2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV Review: A Shockingly Thrifty SUV

My week in the 2025 Kia Sorento GT-Line PHEV had one sacred mission: avoid petrol like a gay boy avoids cheap prosecco. I wasn’t here to spelunk into her inner sanctum or marvel at Kia’s “product enhancement” (a facelift, but with Botox vibes). No, darling — I wanted to see if I could run this big girl for a whole week without sending so much as a whiff of dinosaur juice through her veins.

I drove as normal. I shopped (but without financially self-harming), I did an airport run where her vast cargo hold devoured a suitcase so big it could hide a body — hypothetically, of course. I hit the late-night eateries in blissful silence, gliding past drunk revellers like an eco-friendly gay ghost. Sorento GT-Line PHEV isn’t a car you impulsively hoon; she’s a mum’s taxi, a weekend adventurer, and the family sherpa who dutifully carries everyone’s trauma and sports gear.

Yes, there’s AWD and several drive modes designed for “adventure”, but let’s be honest: like every oversized urban SUV, she’ll mostly be asked to conquer gravel driveways and school pickups. And that’s fine — she does it looking fabulous.

Why the challenge matters

Economy, sweetie. Pure, unadulterated thrift. Big SUVs cop more shade than a drag queen at Mardi Gras. My beloved Range Rover, the G Wagon, even the Patrol — they drink harder than a chorus boy during festival season. PHEVs arrived as the sensible middle child: not fully electric, but able to flirt with EV life just enough to win brownie points from the Karens of the world.

But let’s be blunt: PHEVs only make sense if you can actually plug them in.

Full HEV and PHEV specifications HERE:kia-sorento-hybrid-brochure

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review – 2025 Kia Sorento PHEV SLAYS Official Economy Figure

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ABOVE: kia Sorento 2025 – PHEV

Charging: the hard truth

Sorento PHEV only accepts AC charging. No DC fast-charging wizardry here. Kia claims 3.5 hours on a “3.3 kW EVSE,” which is adorable marketing speak for “not your home socket.” Plug it into a regular 3-pin, and you’re looking at 15 hours tethered like a Victorian lady fainting on a chaise lounge.

All that for a modest 50 km of EV-only range. At first, I thought our test was doomed.

It wasn’t

Once a PHEV eats through its battery, it becomes a regular hybrid — except unlike a normal hybrid, it’s carrying a battery the size of a small coffin. At 2117 kg, Sorento GT-Line PHEV is a hefty girl who knows exactly how to throw her weight around.

But by the end? I was a PHEV convert.

Long-term figures hovered around 6.3L/100 km, even after collecting the car bone dry on charge and fuel. I topped her with a begrudging $20 in 95RON (though she’s perfectly happy slurping E10, bless her). The trick is simple: use the cheapest fuel possible and charge daily. The petrol engine only pipes up when the battery is flat or you’re hoofing it.

After one final freeway stretch, the trip computer displayed a jaw-dropping 0.1L/100 km, and 0.4L/100 km total since adding that paltry $20. For daily 50 km commuting? You’ll barely wake the engine. With a slow home charger? Bob’s your uncle, Sandy’s your auntie.

Should you install a wall box? It’s faster. And honestly, if you’re already spending this much on an SUV, why not treat yourself?

Sorento GT-Line PHEV — yay or nay?

She’s halfway through her model life and still a looker. The third row remains suitable for tiny bendy adults or children you’re not particularly fond of. With four on board she’s spacious, five is cosy, seven is squishy — just like any proper family SUV.

Handsome, refined, practical, thrifty. A big SUV that drinks less than a drag queen on a detox week. What’s not to love?

However, the 0$-$100,000 price range there is a huge choice, many are cheaper, have better EV range, and most importantly, fast DC charging. LIST BELOW

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