints or plans to tow would make the cheaper and extra available diesel a greater choice.
Very brief provide is the opposite enormous gray cloud. You may be ready a really very long time for one. It isn’t be topic to FBT exemptions just like the PHEV is till April 1, 2025 – which should you’re leasing, may make the plug-in extra engaging.
Lastly, there’s the actual fact the brand new Santa Fe Hybrid does the identical issues however presents a wider vary of variants and higher provide (ranging from $15,000 much less), in addition to a extra energy (172kW v 169kW). It might have appears to be like that polarise, however it has a more moderen model of the identical mechanicals beneath.
That every one mentioned, the Sorento stacks up properly nonetheless towards the Toyota Kluger like-for-like, and can little doubt be a really succesful household chariot for these fortunate few that may get one of their driveway. Hopefully upcoming emissions rules in Australia open up extra provide Down Underneath.
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