Think Hard If You Really Want A 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV

We won't pretend this is your average family SUV. The handsome yet unassuming Sorento PHEV we drove for a year occupies an area in the market as gray as its paint.

- WORDS KELLY LIN

Smaller than other three-row SUVs, it trades interior space for agility. Blending a gas engine with all-electric range, its plugin hybrid powertrain provides a taste of what EV ownership is like. And although it has plush features befitting its position as the most expensive Sorento, it's not quite a premium vehicle. So did this balancing act pay off over the course of the year?

Our loaded Sorento PHEV has a calm-inducing interior with serene blue leather seats, heated in the first and second rows and ventilated up front. Second-row sunshades provide a relaxing environment for sleeping children, feeling appropriate for the Kia's $52,000 sticker.

This SUV may not be for every family, but it was the perfect size for ours. Available exclusively in a six-seat configuration, the Sorento PHEV easily fit our family of five. The second row feels particularly indulgent, with cozy captain's chairs and abundant legroom. Predictably, the third row is tight, suitable for children and small adults. The interior is spacious enough to fit our two bulky car seats in every possible configuration in the two rear rows. USB ports and phone cubbies are a nice consolation prize for passengers in the very back. For weekend getaways or grocery runs, folding down one of the seats provided just enough cargo room.