The 2023 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (2023 Kia Sorento PHEV) has arrived in the U.S., and it’s a carry-over model. The plug-in hybrid midsize SUV competes with the 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV and the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Here are seven things you need to know about Kia’s new electrified SUV:
Trim revision
The old Sorento PHEV was available in SX and SX Prestige trims. As part of the MY2023 revisions, Kia has curtailed the line-up to one fully-loaded trim – SX Prestige.
New features
The 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV includes two new features. The first new feature is a 115-volt inverter that allows offloading energy stored in the battery pack to power laptop and other household electronics. The other new feature is an IRVM with the HomeLink wireless control system that allows electronically operating garage doors, gates, home lighting, and other functions. This basic feature was a glaring omission in the old model.
Kia announced the Sorento PHEV globally in five- and seven-seat layouts. However, it isn’t offering the seven-seater in the U.S., and that has remained unchanged with the MY2023 update. Three-row seating with second-row captain’s chairs (six-seat design) is standard. This is America’s only three-row plug-in hybrid midsize SUV currently, but the 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will also offer seven-seat comfort from November 2022. Kia is also developing a three-row zero-emissions SUV – the Kia EV9, which it plans to launch in the U.S. in the second half of 2023.
Made in South Korea
The gasoline-powered Sorento rolls out of the West Point Kia plant (Georgia) in the U.S., but the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid’s manufacturing is only at the Hwasung Kia plant in South Korea. The model year update for 2023 has remained unchanged in that regard.
261 horsepower powertrain
There are no changes under the hood. Positioned above the 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid, the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV combines a 1.6-liter T-GDi turbo-four mill with a 66.9 kW (90 hp) electric motor, and the resulting combined power output is 261 hp. Like in the current model, Kia mounts the electric motor between the engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV has an AWD system with a center locking differential and selectable drive modes, including a Snow mode, as standard.
Better EV range than sister car Santa Fe
The electric motor of the Kia Sorento PHEV draws power from a 13.8 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. It’s a saddle-shaped, water-cooled unit located between the cabin floor and the underfloor, over the top of the propshaft. A 3.3 kW onboard charger situated beneath the cargo floor allows charging it with a plug. The charging port is on the rear three-quarters, opposite the fuel tank lid on the other side.
The 2023 Sorento PHEV can travel up to 32 miles (EPA est.) in EV mode. With the gasoline tank full and the battery pack fully charged, the total range (EPA est.) is 460 miles. The combined fuel economy rating (EPA est.) is 79 MPGe. All of these are likely to be better than its sister model from Hyundai, the Santa Fe. We expect the Kia SUV to continue holding the edge over the Santa Fe in the 2023 model year.
2023 Kia Sorento PHEV EPA-est. ratings and expected 2023 Santa Fe PHEV EPA-est. ratings
| Aspect | 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV Specification | Expected 2023 Santa Fe PHEV Specification |
| Combined Fuel Economy (Elec + Gas) | 79 MPGe | 76 MPGe |
| Combined Fuel Economy (Gas) | 34 MPG | 33 MPG |
| Pure Electric Range | 32 miles | 31 miles |
| Total Range | 460 miles | 440 miles |
New pricing
The Kia Sorento PHEV has become costlier with the MY2023 update, and there’s more to it than the discontinuation of the SX trim, in which it used to cost USD 45,190. The price of the SX Prestige trim has gone up from USD 48,090 to USD 49,890. The destination charge has remained the same – USD 1,295.
Just a month before the MY2023 update, on August 16, 2022, the Sorento PHEV became ineligible for the USD 7,500 federal tax credits when the Clean Vehicle Credit scheme replaced the Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit program. The discontinuation of the SX trim and the USD 1,800 price hike for the SX Prestige trim with the MY2023 update have further affected the value and appeal of the plug-in hybrid SUV.
2023 Kia Sorento PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid) FAQs
What is the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV electric range?
The 2023 Sorento PHEV’s pure electric range (EPA est.) is 32 miles.
Which are the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV rivals?
The plug-in hybrid midsize SUV competes with the Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
What is the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV price?
The 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV costs USD 49,890 (excl. USD 1,295 destination charge).
Featured Image Source: Kia
With a Master’s Degree in Business Management & Administration, I’ve been working as an International Automotive News Editor since 2014, and have gained a wealth of knowledge and insight into hybrid and electric vehicles.
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