Looking for a family-sized hybrid SUV? In this 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid review, we discover if Kia can unseat Toyota as the hybrid leader.
- Impressive real-world fuel consumption
- Upmarket interior presentation
- Roomy and flexible interior
- Performance softer than other Sorento models
- Lack of third-row curtain airbags
- GT-Line spec makes it expensive, needs a cheaper entry point
Is the Kia Sorento Hybrid a good car?
The 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid has arrived, rounding out the Sorento range that already comprises diesel, V6 petrol, and plug-in hybrid options.
The new Kia Sorento Hybrid model is a closed-loop system, so no plug and no wall charging required. Instead, a small battery and electric motor work with a small petrol engine to provide the kind of performance you might expect with much smaller fuel bills.
The system charges itself, either by using the energy you’d otherwise waste decelerating or braking, or diverting excess engine power not used during cruising. That battery power runs an electric motor that can either run on its own for very short stints, or shares the load with the petrol engine.
Because moving from a standstill is the thirstiest work your car will do, taking some of that strain off helps keep fuel bills low.
Of course, the hybrid idea isn’t new. Toyota offers the most hybrid models in Australia with the Yaris, Yaris Cross, C-HR, RAV4, Corolla, Camry and, more recently, the Kluger seven-seat SUV.
As the most obvious direct rival, the Kluger sits in the same large SUV class, and has the same family all-rounder aspirations as the Kia Sorento Hybrid.
Pricing for the Sorento Hybrid range starts from $66,750 in two-wheel-drive form, or $69,750 (both before on-road costs) for the all-wheel-drive model you see here. You’ll pay less for the all-wheel-drive diesel ($65,070 plus on-road costs), but more for the plug-in hybrid ($80,330 plus on-road costs).
It’s worth noting that the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Sorento models come in flagship GT-Line trim only, meaning both come fully equipped – only missing out on 20-inch wheels of the non-hybrid models, with 19-inch wheels instead.
Apart from the wheels, there are no tell-tale signs to separate the hybrid from a regular Sorento. You get the same bluff and chiselled styling, LED head- and tail-lights, a massive panoramic sunroof, rear privacy glass, and exterior details in gloss black and satin silver.
| Key details | 2022 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD |
| Price (MSRP) | $69,750 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Snow White Pearl |
| Options | Pearlescent paint – $695 |
| Price as tested | $70,445 plus on-road costs |
| Rivals | Toyota Kluger | Hyundai Santa Fe | Mazda CX-9 |
What is the Kia Sorento Hybrid like inside?
The 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid shares its interior with other members of the range, so that means this blocky, centre stack, lots of metallic trim, and heaps of storage.
The seats are trimmed in quilted nappa leather, which is pretty plush, and the front seats come with heating and ventilation, plus 14-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat with two-position memory. The steering wheel is heated too.
Even with a big infotainment screen (more on that below), Kia retains physical buttons for the dual-zone climate control and other vehicle functions, with a neat and logical layout that makes it easy to use.
Up front there’s a lidded bin that houses three USB-A ports and a wireless charge pad. The centre console carries the rotary gear selector and cupholders, plus a lidded centre armrest.
There’s 64-colour ambient lighting and interesting design details throughout to lift the Sorento beyond the realms of mere family transport.
Into the second row and the first thing you’ll notice is how much space there is. The second-row seats offer fore-aft sliding adjustment, which means you can stretch out or slide forward a little to make more space for passengers in the third row.
Again, you get the same quilted nappa leather, the outboard rear seats are heated, and the windows have retractable sunblinds built in.
There are air vents in the back of the centre console and another three USB ports. One in the console, and one on the side of each front seat, making them easier to access.
The doors have cupholders built into them, there’s a fold-down armrest in the middle, and you can recline the backrest, making for a pretty comfy place to take a longer trip.
Access to the third row is a breeze. There’s a one-touch button and the middle-row seat slides and folds for access to the rear.
It’s not a badly proportioned space back there, but that said, it’s not as roomy as the first two rows. Passengers still get quilted seat trim, but no seat heating this time. Amenities include air vents with a separate booster fan control plus USB power.
These rear seats have ISOFIX child seat mounts, too, to go with the two in the second row.
Behind the Sorento’s powered tailgate there’s 179L of cargo space with all three rows in use. Fold the third-row seats to unlock 608L of boot space, or with the second row stowed up to 1996L.
In each case, the Sorento Hybrid’s boot is a touch bigger than the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid, but slightly smaller than the petrol or diesel versions. Certainly not enough to make a significant impact.
| 2022 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD | |
| Seats | Seven |
| Boot volume | 179L to third row 608L to second row 1996L to first row |
| Length | 4810mm |
| Width | 1900mm |
| Height | 1700mm |
| Wheelbase | 2815mm |
How big is the screen in the Kia Sorento Hybrid?
The driver faces a colour head-up display and a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, which changes depending on your drive mode.
This sits alongside a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen loaded with inbuilt satellite navigation, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – but smartphone connection requires plugging in. There’s no wireless CarPlay or Android Auto yet.
You get 12-speaker Bose audio and Kia has incorporated an in-car intercom, so you can broadcast messages to the back seat instead of having to yell.
Kia doesn’t yet include connected infotainment on the Sorento range (but has announced a new live infotainment platform is set to start rolling out), so you can’t remotely access your car via smartphone or send info from phone to car or vice versa.
Is the Kia Sorento a safe car?
The Kia Sorento range carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating as tested in 2020. This applies regardless of the engine type.
ANCAP gave an 82 per cent adult occupant rating, 85 per cent child occupant rating, 63 per cent vulnerable road user (pedestrians and cyclists) protection rating, and an 89 per cent score for safety systems.
All Sorento models come standard with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection intervention, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping and lane-centring assist, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, auto high-beam headlights, driver attention monitoring, safe exit assist, and rear occupant alert.
The GT-Line models step up further still with blind-spot cameras (displayed on the instrument cluster when you indicate), parking collision avoidance assist, and advanced rear occupant alert.
Seven airbags are standard, including a centre airbag between front occupants; however, the Sorento’s curtain airbags are only designed to cover the first and second rows. Five top tether and four ISOFIX child seat mounts are also standard.
| 2022 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2020) |
| Safety report | Link to ANCAP report |
How much does the Kia Sorento Hybrid cost?
With a list price of $69,750 before on-road costs for the Kia Sorento Hybrid with all-wheel drive, you’ll be paying a circa $4700 premium for the hybrid model compared to a Sorento GT-Line diesel.
Both are equipped with all-wheel drive, but the 2.2-litre turbo diesel provides 148kW and 440Nm compared to 169kW and 350Nm (combined petrol and electric) for the hybrid.
Outside of a Kia showroom, you might also consider the Toyota Kluger Hybrid. The Kluger Hybrid is all-wheel drive only, but the top-spec Kluger Grande Hybrid starts from $75,700, while the lower-spec GXL asks for $63,650, both before on-road costs.
That’s it for large SUV hybrids, though cars like the Hyundai Palisade (diesel) and Mazda CX-9 (turbo petrol) might also make your shopping list.
Like all other Kia models, the Sorento Hybrid comes with a seven-year warranty with no kilometre limit for private buyers. The hybrid battery and high-voltage components are covered for seven years or 150,000km.
| At a glance | 2022 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD |
| Warranty | Seven years / unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 10,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1467 (3 years), $2841 (5 years), $4393 (7 years) |
Capped-price servicing is available for seven years at 12-month or 10,000km intervals, but each service carries its own price tag. The cheapest is just $323, but at four years or 40,000km you’ll have to stump up $1010.
Official fuel consumption is rated at an impressive 5.8L/100km, but on test we saw 7.1L/100km after a week of running around town and a few highway stints. A little way off the claim, sure, but I reckon anything under 10L/100km for a car of this size is still mightily impressive.
The Sorento will also happily take 91-octane regular unleaded petrol, too, helping keep costs down at the pump.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Useage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 5.8L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.1L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane regular unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 65L |
What is the Kia Sorento Hybrid like to drive?
Looking at hybrid cars, there are usually a lot of numbers to decipher. In this case, the Sorento Hybrid claims 44kW and 264Nm from its electric engine, and 132kW and 265Nm from the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
That’s the same petrol engine as the Sorento PHEV, but the electric motor is a little less powerful. When combined, Kia rates maximum outputs at 169kW and 350Nm.
That’s not too far off the 184kW combined claim of a Toyota Kluger Hybrid, though Toyota doesn’t quote combined torque. It’s also down on the 200kW V6 Sorento, but beats that engine’s 332Nm.
If you’re staring blankly at a Kluger and Sorento brochure unsure what means what, Kia’s system is a little different to the hybrid tech you might be used to in a Toyota hybrid.
I won’t get bogged down in detail, but Toyota uses very frugal petrol engines in its hybrid cars, and gets a lot of legwork out of the electric assistance.
In this Sorento Hybrid, the car will always try to start on electric power, but it starts up the petrol engine early. It’s enough to take the load off, and the electric motor keeps assisting as you drive, even when speeds rise, but I think Toyota’s system manages to keep things electric a little longer.
Still, for trips around town, the Sorento doesn’t feel like it’s lacking urge – although if you’re a bit of a leadfoot, you’ll probably like the power of the V6 or the torque of the diesel more.
The Sorento isn’t shy if you sink the boot in, but it’s just not as urgent as its siblings.
It’s nice and refined, though. There are a few other differences compared to Toyota that are worth mentioning here too.
The Sorento uses a traditional six-speed auto, and the electric motor is transmission-mounted. Toyota uses a CVT auto, which works as a power-splitter between the petrol and electric power sources.
In this car you can feel the gear changes, but it’s still smooth and well behaved, just a bit more ‘traditional’ than the Toyota.
This also means the all-wheel-drive Sorento has a propeller shaft to take power from the transmission to the rear wheels. On a Kluger, the rear axle isn’t physically connected to the transmission, rather it’s powered by an electric motor of its own.
Does any of this really impact the driving experience? Not a bit.
There’s no real user input required. You just jump in, press the start button, select drive, and let the car work out what it needs to do.
I reckon the Sorento might have a slight advantage in being a little quieter when the petrol engine kicks in, but if you demand a burst of big power from either this or the Kluger, it comes with a dose of engine noise.
The ride is quite comfy. The hybrid Sorentos roll on slightly smaller 19-inch wheels compared to 20-inch wheels on the rest of the GT-Line range, so on rough surfaces it is just a touch quieter and more refined.
Kia tunes ride and handling for Australia specifically, and the changes made result in a settled ride on the open road. Given how rough some roads can get, there’s a good balance between control and comfort.
Where the Sorento is likely to spend most of its time, around town, progress is more than acceptable. Bumps and dips in the road surface are well managed, and the powertrain is competent and easy to work with.
Really, the Sorento Hybrid puts up no hard-to-live-with quirks.
The only quibble I had was that when moving at low speeds on electric-only motivation, the accelerator feels a pinch more twitchy than it does on petrol power. Not a deal-breaker, and easy enough to get the hang of once you understand how to adjust it.
While there are no specific hybrid system controls, the Sorento has three drive modes, Eco, Sport or Smart, which can monitor your driving style and adjust the steering, throttle response, and transmission shift points to suit.
It’s also possible to pick a terrain mode with snow, mud and sand settings. Don’t expect to head too far off-road, but if terrain turns soft or icy, these will help direct drive where it’s needed to maintain progress.
| Key details | 2022 Kia Sorento GT-Line Hybrid AWD |
| Engine | 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol hybrid |
| Power | 132kW @ 5500rpm petrol 44kW electric 169kW combined |
| Torque | 165Nm @ 1500–4500rpm petrol 164Nm electric 350Nm combined |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed torque converter automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 87kW/t |
| Weight | 1948kg |
| Tow rating | 1650kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 11.6m |
Should I buy a Kia Sorento Hybrid?
Without impacting on the usefully roomy interior, or detracting from the Sorento’s striking design, the new 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid adds in a new and appealing layer of efficiency.
Busy families are sure to love the no-fuss, get-in-and-go ease of use, and premium features available as part of the top-spec GT-Line package.
If ever there were a sign of the times stemming from Toyota’s success with petrol-electric hybrid powertrains, this is it. Expect to see a growing field of family-sized hybrid SUVs joining the market soon.
Right now, though, Kia might just pose the first serious threat to the Kluger’s unchallenged hybrid dominance in the seven-seat SUV field.
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