New 2020 Kia Sorento hybrid: prices, specifications and on-sale date

Kia has announced full pricing and specifications for its plug-in hybrid Sorento SUV. Pre-orders are being taken now ahead of showroom arrivals in early 2021, with prices starting at £44,995.  

The Sorento Plug-in Hybrid is set to be both the most powerful and least polluting model in the Sorento range, producing 261bhp and 350Nm of torque from the combination of a 1.6-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine and 90bhp electric motor – the latter drawing power from a 13.8kWh battery.

A UK-specific figure for electric range has not been released yet, but European figures of 57km (35 miles) or up to 70km (43 miles) around town have been. A full rundown of official economy and CO2 emissions figures for the plug-in Sorento is also yet to be published, but Kia has confirmed an official 38g/km CO2 figure.

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Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid trim levels and specification

Kia's familiar numerical trim-level system applies, running from '2' thorough to '4'. Entry-level '2' models start at £44,995; for that you get plenty of standard equipment, including LED lights, 19-inch alloys, roof rails, cloth upholstery, dual-zone climate control and an 8.0-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assistance and trailer stability assistance, as well as adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality. 

The step to '3' trim (£48,895) adds some exterior styling changes and tinted windows, along with black leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, ambient lighting and an upgraded 10.25-inch infotainment system, plus wireless phone charging, among other upgrades. 

Top-spec '4' trim, priced from £53,095, adds Nappa leather, a 10-way adjustable memory-function drivers seat, a panoramic sunroof, seat ventilation, a head-up display and a 12-speaker Bose surround-sound system. The '4' also gets the full range of available active safety and driver assistance features, including a 360-degree parking camera and blind-spot collision detection.

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Kia Sorento Hybrid trim levels and specification

Kia released UK pricing and specification details for the non-plug-in Sorento Hybrid in August 2020. The car starts from £38,845 and can be offered in a choice of three trim levels: 2, 3 and 4. The Sorento Hybrid pairs the same 1.6-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine as the Plug-In Hybrid with a smaller 1.5kWh battery and less powerful 59bhp electric motor, producing a total of 227bhp and 350Nm of torque.

A six-speed automatic gearbox is standard on both versions of the car. All-wheel-drive versions of both cars also come with a 'Terrain Mode', making them more capable on muddy, snowy or sandy surfaces. It controls the standard electronic stability control (ESC), as well as the distribution of torque to all four wheels.

Sitting above the Stonic and Sportage in the Kia range, the Sorento is the largest SUV model the brand sells in the UK and this new version is based on a fresh mechanical platform. It's the fourth generation of the car since the original was launched in 2002 and the first to incorporate hybrid powertrains; the outgoing Sorento was diesel-only.

Kia's European, North American and Korean design studios collaborated on the car's styling, which the company says was inspired by the concept of "refined boldness". It's more sharp and sculpted-looking than the round-edged current Sorento. Up front, there's a new interpretation of Kia's trademark 'tiger nose' grille, while shorter front and rear overhangs combine with a longer wheelbase to make the car seem longer overall.

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The new Sorento is 10mm longer than the old one, measuring 4.8 metres from end to end. The wheelbase is also longer and the car is 10mm taller than its predecessor. A total of 10 different paint shades will be available, along with a choice of 17, 18, 19 or 20-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, Kia is promising "cutting-edge infotainment, supreme practicality and premium-grade materials" for the new Sorento, which like all of its predecessors will have three rows of seats to carry up to seven occupants. Twin digital displays will be the focus of the dashboard, while metallic trim, leather upholstery and embossed satin-effect surfaces will also feature.

A seven-seat layout is standard across the range. Entry-level 2 specification offers LED lights, 17-inch alloys, USB ports at all seats, dual-zone air-conditioning and digital instruments, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, as well as a reversing camera.

Upgrading to 3 (which costs £42,725 with the pure-hybrid engine) increases wheel size to 19 inches and infotainment screen size to 10.25 inches, as well as adding leather upholstery and ambient lighting. Hybrid is the only engine choice for the range-topping Sorento 4, which costs £46,945 and builds on the other trim levels with Nappa leather, ventilated front seats, a BOSE stereo and a head-up display.

Luggage capacity is 179 litres with seven seats in place and up to 821 litres in total, while Kia promises a boost in legroom for first and second-row occupants, along with extra headroom for those in the third row.