The Kia press service confirmed the characteristics of the versions for the European market. Buyers will be able to choose between a turbodiesel and two hybrids: a conventional HEV and a plug-in PHEV. The automaker confirmed: the technology of hybrids will not change, that is, the “plug-in” crossover will develop 265 horsepower (350 Nm), combined gasoline consumption will be 1.6 liters per 100 kilometers.
The rechargeable hybrid will have a 13.8-kilowatt-hour battery, and combined-cycle electricity consumption will be 16.1 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers. It is easy to calculate that the electric range is about 86 kilometers. A regular hybrid has a similar power plant based on a 1.6 turbo-four, but the battery is smaller (1.49 kilowatt-hours), so autonomy without activating the internal combustion engine is purely symbolic.
After restyling, the gasoline-electric Kia Sorento will still have a 6-speed automatic transmission with a built-in electric motor. Diesel crossovers will retain the combination of a 2.2 turbo engine (194 horsepower, 441 Nm) and an 8-speed preselective “robot”. In Europe, the updated Sorento with a heavy fuel engine will appear in January, and hybrids will arrive before the end of the first quarter. The lack of hybrid updates is likely due to the perception that PHEV technology is unpromising.
Prices have not yet been announced, but a regular “pre-reform” Kia Sorento costs in Germany from 50.9 thousand euros, for a HEV hybrid you will have to pay 62 thousand euros, for a rechargeable PHEV hybrid – 64.6 thousand euros. There will be no “off-road” version of the X-Pro in Europe.
Many photo facts about the fourth generation Kia Sorento
