Could we be about to get a hybrid SUV from Kia?

Tuesday, 3 March 2020

Clarification about the likelihood of hybrid versions of the next-generation Kia Sorento joining the regular editions in New Zealand might be just weeks away.

Kia New Zealand says it is still working on getting the hybrid version of the seven-seater SUV, despite reports from some quarters that these might not be immediately available in right hand drive.

Kia already builds plug-in hybrid versions of several mainstream models including, in this market, the Niro crossover which is also available in a well-received fully electric form. The Niro has recently been updated, with new equipment an improved display and modest styling revisions.

Could a hybrid version of the recently-revealed new Kia Sorento be on the cards for New Zealand?

Greg MacDonald, Kia New Zealand's general manager of marketing, has confirmed his operation has interest in the hybrid variants, adding that expectations for the new car in general are high.

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'We're very excited about it,' he said. In respect to the hybrids, though, there is more work to be done. He could not be more specific but suggested matters in respect to what New Zealand will see should be clarified in mid-March.

The hybrids match a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 44.2kW electric motor and a 1.49kWh lithium ion polymer battery, for a total output of 169kW and 350Nm.

As well as the hybrid powertrain, the Sorento will also be available with a new 206kW/421Nm 2.5-litre petrol and a refined version of the outgoing car's 2.2 turbo diesel, making 148kW and 440Nm. These marry to an eight-speed wet double-clutch automatic.

There's conflicting media talk about the hybrid's export status. While Australian media have it that the model will only be in left hand drive initially, reports from elsewhere suggest the brand is ready to send at least the mild hybrid into RHD production straight after international release, which was to be at the now-cancelled Geneva motor show.

Kia has found a way to package the hybrid's batteries so that it can stay a full seven-seater.

Kia NZ cannot give a firm local launch date, except to say it is aiming to have new Sorento here by the third quarter of this year.

It makes sense for Europe to be a priority market for the hybrids as it has introduced toughened CO2 reductions targets that elevate the status of hybrids and full electrics.

However, the growing interest in hybrid models here presumably also makes NZ a tasty market too. Not least when Kia parent Hyundai has yet to offer thought about when, or if, its equivalent, the Santa Fe, will go that way.

Set to be marketed under a 'tough elegance' banner, Sorento is heading a renewed push by South Korea's conjoined brands to prioritise crossovers and SUVs.

Also standing out as the first Kia vehicle to place on a new-generation midsize SUV platform, Sorento delivers a radical exterior restyling over the present third-gen model, with a more chiselled front and rear, albeit still with the familiar 'tiger-nose' grille upfront and unique LED lighting in the head and taillights.

The interior uses more premium materials and has the centrepiece of a high-resolution twin-screen display system configured to show the traditional drivers binnacle.

Kia designers also reworked the proportions to make it appear longer with shorter front and rear overhangs and a longer wheelbase, now 2815mm. They also pulled the A-pillar back from the front axle, giving the cabin a more rear-slung stance.

Kia claims cabin now provides more room than in many other midsize SUVs, while what it calls 'intelligent packaging' means it will also offer class-leading cargo space. The hybrid versions match the regular editions in being seven seaters, as unlike other makers Kia has found a way to package the batteries without having need to drop the third row seat.

In addition to its new platform and powertrains, the line implements a range of high-tech safety and convenience features.

Kia's first multi-collision brake system mitigates the severity of secondary collisions. It automatically applies vehicle brakes when the airbags have been deployed after an initial collision, further protecting occupants from secondary frontal or side impacts.

Availability of this system is depending on market conditions. The same goes for a remote smartphone Surround View Monitor. This allows users to check the vehicle's surroundings with their smartphone in conjunction with the in-vehicle Surround View Monitor.

More than three million Sorentos have been built since the model name launched in 2002 yet though it has been a core model for Kia NZ, last year was quiet, with 462 registered against 1477 Santa Fe.