2021 (21) Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDi HEV 4 5dr Auto

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

The Sorento is Kia's largest SUV and this fourth generation model offered the kind of typically complete package that by 2020 we were expecting from the brand. This enhanced MQ4-era design was embellished by electrified engine tech, smarter looks and advanced media connectivity. And as before, it sold in the upper part of the SUV 'D' segment, offering more space and 4x4 prowess than cheaper class contenders were providing. Here, we're going to look at the earlier 2020-2023-era versions of this MK4 model.

History

Let's say you want a decently sized SUV for family duties. It needs to be tough and practical but also comfortable and plush. You'd like to reflect the current trend towards electrification. You require seven seats - with a third row large enough to actually use. And a few extra touches of luxury wouldn't go amiss. Back in 2020, Kia claimed that what you needed was this, their fourth generation Sorento, a model they fundamentally improved in this MQ4-era form. Traditionally, Sorento values have been based on no-nonsense virtues like versatility, space and affordability. That's certainly what characterised the original first generation 'BL'-series Sorento, which was launched back in 2002 with a crude old ladder-frame chassis and a focus on off-road ability. It didn't make much sales headway because by the Noughties, customer preferences when it came to large family-sized SUVs had changed quite a lot. Kia reflected these better with the design of the two subsequent Sorento models, the second generation 'XM'-series model of 2009 and this MK4 model's direct predecessor, the third generation 'UM' model of 2014, which both offered seven seats and switched to a more car-like monocoque chassis for better on-road drive dynamics. Both of which readied us for the big step forward in technology - and price - that characterised this much more sophisticated 'MQ4'-series design, launched in 2020 and tasked with building upon the 3 million sales that by then had been already generated by this model line. Nearly all of those cars were diesel-powered, but by 2020 Kia knew that had to change. A token 2.2-litre CRDi variant was still offered in the range, but the Korean brand's emphasis here was firmly on petrol hybrid power, both of the full-Hybrid self-charging HEV kind and of the PHEV Plug-in variety. As with previous Sorentos, all of this technology was shared with this car's close cousin - and most direct rival - the Hyundai Santa Fe, though Kia offered it slightly more affordably. And there was quite a price to pay for it; from new, the figures required for Sorento ownership didn't even start until the £40,000 price point - and an original buyer could easily have found themselves paying the best part of £50,000 for a PHEV variant. Yes, for a Sorento. But, to be fair to Kia, by 2020 those were the kinds of figures you'd have also needed for comparably sized and powerful versions of the 7-seat 'D'-segment family-sized SUVs that this car aimed to compete with, models like Land Rover's Discovery Sport, Skoda's Kodiaq, Volkswagen's Tiguan Allspace, SEAT's Tarraco and the Toyota Highlander. Tough competitors; faced down by what was unquestionably the most sophisticated Sorento model Kia had ever delivered. It sold in this original form until late 2023, when kia introduced a far-reaching facelift. Here, we concentrate on the earlier 2020-2023-era versions of this MQ4-era design.

What You Get

Previous generations of the Sorento had been a little anonymous and forgettable, but this fourth generation design set out to rectify that. This MQ4-era model certainly made more of an overtaking statement, Kia's familiar 'tiger-nose' grille being much wider and flanked by piercing LED headlamps featuring distinctive daytime running lights modelled apparently 'on a tiger's eyeline'. In profile, you get a sense of the continuing growth that's characterised the Sorento model line throughout its various generations. This MK4 design is 5mm taller than the previous UM-series model and gained another 10mm of length, taking the parking space size you'll need to well over 4.8-metres - which, to give you some class perspective, actually puts it closer to a full-fat large segment Land Rover Discovery, rather than the mid-sized Discovery Sport model it was originally priced against. Perhaps most distinctive though, is the tailgate treatment, borrowed from Kia's even larger US market Telluride SUV, a model the UK doesn't see; perhaps that explains the touch of Ford Mustang in the styling of the LED tail lamps. The cabin quality on show here was certainly a big step forward from anything we'd ever seen from Kia before. You still probably wouldn't think you were in a premium brand model, but the dashboard's shelf-like design has some interesting flourishes - like the unusual shaping of the central vents; and we think most customers will really like the way the high-set driving position that offers you such a commanding view of the road ahead. Get comfortable behind the leather-stitched three-spoke wheel and one of the first things you'll notice is that the instrument binnacle features a single 12.3-inch screen with two virtual dials and a customisable information section in between. Anything this display can't tell you will probably be covered off by the infotainment monitor that flows out of the instrument binnacle to top the centre stack. This would be 8-inches in size with base '2'-spec trim, but with the two more opulent trim levels, you're favoured with a preferable 10.25-inch touchscreen display. You also get supportive seats and the wide range of cabin stowage cabbies you'd want in a family SUV. What about the second row? Space in which was aided by this fourth generation model's 35mm increase in wheelbase length. As usual in a 7-seat SUV, the bench slides back and forth and the backrest reclines, allowing second row folk to prioritise either their leg room - or that of those behind. In the third row, the relatively high floor height means that, as with most cars in this class, you sit rather with your knees up towards the level of your stomach, but otherwise, it's reasonably comfortably back here by class standards, though adults won't want to be confined here for too long. Let's finish by considering the boot, which is only electrically-powered if you avoid the base '2'-level of trim. The hatch opens to a wide, square-shape load bay with a nice flat entry floor. It's not massively spacious of course with the third seating row upright, but the 179-litre capacity provided in this format is enough for a couple of carry-on cases and embarrasses the 115-litre space you'd have with a similarly configured Land Rover Discovery Sport. Much of the time, you're going to want to tug on the pull-straps on the back of the third row chairs and fold them into the floor, which frees up 604-litres of space in the PHEV model (it's 608-litres with the HEV and 616-litres with the diesel). If you need more room, the second row seating can be folded from the boot area via right hand cargo sidewall buttons (though reinstating those chairs has to be done manually from the side doors in the usual way). Anyway, once everything's flat, you get up to 1,988-litres of space with the Plug-in Hybrid.

What to Look For

Not too much goes wrong with this MQ4-era Sorento but there are a few things you need to look out for. There was a recall notice for DCT gear shift logic improvement, so make sure that's been attended to in the model you're looking at. We've heard of a few issues with a crack in the EOP's printed circuit board causing pump failure, leading to a loss of drive and hydraulic pressure. In some MK4 models, one of the rear reversing lights is prone to fail; make sure they both come on. Some owners have complained of loose door handles. And there have been reports of various electrical issues, so give the various media systems a thorough test and make sure the central screen has had all its necessary map updates. Check the alloys for scuffs. The interior for child damage. And insist on a fully stamped-up service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2020 Sorento PHEV inc VAT) An air filter costs about £8-£28. An oil filter costs about £5-£25. For a front brake disc, you're looking at paying from around £52, with a rear disc costing from around £50. A pair of rear brake pads are around £23, while a pair of front pads start from around £35 for a set. A wiper blade starts from £8 upwards. A cabin filter starts from around £5. A radiator starts from around £191.

On the Road

Back in 2020 when we first tried this MQ4-era model, it seemed strange to be driving a Kia Sorento and not hearing a familiar diesel rumble from beneath the bonnet - and it will be for many customers of previous generation versions of this car. A diesel can still be had here - the brand's familiar 199bhp 2.2-litre CRDi unit - but the Korean maker wanted to persuade you that a petrol hybrid engine was, going forward, a better solution, specifically a 1.6-litre-sized one. There are two options available here, a 226bhp full-Hybrid self-charging HEV model; and the pricier 261bhp Plug-in PHEV variant. There are certainly disadvantages to using a petrol engine this small in capacity; towing capacity for one thing, which is rated at a modest 1,650kgs for the HEV hybrid and 1,500kgs for the PHEV. But otherwise, the Smartstream powerplant acquits itself quite well here and comes non-negotiably mated to a 6-speed auto gearbox and a 4x4 drivetrain. There are certainly lots of advantages to choose the PHEV model. It gets a gutsier 90hp electric motor than the one used in the HEV version and, of course, there's a larger drive battery, 13.8kWh in size, which facilitates a (surprisingly achievable) 35 mile all-electric driving range before the 1.6 T-GDi engine (rather vocally) cuts in. But there's a big price premium to pay for Plug-in tech, so the majority of MQ4-era Sorento customers settled for the self-charging HEV version of this car, though its feebler 59bhp electric motor rarely powers this SUV for long. The alternative diesel variant we mentioned earlier (which swaps the 6-speed auto gearbox of the hybrids for an 8-speed DCT auto transmission) will feel a lot stronger through the gears - and of course will be better off road. But of course, in terms of efficiency, it can't get near the PHEV variant, which was officially WLTP-rated at 176.6mpg on the combined cycle and 38g/km of CO2.

Overall

This fourth generation Sorento told us a lot about the way Kia was developing as a brand. It undercut its Hyundai Santa Fe design stablemate on price and its extra polish and cleverness made choosing this car a more credible option for buyers who simply didn't need the dynamic advantages on offer from the much pricier Land Rover and German-branded models populating this segment. This fourth generation design was more confident in almost every way than anything we'd previously seen from this model line, whether you consider technology, pricing or the bold styling statement it made. Couple that with a family-friendly interior, drivetrains perfect for the more considerate climate we find ourselves in and an air of quality usually associated more with more familiar European badges and you could well conclude, as we have, that this car makes a good case for itself. Not least because it was one of the only contenders in the class to offer the choice of either a self-charging HEV full-hybrid, a Plug-in PHEV hybrid or a more traditional turbodiesel powertrain. And in summary? Well while those familiar with the Amalfi coast might still feel the Sorento to be lacking an R, a glance at the spec sheet doesn't immediately suggest it to be lacking much else. In short then, for all kinds of reasons, we think this is a contender you'd like - rather than merely one that would be very handy to have. The kind of SUV that might surprise you. As increasingly, modern Kias tend to do.