2023 Kia Sorento Performance

介绍了汽油索兰托2.5-liter four-cylinder engine available with or without a turbocharger. The basic setup is adequate if a little on the lazy side and only allows for a maximum towing capacity of 2,000 lbs. The turbo four-pot on the upper trims, with access to 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, is far more engaging and capable. It can launch the hefty SUV from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.4 seconds in FWD guise, over two seconds faster than the base engine, which needs a tardy 9.5 seconds. It also increases towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. With AWD, the base engine can only get the Sorento to 62 mph in ten seconds. Turbocharged models have a top speed of 131 mph.

Both hybridized Sorentos use the same 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, but the power of the electric motors and the size of the battery pack they connect to differ. The HEV is naturally less potent, with a combined 227 hp and a 0-62 mph sprint time of 8.6 seconds. Here, the top speed is 120 mph. The PHEV gets 261 hp out of its setup, but its substantial increase in weight slows it down in terms of performance, with a 0-62 mph time of just 8.7 seconds. Neither hybrid is offered with a towing package, so they can only manage around 1,654 lbs on unbraked towing.

Powering the entry-level gas Sorento is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that develops a modest 191 hp and 181 lb-ft. It comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which sends power to either the front or all four wheels. Though not underpowered, this engine just doesn't feel adequate in a three-row SUV. This is especially evident when you fully load the Sorento with people and/or cargo. At the very least, the transmission is quite good. From the EX upwards, this power plant is replaced with a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that develops are more potent 281 hp and 311 lb-ft. Managing the gear shifts is an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which sends power to the front wheels on normal models or all four wheels on X-Line variants. Despite the significant boost in figures, the turbo engine still doesn't make the Sorento feel particularly athletic. It's definitely preferable, though.

The Sorento HEV makes use of a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. Drawing power from a small 1-kWh battery, it adds 59 hp and 195 lb-ft to the engine's 177 hp and 195 lb-ft. The combined figures are 227 hp and 258 lb-ft. The immediate extra torque helps the HEV feel about as sprightly as the base four-pot even with the extra weight. The PHEV has a larger 13.8 kWh battery, which empowers the motor with 90 hp and 224 lb-ft for a combined 261 hp and 258 lb-ft. However, the Sorento PHEV is excessively heavy, so the extra power doesn't do anything to make the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid feel quick. Both hybrids use a six-speed automatic transmission.

With so many different powertrains, gas mileage figures differ widely across the range. The base four-pot with FWD setup returns figures of 24/29/26 mpg over the city/highway/combined cycles while adding AWD drops these down to 23/25/24 mpg. The turbo-four engine in FWD models returns 22/29/25 mpg, while X-Line models with AWD get 22/27/24 mpg.

The hybrids naturally take the cake in this category. The HEV is the most frugal of any Sorento when relying on the engine, managing a commendable 39/35/37 mpg in FWD guise and 36/33/34 mpg with AWD. The PHEV only gets 34 mpg combined, or 79 MPGe. However, the latter can run on electric power alone, albeit only for a short while. You get 32 miles of all-electric range, but that will still lead to great savings if you're only going to and from work between charges. The PHEV can be recharged in around 3 hours and 25 minutes on a 240V charger.

Gas and hybrid models get a 17.7-gallon gas tank, meaning that the most frugal - the HEV - can travel for 655 miles between refills. The PHEV's fuel tank is 12.4 gallons, which translates to around 420 miles based on the 34-mpg rating, but the total range is 460 miles including the PHEV's ability to run on electric power alone.