Following the arrival of the self-charging hybrid and diesel versions of the all-new Sorento earlier in the year, Kia Motors (UK) Limited is pleased to announce prices for the new Plug-in Hybrid variants of its flagship SUV. Available across the Sorento’s entire trio of trim levels, the grade ‘2’ kicks off at £44,995, while the flagship ‘4’ edition is priced at £53,095. Nestling in between is the generously specified ‘3’ variant, which has a price tag of £48,895. All three versions are available to pre-order now from Kia dealers, with the first examples set to reach showrooms early in the New Year.
The Plug-in Hybrid is the second electrified drivetrain in the Sorento line-up and sits alongside the low-emissions Sorento Hybrid. The latest addition to the range blends a powerful 1.6-litre T-GDi Turbocharged Direct injection petrol engine with a high capacity battery pack and high output electric motor, allowing the driver to complete an average daily commute to work purely on all-electric, zero emissions power. And the low CO2 emissions of the all-new Sorento Plug-in Hybrid makes it attractive for business users, thanks to its super low company car Benefit-in-Kind taxation rates.
While many plug-in hybrid vehicles result in compromise, the fourth generation Sorento was designed from the beginning to accommodate electrified powertrains and deliver spacious accommodation for up to seven occupants. The larger body and all-new platform ensure that the latest iteration of the Sorento is one of the most spacious, practical and versatile electrified models on the market today.
With the addition of the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid to the Kia line-up, the company now offers four different plug-in hybrid products, across a variety of different segments. Ceed Sportswagon, XCeed, Niro and now the Sorento seven-seat SUV all offer the capability of zero-emissions driving, with the flexibility of a combined plug-in hybrid and petrol powertrain.
The most powerful model in the range is also the lowest emitting
The combination of a high-power output electric motor, high capacity lithium-ion polymer battery pack and a punchy 1.6-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine results in the most powerful Sorento SUV ever. Power is sent to all four wheels via a newly designed six-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox allows the full power of the engine and electric motor to be harnessed and transferred in parallel, with a minimal loss in energy. The result is highly responsive acceleration, and the lowest CO2 emissions of any model in the Sorento line-up.
The launch of the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid introduces a range of innovations throughout the powertrain that all combine to ensure that it is the most advanced, efficient PHEV to-date from Kia. An independent battery pack water-cooling system makes its debut for the first time in a plug-in hybrid and is designed to ensure optimal heat management and efficiency for the high-voltage battery pack. A new two-stage lamination process for the rotor on the electric motor aims to reduce noise and vibration levels, while the engine itself features Kia’s latest ‘Smartstream’ innovations, including Continuously Variable Valve Duration technology, which regulates the duration that the intake valves open and close, depending on the driving conditions. This innovation allows the powerplant to operate on different combustion cycles, seamlessly optimising both engine performance and fuel efficiency.
The full-size, seven-seat SUV will deliver an equivalent all-electric range (EAER) of up to 57 kilometres (WLTP*) from a single charge of its 13.8 kWh battery pack. In urban environments it is capable of travelling up to 70 kilometres on a single charge (EAER city) before its turbocharged petrol engine starts up. Drivers are therefore able to complete many journeys, such as their daily commute, on zero-emissions electric power alone.
Its plug-in hybrid powertrain also promises the lowest CO2 emissions ever offered by the Kia Sorento. With emissions of just 38 g/km (WLTP, weighted combined**), the new model is one of the most efficient vehicles in its class***.
* WLTP: Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure
** ‘weighted combined’ emissions are a weighted average of the Sorento’s CO2 emissions in ‘charge-depleting’ (12.5 g/km) and ‘charge-sustaining’ (172 g/km) driving conditions regarding CO2 when you’d like to mention only about CD it is 12.5g/km. In the case you describe the number of CD+CS Co2, in total it is 38
*** The all-electric range and CO2 emission figures are based on the European specification model, full UK technical specification will be announced in due course.
Please click here to view the full press release.
SOURCE: Kia
