There’s something deliciously subversive about plugging your SUV into someone else’s power point. With permission, of course. For one glorious week, I borrowed a socket from the next parking space to feed the new 2025 Kia Sorento PHEV GT-Line — and it turned into the quietest, most economical flirtation I’ve had with a seven-seater.
The Sorento’s facelift has done wonders. Gone is the slightly awkward nose; in its place, a slick, confident face that borrows the lighting cues of Kia’s electric stablemates. The “Tiger Nose” grille has evolved into more of a smirk — less rugby prop, more runway model sans Spanks
Inside, Kia’s interior team have thrown in everything but the champagne cooler. While some of the plastic still screams bargain basement, twin 12.3-inch screens now sit under a single pane of glass, joined by a head-up display, ventilated front seats, a premium sound system that could rattle the next suburb, and trim materials that feel genuinely expensive. The Sorento now gets over-the-air updates, Kia Connect, and a digital key. The creeping subscription model is a real worry industry-wide (remember BMW’s subscription wireless CarPlay controversy and Mercedes charging for four-wheel steering?), but Kia keeps things sane here: both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto come with the car — no extra subscription required. A rare moment of common sense. Features can be turned on and off remotely, at will. It also means remote stop if your car is nicked, depending on the brand. It is something Tesla has had for years.
Charging and Range
The Sorento’s 14 kWh battery makes it a proper plug-in hybrid rather than a token green gesture, but it’s still AC-only charging. Kia says full on a 3.3 kW wallbox is around 3.5 hours; on a normal household socket with the supplied lead you’re looking at around 13.5 hours — fine if you can borrow a neighbour’s outlet for the night, as I did.
Despite a promoted range of 68 km NEDC (57 km WLTP) with a full charge, I averaged around 50 km of electric driving with gentle use — enough for school runs, errands and many suburban commutes. Over the week we recorded a scandalous 0.1 L/100 km on a 35 km run and 0.6 L/100 km across several days. Even over 4,000 km, once the battery was spent, the Sorento still returned 6.1 L/100 km. For a 2.1-tonne, seven-seat family hauler, that’s witchcraft.
Specifications sheet HERE:kia-sorento-hybrid-brochure
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ABOVE: 2025 Kia Sorento PHEV (plus pre-facelift model for reference)
On the Road
Boot it off the line and the Sorento is eerily quiet. The electric motor manages city pootles with grace and, when the petrol engine joins, the handover is near invisible. The six-speed automatic keeps revs calm and the transitions refined. In ECO the Sorento is a serene commuter; switch to Sport and it shows surprising gusto for its size. We left ECO mode firmly switched on for our test, as this was an ECO test not a bogan’s run. When treated gently Sorento PHEV stays in EV mode until the battery runs out, the engine only cutting in ifpressed.
Handling is safe and composed — corner hard and the mass will tell you it’s no sports car, but stability and ride comfort are excellent for daily family duties.
Practicality and Comfort
Seven seats remain a selling point: the third row is useable for kids or short runs, while the second row spoils passengers with space and climate comforts. Fold the seats and storage is cavernous. It’s roomy, refined and thoroughly practical — a genuine family car with a premium veneer.
NOTE: The 3rd row has very limited leg and head room. When in use, the 2nd row cannot recline their seatbacks and the seats are as far forward as they’ll go, ruiantion for all 5 rear seaters.
Pricing and Value
Now the money. Kia’s Sorento range splits into ICE, HEV and PHEV choices:
- ICE (petrol/diesel): $51,380 → $69,290
- HEV (hybrid): $56,380 → $74,290
- PHEV (plug-in hybrid): $70,880 → $86,790 (≈ $92,429 drive-away for our GT-Line test car)
That PHEV premium — roughly $17,000 over the ICE GT-Line — isn’t trivial. If you never plug it in you’re carting around a heavy battery that does nothing for you. But if you can reliably charge nightly (borrowed socket or not), the fuel savings are exceptional but will never cover the 17k over the ICE version.
The 2WD/AWD variations depend on model but GTline PHEV comes in AWD-only.
Tech, Quirks & Subscriptions
Infotainment is slick and responsive. Crucially: Kia supplies both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto as standard, no subscription required. That’s a relief after seeing other brands weaponise features behind paywalls — remember BMW’s subscription approach to wireless CarPlay, and Mercedes’ cheeky four-wheel-steer fee. Kia’s decision to include wireless CarPlay out of the box keeps this one feeling like a car again, not a phone plan.
Kia Connect handles remote charge status, climate pre-conditioning and over-the-air updates, which are genuinely useful. The subscription conversation is still worth watching, though — the industry is leaning into recurring revenue and it can sting buyers later.
The Catch
Slow AC-only charging remains the Sorento’s Achilles’ heel, and at around $92K drive-away the GT-Line PHEV sits in a crowded ring: Tesla, BYD and Chinese EVs are offering faster charging or stronger value. The PHEV’s battery becomes dead weight when ignored, but for the buyer who charges nightly, the Sorento delivers genuine EV-like running costs without range anxiety.
And yes — even in ECO, a spirited right foot will drain the battery fast. Treat it kindly, and it’ll reward you.
Verdict
The 2025 Kia Sorento PHEV GT-Line is Kia’s most accomplished Sorento yet: elegant, comfortable and astonishingly efficient when used as intended. It asks for commitment — nightly charging — but gives you electric serenity and petrol peace of mind in return. You can buy a tesla Model Y, IM6 and any number of other full EVs much cheaper, and they won’t have the ICE service costs.
If you’ve got access to power (borrowed or owned), it’s a brilliant family SUV; if not, that premium feels harder to justify. Ask nicely before you borrow the socket. And maybe bring biscuits.
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