Which Kia Sorento Is Best? The 3-Row SUV With a Plug or the One Without?
To plug in or not to plug in: our thoughts after driving a Sorento PHEV SX Prestige for several months.
There’s something satisfying about unplugging after a fresh charge and rolling silently out of the garage in our yearlong 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV test vehicle. Even more appealing is the ability to run errands around town using only electricity, combined with the convenience of a gasoline engine on longer trips. Of course, this flexibility results in a considerably higher sticker price compared to other Sorento variants, which include a conventional hybrid and a pure gas model. Here are five reasons why the Sorento PHEV could make sense for you.
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1.You have reliable access to a charger.
Driving a PHEV is a commitment—a commitment to charging. The Sorento PHEV only reveals its value if you plug it in regularly. If you don’t charge the Sorento PHEV, it’s mostly just a heavier, more expensive, less efficient, more polluting version of the traditional Sorento Hybrid.
You’ll need reliable access to a charger, whether at home, at work, or at a readily available public charging station. It takes about 3.5 hours to juice up the Sorento PHEV at a max rate of 3.3 kW with a Level 2 charger, which you can install in your garage, but this isn’t strictly necessary. I regularly charge with a standard household outlet, which takes me about 11 hours and 40 minutes. Kia’s helpful smartphone app displays the car’s charging status and issues a reminder when charging is almost complete.
2.You frequently take short trips and want to travel only on electricity.
Short commutes and quick errands are a joy in our 2023 Sorento PHEV. With 32 miles of electric range (30 miles on the refreshed 2025 model), you can make short trips around town without gasoline. Switching between EV and Hybrid mode will direct the SUV how to use its fuel, but unlike on some other PHEVs, this model has no option to prioritize the gas engine and conserve EV miles for later use.
It might not sound like much, but 32 miles is more than our yearlong review Mazda CX-90 PHEV and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, which can both travel 26 miles on electricity. Plug-in hybrids rely significantly on the gas engine for longer trips, of course. Despite its fuel versatility, the Sorento PHEV doesn’t travel as far as I would have hoped on a tank of gas. Although the EPA rates total gas and electric range at 460 miles, I have sometimes found myself going just 300 miles on a gas tank and charge. I’m filling up our Sorento PHEV’s 12.4-gallon fuel tank more often than I would like, but at least I’m not beholden to the whims of an unfamiliar public EV charger.
3.You want a comfortable ride and adequate acceleration.
After a week of driving a refreshed non-hybrid 2024 Sorento with flashy 20-inch wheels, I’ve gained a new appreciation for my trusty PHEV. I enjoy its more comfortable dynamics compared to that particular turbo Sorento X-Line test vehicle. Smooth and easygoing, the Sorento PHEV tackles bumps in the road with surprising poise given the weight of its battery, and it exhibits predictable steering. Its sharp brakes prove not all hybrids have mushy stoppers.
All the Sorentos we’ve tested in this generation have some type of powertrain refinement issues, from the Hybrid’s surgy feel to the turbo gas model’s clunky eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Other than some occasional hesitation pulling away from a stop, acceleration comes smoothly in the Sorento PHEV. With 261 hp on tap, there’s enough power for passing or merging on the highway. It doesn’t move as quickly off the line as the turbo Sorento we recently tested, which can reach 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Gliding to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, however, the PHEV is a full second quicker than the Sorento Hybrid. Although I enjoy the smooth acceleration in EV mode, I notice that the gas engine turns back on when I’m accelerating with any hint of enthusiasm.
4.You want a well-contented vehicle and only need six seats.
There’s no bare-bones version of the Sorento PHEV. For 2023, it is only available in the Sorento’s top trim level, the well-equipped SX Prestige with plush leather upholstery, heated rear seats, and a digital instrument cluster. Along with updated styling and improved screens, the refreshed 2025 Sorento PHEV gains a lower EX trim, but no matter how you slice it, the plug-in hybrid comes with captain’s chairs for the second row, limiting the cabin to six seats instead of the maximum seven seats available on gas Sorentos. With one fewer seat in the second row, however, the cabin feels spacious.
5.You’d rather pay more upfront for savings at the pump.
Expect to pay around $50,000 and beyond for a plug-in hybrid Sorento. Our 2023 model, available in one well-contented trim level, comes out to just over $52,000 with a couple of optional extras. For the refreshed 2025 model, Kia is offering two trim levels for the PHEV, the near $50,000 EX and the near-$55,000 SX Prestige. Don’t count on a federal EV tax credit when taking stock of a new Sorento PHEV, which is assembled in South Korea. (You might be able to get around this by leasing, which allows the automaker to accept the credit and potentially pass it on to you.)
The 2025 Sorento Hybrid is more than $9,000 and $6,000 cheaper than the PHEV in the EX and SX Prestige trim levels, respectively. Meanwhile, the newest non-hybrid Sorentos are priced in a range from around $33,000 to $49,000 depending on configuration.
Fuel costs are another consideration. If you charge at off-peak hours at night, it can be less than a cup of coffee in my area to charge. On-peak hours can drive up costs, though.
Is This the Best Sorento?
Maybe you have a very short commute? Or want to preview the EV lifestyle without committing to a fully electric vehicle? Depending on your habits, the Sorento PHEV could make sense. Solid driving dynamics bolster its use case, as does strong EV range compared to other larger plug-in hybrid SUVs. The availability of two trims somewhat broadens the 2025 Sorento PHEV’s appeal.
Most drivers who take longer trips will be better served by another Sorento variant, though. Although it’s not as quick as the PHEV, the conventional hybrid is less expensive and achieves good fuel economy, which could make it an optimal fit for many practical buyers. That’s not a knock against our test vehicle—I enjoy this niche Sorento for what it is.
For More on Our Long-Term 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV:
- Kia Sorento PHEV Interior: Tech Triumphs and Touchscreen Trials
- How Does the Safety Tech Perform on our 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV?
*EPA blended-PHEV (charge-depleting) mode testing, with vehicles set to their default drive and brake-regeneration modes.
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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