2025 Kia Sorento HEV launched and it's more affordable than we thought

The fourth-generation Kia Sorento has entered a new era in the Philippine market. After being available in gasoline and turbo-diesel variants through the years, the 2025 facelifted Sorento is now powered by an electrified powertrain.

Say hello to the Kia Sorento HEV. Now equipped with a turbo-hybrid engine, the 2025 Sorento is set to offer a more fuel-efficient and powerful, fully decked-out cabin with new high-tech features, a suite of intelligent driver aids, and a more relaxing riding experience.

At the heart of the 2025 Sorento HEV is a 1.6L turbocharged GDi four-cylinder engine. It is then assisted by an electric motor and a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This gives the Sorento HEV a total system output of 235 PS and 367 Nm of torque. Power is then transferred to a 6-speed Smartstream automatic gearbox.

According to Kia, the Sorento's HEV system delivers additional power when under load, provides regenerative braking to slow down the vehicle and recharge the battery, as well as gives the crossover SUV the ability to travel on electric power over certain distances.

On higher-grade variants, the 2025 Sorento HEV comes with a new AWD system with real-time torque distribution. It also comes with various terrain modes which include; Snow, Mud, and Sand. It even benefits from selectable drive modes like Automatic, EV, and Hybrid.

Style-wise, the 2025 Sorento HEV features the latest design language of Kia. Not only does it feature a more muscular exterior, but it also comes with a more sophisticated look to give it a more upmarket appearance. It gets a new Tiger Nose grille, the sleek Star Map LED daytime running lights that highlight the vehicle's width, and the eye-catching 4-cube LED headlights.

Also worth mentioning are the stylish (and massive) 19-inch alloy wheels, the faux metal trim pieces on the windows, refreshed LED taillights, a new rear skid plate, a hidden rear window wiper, and a power tailgate with proximity function. Size-wise, the 2025 Sorento HEV measures 4815mm long, 1900mm wide, 1695mm tall, and has a 2815mm wheelbase.

Open the doors and the 2025 Sorento HEV welcomes occupants into a high-tech and comfy cabin. Immediately grabbing people's attention are the two high-definition displays on the dashboard. Both screens measure 12.3 inches and serve as the vehicle's instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment. The latter supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and also manages the Sorento HEV's in-car functions.

Other available features in the Sorento HEV include power-adjustable front seats with memory function, a panoramic sunroof, LED ambient lighting, leather upholstery, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, power-folding 60:40 split second-row seats, 50:50 split third-row seats, dual-zone climate control, USB chargers, and a wireless charging pad. In case you need to haul plenty of cargo, the Sorento HEV can easily lug 2,139 liters worth of cargo with both the second and third-row seats folded.

For extra peace of mind while on the road, the Sorento HEV is available with DriveWise. It's the brand's suite of advanced driver assistance systems that serve as the vehicle's extra eyes.

It gets Smart Cruise Control with stop-and-go (AKA adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist), blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, forward collision avoidance assist, parking collision avoidance assist, rear blind-spot avoidance assist, lead vehicle departure alert, downhill brake control (AKA hill-descent control), hill-start assist, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2025 Kia Sorento HEV is available in three distinct variants and is covered by a 5-year/160,000 km warranty. The hybrid battery itself has a warranty that is good for 8 years. Available colors for the 2025 Sorento HEV are; Aurora Black Pearl, Silky Silver, Snow White Pearl, and Volcanic Sand Brown.

Sorento 1.6 EX Turbo Hybrid FWD - PHP 2,188,000

Sorento 1.6 EX+ Turbo Hybrid FWD - PHP 2,588,000

Sorento 1.6 SX Turbo Hybrid AWD- PHP 2,888,000