2021 Kia Sorento EX Hybrid Reviewed - 39 MPG and 227HP?!

[@sumeetghosh4422]

I have one KIA Hybrid and I get around 32 MPG mixed in city and highway and I just cannot finish listing its features in one single comment .. The most notable one which I like is the automated steering control to maintain lane .. just keep your hands on the steering wheel and it’s does micro adjustments to the steering to keep you in the lane .. just amazing … I have the S Model AWD pearl White with Ash interior .. stunningly beautiful car… I don’t know about your comment of the front dash display … I feel it looks the coolest .. if your bathtub really looks like that then I must say I envy your bathtub….you missed to mention another great thing … you should have tried it’s inbuilt navigation … so if you forget your phone at home no problemo …. It has its own navigation and its coolest and the zoomed turn area is awesome and gives drivers a clear idea of the curvature , side alert … great while backing out your cars from Walmart parking … and remote start and all

[@santiagohjsa]

I really like this design of the Sorento! KIA is stepping up its game quite a lot!

[@brandon6541]

Ikr

[@Bfq1990]

Love mine, just went for a scenic drive this past weekend and got 41.4 MPG without babying it hardly at all.

[@toystorybro]

Can’t wait to see the X line review and it’s AWD performance on the snow.

[@500sixtyfour]

At 2:24 you see the value proposition when the entire face plate of the buttons housing the seat folding feature depresses when only one button is p[ressed.

[@madsnooks]

We bought the Xline prestige AWD and it handled the snowstorm we just got in seattle just fine! Can’t wait for your review of how the AWD drives in the snow!

[@stephenhendricks6790]

I'm not surprised. I live in the Puget Sound area as well and my 2018 Sorento with its center locking differential handles inclement weather such as we recently experienced and ski trips to the Cascades remarkably well (even with all season tires.)

[@rightlanehog3151]

The more Hybrids doing the shopping, commuting and shuttling of kids to band practice the better. I would personally choose a tried and true Toyota Hybrid over a work-in-progress Kia but the more fuel efficient options the merrier. This certainly beats the gas-guzzling Telluride and Palisade.

[@ThisGuyRides]

I think they're past the work-in-progress stage after 10 years, and this seems to be getting better MPG than the Highlander hybrid.

[@atmartens]

How? The Kia cost less and gets better MPG.

[@amarie_07]

This is the one I have. Same color too. I love it!

[@callumstandish4782]

I like the tire aspect, there some meat on them rims

[@fernandovargas7562]

Fantastic SUV hybrid for whole US, Boston, Miami, Colombia.... great hybrid machine.... cool video

[@ThisGuyRides]

If this had 5 seats and AWD it would be at the top of my list. Am looking into compact CUV hybrid for my next vehicle, and Escape hybrid is at the top at the moment.

[@johnmartin7158]

@@keeponkeepinon76 Agree wholeheartedly. I am waiting. Auckland. NZ

[@amarie_07]

The S model is coming soon with hybrid awd unfortunately all of the new sorentos have 3 rows but I think with the s model the last row will be a bench so you can put it down and still seat 5 comfortably.

[@johnmartin7158]

Hi ! I also like the RAV4 Prime. I would prefer a 5 seats and AWD PHEV Kia Sorento as well. Not a 7 seater.

[@johnmartin7158]

@@amarie_07 Hi Amarie ! Nice vehicle is the Sorento. A bit long though and is a 7 seater. Prefer a 5. But yes, you can put the back row down. 2022 Mitsibushi Outlander premieres on Amazon live today. Will be interesting if it matches the horse power of the RAV4 Prime. NZ

[@stephenhendricks6790]

Have to say that I find claiming not to WANT a third row of seats to be a puzzling point of view. Our family of four (2 adults, a teenager, and a big dog) use the 3rd row of our Sorento less than 5-10% of the time. Otherwise it remains stowed under the cargo floor. But on occasions when we need to transport six or seven passengers on a local trip and the alternative is using two vehicles, that third row is a huge convenience. I can understand not "needing" a third row. Most of the time we don't. But when it's not in use our Sorento is a five passenger vehicle. Of course, the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe is a two row vehicle seating five. But perhaps surprisingly the 2021 Sorento though only a half in longer than the Santa Fe has slightly more overall cargo space behind the first and second rows (38.4/75.5 vs 36.4/72.1 cubic ft.), a result that probably comes about from the fact that the KIA is built on a new corporate platform with a longer wheelbase (110.8" vs 108.9"). When the 2022 Hyundai moves to the same platform that difference will probably disappear just as was the case prior to 2021.

[@erlingskancke2866]

Looking forward to the X-line review!

[@MechayaAlta]

The Santa Fe hybrid awd is the one I’m looking forward to your review

[@Bluegreenred]

Very nice review. 👍👍

[@whitefang8329]

I have KIA Niro and it is a nice car but This car will be a great upgrade.

[@davidrobbins1936]

Any update on getting a look at the PHEV Sorento? I am eagerly awaiting :D Cheers

[@longNguyen-qr1uv]

Windshield auto turn on when it’s rainning ?

[@ArtStamos]

Yes you will not have problems in the rain with this 1.6 turbo, all you need is properly inflated tires and brocken in rubber, (korean tires are not the best) you will also be just fine in snow.

[@Tonga2]

Dash looks high? I’m thinking forward visibility? Comparing to a Subaru Forester/Outback?

[@stephenhendricks6790]

A couple of minor points... () The absence of driver seat memory, 4 way lumbar support (replaced by 2 way), and an extending thigh cushion that were available in the previous generation and still available in non-US spec Sorentos is a major cost cutting error. Our 2018 Sorento has three drivers (myself, my wife and our teenage daughter) ranging in height from 5'2" to 5'10. The two person memory settings aren't ideal but my wife and daughter require only minor adjustments to share one setting while I need major adjustments in legroom and height of the seat when I drive the vehicle. Eliminating the memory settings in a "family" SUV with a price tag of $40K or more is unacceptable. (The fact that the closely related Hyundai Santa Fe retains driver seat memory adds insult to injury.) My local dealer agrees and has already complained to KIA. I suspect the error will be corrected by next year if not sooner. () The paddle shifters on the hybrid model are rather silly but they're necessitated by the dial controlled transmission. Otherwise, there would be no way to select and manually change a particular gear. The non-hybrid Sorento has a traditional transmission lever that enables selection of a particular gear and thus has no need for paddles. () Be sure to keep a lid on drinks located in the rear doors. Slamming the door can lead to disaster.

[@dearbulls]

Have to thumb up for filming in the rain. Dude, maybe you can consider finding a parking building to film out of the weather next time. Stay warm.

[@longNguyen-qr1uv]

I have a question the twist/rotation gearshift come with kia sorento hybrid us version ? Are you living in us ?

[@drivingsports]

Yes, this is a US model.

[@longNguyen-qr1uv]

@@drivingsports OK, Thanks for your reply

[@rottieshepcalibre9156]

send some rain over here.. i love driving in the rain

[@bmx7596]

I'm going to say it. The focus on 0-60....in the rain was a bit much. Even if you somehow stayed off the throttle enough to not spin the wheels, you're still losing time so what's the point? It's not accurate either way.

[@hippiebits2071]

The point probably is ppl do drive in the rain so why not see what it does in the rain.

[@PaulHo]

I ONLY like reviews in the rain.

[@scott8919]

It seems every Kia the last couple of years that's FWD has a hard time putting the power down effectively.

[@blueryxfalls7949]

Only on their turbos

[@freerider604]

I’m a kia fan boy - but it makes me wonder why they make a midsized SUV with only FWD - I get it - they are trying to win the MPG game - but it’s an SUV!

[@stephenhendricks6790]

The forthcoming PHEV version of the Sorento will be available with AWD when it's introduced this summer. Playing the "MPG game" may have something to do with the decision to avoid AWD in the hybrid version but I suspect it may have more to do with meeting a price point objective for the vehicle.

[@jib2355]

Im 6'5 will I have leg room in the driver seat and will the passenger have room if I put my seat back

[@Ktheodoss]

In regards to trying to emulate city driving or morning commute driving, I find that the mileage takes a hit, not so much from driving at low speeds like 30mph, but by the constant stopping and going. I can get decent mileage at a constant 30mph. But the energy required to get two tons moving again from a stop takes a serious toll on my mileage.

[@drivingsports]

Hybrids are exactly the opposite since electric motors excel at stop and go.

[@Ktheodoss]

@@drivingsports Good to know.

[@eganfo]

Folded up in the third row? You looked like you were doing a cannonball off the diving board. I’m guessing you had this car during that very wet first week of January.

[@jag5695]

Are you going to do a offroad test as well for this?

[@darynt73]

Love your videos!! We just purchased a 2021 Sorento S. Any chance you'll do an off road test on the S line?

[@Mikefoxx55]

Forgot to mention that wireless car play & android auto is only available on the 8 inch touchscreen.. if you get the 10.25 no wireless car play

[@drivingsports]

Thanks for pointing it out. I actually didn’t know that.

[@jpmackin]

This is the same price of a prius prime…impressive!

[@ornative7514]

How does it compare to aSubaru OB? Other than seating capacity?

[@ornative7514]

In other words do you like the Sorrento better than the Subaru?

[@drivingsports]

I prefer the Subaru. But we haven’t yet filmed the X-Line with a standard petrol engine.

[@DanTheMan-hv8fw]

@@drivingsports Hi. I'm really interested in the new Sorrento Xline and look forward to your video review if/when it happens. Allot of current reviews have noted some issues with the wet DCT, both on road and off-road. Please let us know if you have any issues.

[@syedabrar7985]

Which state??

[@peterward1698]

This is interesting because in Canada all the new Sorentos are AWD including the hybrid and plugin hybrid. probably nobody would buy one otherwise. No 2wd option here. Probably gives a cheaper option for warmer U.S states that don't really have a requirement for AWD.

[@stephenhendricks6790]

According to "The Car Guide" website the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sorento won't be available in Canada until the end of this year. As you note all Canadian spec Sorentos are AWD and that's why the hybrids aren't available in Canada. For the record AWD is a popular option in the US even in markets like Washington State that get little snow on the coast but lots of wet weather where AWD isn't necessarily essential but very useful. In Canada, of course, AWD vehicles are relatively far more popular as a percentage of all vehicle sales and KIA has traditionally limited the Sorento (and the Telluride) to AWD versions for Canadian consumers. I'm guessing but I suspect the absence of AWD in the Sorento hybrids is a result of limited production capacity available. The first hybrid versions, unlike other North American Sorentos, are being built in Korea rather than in the US. Assuming the hybrids are successful I suspect production of the North American hybrid Sorentos will be shifted to Georgia but that's the plant whose production is stretched severely by the popularity of the Telluride and the impact of COVID-19.

[@philipc239]

Traction control off?

[@wilwin14]

Surprised by no mention of the Hyundai Sant Fe Hybrid

[@stephenhendricks6790]

I believe you'll find that reviewers of KIA and Hyundai vehicles typically ignore or barely mention the corresponding model from the other brand. Occasionally you'll see comparative review of the Palisade vs the Telluride but they're rare. I'm not sure why this is the case but each brand's own marketing efforts studiously avoids comparing vehicles that in effect differ by very few factors. Reviewers tend to follow suit.

[@atmartens]

The outside looks nice, especially in red. I completely agree with the design of the instrument cluster though. Trash. That would bug me a lot.I also don't think it's okay for it not to have memory seats. Lastly, the cup holder makes sense because I'm sure a lot of families complain about closing the door and the drink in the door spilling. Just my unwanted two cents.

[@richrigney4610]

Can't see a 1.6L engine with a vehicle of that weight lasting long even with the 60HP mild electric motor. It's the same engine in my wife's Kia Niro Hybrid which is smaller and it's pretty slow.

[@anjcoco]

Great review of the hybrid. So many reviews on the x-line which seems pretty capable. But the draw of 36 mpg....dang.

[@markwambugu2530]

Great review You can try out the forester sport

[@CYBERCATXO]

The cheap tail light looks better than premium one for me

[@KrS14]

I love my 12" Ford dash... You back off lol.

[@rondail5675]

I think the Sorento is upgraded nicely and at a good price. If I was in the market, I would be looking at it.

[@dr.killjoy5001]

I had to stop the video and close it when he said FWD, what a pity. Would have been an amazing car!

[@jstrig]

What I'm wondering is how this engine will handle driving up the Pacific NW mountains on I-5 like the Sextons

[@wharwood]

Tbh I didn’t notice any traction issues. We drove the car in a cold drizzle. It was fine. Maybe because I have a fairly powerful fwd car I’m used to not flooring it in the wet, or ever, lol.

[@sigurdsandberg2423]

Do Audi e tron plz

[@descarroll2039]

If this was a german brand within a year it would be back with the dealership with electrical, gearbox, or engine problems......

[@theslowdrive657]

At $38k that's basically a fully-loaded Outback ha

[@ryanw1906]

Yeah but it's still an outback.

[@theslowdrive657]

@@ryanw1906 I know, just a nod to his long-term tester.

[@kenoday7562]

But without the continuously variable timebomb.

[@daniellanzotti2391]

something about your reviews that makes them enjoyable. Ah maybe you focus on cars and features and no schtick like the other dummies do.

[@kirksetser2481]

shame they didn't give it awd. and another inch or two of clearance.

[@stephenhendricks6790]

The AWD hybrid and plug-in hybrids will come along by the end of 2021.

[@CarGuy11]

FWD should be banned in anything over 200hp. EVs will be even worse.

[@EZapar]

So uh. . . You always appear in the screen shot you use to promote you newest vids. I wouldn't wanna be in a pic with a kia either. lol

[@drivingsports]

Lol. Too wet! (Ahem)

[@ds-yn4bp]

You should review the Ford Escape new hybrid version! It looks game changer

[@drivingsports]

We reviewed the Ford escape hybrid two months ago.

[@billimbriale8535]

Good overall review but... 4 zero to sixty runs in wet weather no less. Who cares whether it was 7.98 or 8.13 or whatever? Waste of your time and ours. Similarly the down hill rolling, another waste of time. Sorry.

[@normgilbertson3975]

Not offered in the top trims!!! Stripper trims only....much decontented by USA Kia Marketing. doubt the PHEV will be ANY different.

[@paulm6481]

The way that adjustable arm rest has to be played with so many times before it stays in the right position shows difference to details between Koreans and Japanese. I stay away from Korean vehicles, they are all about gimmicks and constant exterior design changes. No meat.

[@stephenhendricks6790]

Sorry, but the "problem" with the ratcheted rear seat armrest is a feature not a bug. In order to activate the ratcheting mechanism should be raised to a vertical position and then lowered to the desired angle. As the video demonstrates, once the armrest is raised to a vertical position it can be lowered to any angle and it remains in place. If you want to criticize Korean brands you'd better find a problem to illustrate your point.

[@tfrogginhfroggin]

👍

[@jpmackin]

No optional AWD, sucks…

[@tallll70]

the combination of traditional dash bulge for gauges with flat screen board on front makes it very tacky... i really like the exterior, front and rear, but 50% of the inside styling would be letdown

[@gstroika]

Not a big fan of the taillights on this vehicle. Ruins it for me. Not a very cohesive design altogether.

[@blueryxfalls7949]

0 to wheel spin in under 8 seconds

[@ThirdBrainLives]

As yes, another POS Kia. Rav4 Hybrid is 10x the car.

[@hippiebits2071]

As not only a diehard fan of Toyota but also a reasonably objective person Kia vehicles are a far cry from a POS for the money. People could chose far, far worse.

[@jttt8344]

Be careful. Hyundai kia cars have CHINESE batteries.

[@buskosadowa6346]

Toyota highlander much better

[@TheMinnow101]

And much more $$$

[@stephenhendricks6790]

@@TheMinnow101 And with less overall passenger room in a vehicle half a foot longer than the KIA.

[@sebastiansass2425]

Terrible design :/

[@awakenedone7577]

38k with no awd? Lost interest

[@Jezza-rb1hi]

You're full of it. Try talk to a car company which will allow you to designs their cars. Than we'll see if you design a perfect car.

[@BBlackmen]

I think that's so smart because it's not as big as the Telluride which can be to big for a single person that's a perfect size

[@johnmartin7158]

What SUV do you like Harry ? For me I like the RAV4 Prime. But if that doesn’t come to NZ by the end of the year, the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander or 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV will do. Auckland. NZ