2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid review: Time to go hybrid?

The refreshed Kia Sorento continues to be sold with a fuel-efficient hybrid engine option – but is it worth the extra price and potential wait time?

The fourth-generation Sorento originally released in 2020 with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options joining two years later in Australia.

Unfortunately, they were severely limited in supply. This continues unchanged with the facelifted Sorento Hybrid being restricted to about 20 additional units per month from launch due to sharing the same factory source as Europe.

We’ve already reviewed the Sorento GT-Line with the standard petrol engine in detail here, but here, let’s focus on whether the Hybrid GT-Line front-wheel drive (FWD) is worth the extra $4740 cost.

NOTE: The press vehicle was provided by Kia Australia for a seven-day independent evaluation. We have no commercial arrangements with the company and it had no editorial control.

Vehicle tested:

Model	2025 Kia Sorento
Variant	GT-Line Hybrid FWD
Starting price	$70,330 before on-road costs
Exterior colour	Silky Silver (+$695)
Interior colour	Black interior with quilted Nappa leather seats
Country made	South Korea

READ MORE: 2024 Kia Sorento review: The cool SUV.

Design and quality.

The facelifted Kia Sorento now showcases the brand’s latest sporty design theme – but the hybrid GT-Line comes with a lower-spec wheel design.

The front is now similar to the Kia EV9 upper large electric SUV with sharp LED daytime running lights, while the rear still gives off an American SUV look with Ford Mustang-esque tail-lights which are now joined with a new internal design.

Unfortunately, since the Sorento Hybrid adopts a smaller-size 19-inch wheel, Kia elects to use the same design from the Sport+ on the top-spec GT-Line. This makes the hybrid look cheaper than ideal, despite costing more.

Other key differentiators for the hybrid model are very minor, including a small ‘HEV’ bage at the tailgate and mandatory EV licence plate labels.

Additionally, the interior has been simplified with a curved display joining the central touchscreen and driver instruments together, while the infotainment and climate control buttons have been consolidated in a single touchscreen strip.

Overall material quality is good with a mix of softer plastics, leather, a weave-like material on the dashboard and doors, and a black suede headliner on the GT-Line.

The rear rows have harder plastics, impractical gloss black materials, and an untextured plastic slot in front of the centre armrest aren’t ideal, though.

Practicality.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line dimensions:

Length x width x height	4815 x 1900 x 1695mm
Wheelbase	2815mm
Ground clearance	176mm
Boot space (min / 3rd row / 2nd row folded)	179 / 608 / 1996 litres
Rear seat split fold (3rd row/2nd row)	50:50 / 60:40
Child seat anchors	4x ISOFIX + 5x top tethers

The Kia Sorento large SUV offers a family-friendly interior, but the hybrid battery compromises in one area.

Boot capacity is identical to the petrol- and diesel-only versions; it’s limited to 179 litres with all seats in place and folding the third row expands the area to 608 litres.

The rear seats are easy and light to adjust and fold with an easy one-touch release button, yet the two available bag hooks are small, tight and at the edge of the boot.

Disappointingly, due to the protruding lithium-ion battery pack under the Sorento Hybrid’s boot floor, you cannot store the cargo cover underneath anymore. You can’t just place the part in the boot either as it’s too long, so you’ll need to leave it at home if you want to use the third row of seats.

The third row is tight with just enough legroom for adults with the second-row in the furthest back position and heads will touch the suede headliner. The high floor means perched-up knees, too.

Critically, the third row misses out on airbag coverage – unlike the related Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid – so the Sorento is better suited as a part-time seven-seat large SUV. You could consider the Kia Sportage instead which offers a comparably spacious five-seat interior instead.

Furthermore, the second row offers plenty of space with only a small centre floor hump. There are convenient cup holders placed at each rear door, restricted door pockets, window sunblinds, a large panoramic sunroof, rear air vents, and two-level heated outer rear seats.

The Kia Sorento GT-Line’s front row is similarly practical with comfortable quilted Nappa leather seats with three-level heating or ventilation and two-stage memory for the driver’s seat.

However, the cup holders are oddly square-shaped, with a practical small slot suitable for placing the car key, a slanted tray with a Qi wireless charging pad, and a well-sized centre armrest with a storage tray inside.

The hybrid SUV exclusively features a driver-only function for the two-zone climate control system, which disables all passenger-facing air vents to help save on fuel and energy consumption.

The facelifted Sorento Hybrid also brings Remote Smart Parking Assist for the first time, which allows owners to move the vehicle forwards or backwards using the key. Previously, it was only available for the petrol and diesel engines.

Technology.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line tech features:

12.3-inch touchscreen running ccNC	12.3-inch driver instrument display
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto	Qi wireless charging pad
Built-in maps with traffic-based routing	6x USB-C charging ports + 2x 12-volt power sockets
OTA software update capability	12-speaker Bose Premium audio
Kia Connect services and mobile app	Proximity key with auto-folding mirrors and front door handle lights
Built-in voice control

The facelifted Sorento Hybrid now includes Kia’s latest Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) software with internet connectivity.

Using a clear 12.3-inch curved touchscreen, ccNC is responsive and easy to use with reliable wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Strangely, the climate and infotainment control touchscreen strip below isn’t angled towards the driver like the Kia Sportage, which feels inconsistent with the curved central display above.

The 12.3-inch driver instrument display is simple and legible, as is the head-up display.

The Sorento Hybrid exclusively nets a dedicated hybrid app and hybrid page within the instruments, which displays the status of the powertrain – whether it’s using the engine, electric motor, or both – in real-time.

Similar to other new Kia cars, Kia Connect mobile app connectivity brings the ability to start the climate control, check the fuel and driving range status, and capture a photo from the 360-degree surround-view cameras. The app is functional, but can be slow to send commands.

As part of the Sorento’s interior facelift, the climate and infotainment controls have been merged into a single touchscreen strip.

Since you now need to switch between the two functions with a button press, I found it quite annoying to do so and the dials are too little.

Safety.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line safety features:

Front AEB with vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist/junction detection	Speed limit assist
Rear AEB	Safe exit warning and assist
Blind-spot assist	Rear occupant alert
Rear cross-traffic assist	360-degree camera system
HDA 1 adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist	Blind-spot view cameras
Lane-keep assist	Front, side and rear parking sensors
Kia Connect emergency calling and remote location tracking	Full LED headlights with auto high beam and part LED tail-lights

The new Kia Sorento Hybrid comes with a suite of mostly dependable active safety assistance features.

The smart cruise control is calibrated well with the petrol-electric powertrain.

However, while it features Highway Driving Assist 1 (HDA 1), the updated Sorento strangely doesn’t feature the more advanced HDA 2 system unlike the facelifted Kia Carnival – which is capable of automatic lane change assist.

The facelifted Sorento also doesn’t bring a driver monitoring camera – which would’ve been a good safety feature for often distracted parents.

Thanks to a recent OTA software update, the annoying speed limit assist warning system can now be quickly disabled temporarily with a steering wheel shortcut.

The Sorento GT-Line’s projection LED headlights have good performance at night, with cool-looking sequential front LED turn indicators, and front LED fog lights.

But, the rear reverse lights are located down the bumper using halogen bulbs and the rear fog light bulbs are small.

Reflecting the pre-update model, the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid has a five-star safety rating under the older 2020 criteria from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

Range and fuel consumption.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line FWD fuel and efficiency specs:

Claimed driving range (combined)	1241km
Claimed fuel efficiency (combined)	5.4L/100km
Fuel tank size	67 litres
Minimum fuel quality requirement	91 RON unleaded petrol
Claimed CO2 exhaust emissions (combined)	122g/km
European emissions compliance	Euro 5

After a week of urban and highway driving, the Kia Sorento Hybrid front-wheel drive (FWD) achieved a 6.1L/100km fuel economy.

This is almost half of the consumption we experienced on the standard V6 petrol engine – keeping in mind the $4740 extra purchase cost, which is more reasonable than the Kia Sportage Hybrid.

Therefore, assuming you drive 15,000km per year and refuel at $2.00 per litre, it would take almost three years to pay back the hybrid premium cost in our real-world testing.

The Sorento Hybrid offers about 1098km real-world driving range from its 67-litre fuel tank – which is identical to regular petrol and diesel variants.

The large SUV can accept cheaper 91 RON and 94 RON E10 unleaded petrol.

The fuel lid is accessible at the rear-left quarter of the Sorento, which unlocks with the doors and has an easy to twist cap.

Driving.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line FWD petrol powertrain specs:

Engine/electric motor	1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine + permanent magnet electric motor
Battery size and type	1.0kWh lithium-ion battery
Power	169kW
Torque	350Nm
Transmission	Eight-speed wet-type DCT
Drive Type	FWD
Kerb weight	~1966kg
Payload	~614kg (excl. 200kg max towball download)
Towing (unbraked / braked)	750 / 1650kg

The Kia Sorento Hybrid is refined, punchy and economical – but it comes at a cost.

With 169kW of power and 350Nm of torque, it’s slightly down on power than the standard V6 petrol engine but still offers more than enough punch with the instant torque punch from the single front-mounted electric motor.

The front-wheel-driven setup provides enough grip under normal driving conditions, but dhas some wheel slip when accelerating hard off a steep hill. All-wheel drive is available for an additional $3000.

The series-parallel hybrid system transitions between both powertrains well and provides satisfying electric-only driving at low speeds, light accelerations, and whenever you’re coasting (including at highway speeds).

However, the 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol motor is noticeably noisier and vibrates the cabin more when it’s activated compared to the more refined standard 3.5-litre V6 engine, despite a much smaller displacement.

Three levels of regenerative braking intensities are available with automatic adaptive modes via toggling the steering wheel paddles, but zero is set to the default every time you start the Sorento Hybrid.

I found level one or two most suitable for me, but the regen cuts out at speeds below 15km/h and you need to adapt to the blended brake pedal, which can be grabby at low speeds. Level three was slightly too strong and touchy.

Furthermore, the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) is also smooth with no typical jerkiness or hesitation in our experience.

Noise insulation is good, but while ride is less sharp when going over bumps due to the hybrid’s smaller 19-inch wheels, it isn’t substantially comfier than the petrol and diesel GT-Line’s 20-inch alloys.

Warranty and servicing.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line FWD capped-price servicing prices:

1 year/10,000km	2 years/20,000km	3 years/30,000km	4 years/40,000km	5 years/50,000km
$352	$732	$426	$1062	$396

The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid is backed by a seven-year, unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty and a seven-year/150,000km battery warranty.

The latter is lower than the industry average and servicing intervals are more often than ideal at every one year/10,000km (whichever occurs first) due to the turbo-petrol engine.

Capped-price servicing goes up to the first seven checkups – but it’s quite expensive.

After the first five years/50,000km, it will cost $2964 to service the Sorento Hybrid – which is $389 more than the standard V6 petrol. Each visit averages to $593 for the hybrid compared to $515 for the petrol engine.

Roadside assistance is included for up to eight years, while Kia Connect services are free for the first seven years from activation.

Uniquely for a hybrid SUV, a full-size spare tyre is still included, but is located underneath the vehicle.

Price and rivals.

2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid model range pricing (accurate as at the time of publication):

GT-Line FWD	GT-Line AWD
$70,330	$73,330

The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid is priced from $70,330 before on-road costs in Australia – which represents a $4740 premium over the standard V6 petrol.

Unlike some other Kia hybrid cars, an all-wheel-driven Sorento Hybrid is available for an additional $3000.

The Sorento plug-in hybrid AWD is sold at a hefty $11,330 premium over the hybrid AWD.

All paint colours cost $695, except for Clear White.

The 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid directly competes with a selection of electrified large SUVs:

• Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
• Toyota Kluger Hybrid

Other alternatives to the Kia Sorento Hybrid include:

• Kia Carnival Hybrid (full review)
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV seven-seat
• Mazda CX-80 PHEV (coming soon)
• Nissan X-Trail e-Power seven-seat
• Honda CR-V e:HEV seven-seat

Would I pick the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid GT-Line FWD?

The Kia Sorento Hybrid is a fuel-efficient, refined, and distinctive-looking large SUV that’s severely hampered by limited supply.

The self-contained hybrid powertrain is punchy and economical, with a reasonable price premium over the regular petrol engine unlike the smaller Sportage Hybrid SUV.

However, Kia Australia doesn’t offer the hybrid on cheaper variants other than the top GT-Line, the inability to store the boot cover due to the hybrid battery is disappointing, and servicing is fairly expensive.

Despite the incoming New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, supply is still restricted in Australia – at least at launch – due to sharing the same factory as European markets.

I’d pick the Sport model with the regular, more refined V6 petrol engine and use the savings towards fuel and (cheaper and longer interval) servicing running costs. Alternatively, if you have a larger wallet and need features such as a 360-degree camera system, blind-spot view cameras and a Qi wireless charging pad, consider the GT-Line V6 petrol.

The related Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid provides a better value large SUV offering, but consider the Kia Sorento Hybrid if you want a taste of electrification in a sporty-looking family wagon.

Photographs by Henry Man

READ MORE: 2024 Kia Sorento review: The cool SUV.

READ MORE: 2025 Kia Carnival review: Better than a SUV?

READ MORE: What is the point of the blue EV label?

Pros:

• Fantastic tested fuel efficiency
• Powerful and refined hybrid
• FWD and AWD hybrid options
• Full-size spare tyre
• Reasonable hybrid payback time

Cons:

• Cannot store cargo cover due to the battery
• Unavailable with cheaper variants
• Cheaper-looking wheels on GT-Line
• Third row for part-time use only
• Really expensive servicing