The midsize SUV market may offer more great choices for buyers than any other. You can get performance. You can get style. But you can also get fuel economy and space.
The 2025 Kia Sorento SX-Prestige PHEV AWD is one of the best midsize in a very crowded segment.
In fact, you can get all of those things in one vehicle: the Kia Sorento. It offers third-row seating and three powertrain options: gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid. I drove the SX-Prestige plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive for a week and now have a real dilemma: Which version do I like best now that I’ve driven all three?
The Sorento plug-in hybrid is impressive. The exterior styling is attractive, especially for something with such a basic shape — you know … boxy. Our tester came in snow white pearl with a black interior. I can tell you, there are better options.
Good trip
And speaking of options, the powertrain of choice for this vehicle is a 1.6-liter turbo with the plug-in hybrid generating 261 horsepower. It’s responsive while offering fantastic fuel economy 33 miles per gallon combined or 74 mpg-e. You get about 30 miles of range in EV mode. Despite me pushing it around with my heavy-footed style, it did get 30 miles on pure battery alone.
Its road manners are good, and it goes where you point it. There’s not a lot of feel through the steering wheel, but that’s not a massive issue for me in a vehicle like this.
Good space
Move inside, and there’s where the Sorento shines. With a curved display, everything is easy to read and within quick reach of the driver. The 12.3-inch panoramic display makes using the wireless Apple CarPlay a snap. The wireless phone charger in the center console does a fine job of consistently charging.
Also enjoyable is the Bose Premium Audio System that provides clear, rich sound. Additionally, it’s loaded with advanced driver assistance technology available, including Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2. It’s not Ford’s BlueCruise or GM’s Super Cruise, but it’s not designed to be, and I felt very comfortable with it.
Additionally, Kia’s blind-spot view monitors may be the most helpful safety tech you’ll never hear about. When you use the turn signal, a small screen shows up in the driver’s gauge window showing you a live feed of the blind spot on your left or right, depending upon which way you’re indicating. This is so unbelievably helpful when merging or changing lanes. It inspires confidence and comfort, especially at night.
Plus there’s plenty of space for as many as seven … as long as two of them are small for the third row. The seating is comfortable and supportive, which is great on longer trips. The cargo space is amazing, especially with the third row folded flat.
Good choice
It’s an impressive vehicle, but all of that goodness comes with a price tag, which in this case is just a shade over $55,000 — but you get just about everything you could imagine.
Is it worth it? If you want a plug-in hybrid with space for basically six people, yeah, it’s a good price. Regardless, it’s a job well done by Kia.
0 Comments