It’s not uncommon to see unsold 2023 model year vehicles lingering on dealership lots. However, the Kia Sorento is something of an anomaly, with VIN 2022 models still being advertised by dealers.
Accordingly, sales consultants at dealerships are continuously offering the Kia Sorento Hybrid Premium and Hybrid Signature with a 120 million VND discount. The actual selling prices are 1.029 billion VND and 1.129 billion VND, respectively. This pricing is 340 million VND lower than the rival Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid (listed at 1.369 billion VND, with some dealerships offering a price of 1.269 billion VND). It’s even lower than the Honda CR-V e:HEV RS, which sits in the segment below (1.264 billion VND).
Numerous sales consultants are advertising Kia Sorento hybrid VIN 2022.
However, the fact that the vehicle is up to 2 years “old” may give buyers pause, especially since it’s now the second quarter of 2024. Additionally, the VIN 2022 lacks certain features, such as blind spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, which are present on the VIN 2024.
The Kia Sorento was expected to make a splash when the Ford Everest, the best-selling model in the segment, ceased offering a hybrid variant. However, while its American rival consistently tops sales charts in the segment, the Sorento has typically lagged behind. In the first quarter of 2024, Sorento sold 144 units, ranking above only the Isuzu mu-X with 35 units.
The price reduction for the VIN 2022 hybrid model is primarily aimed at clearing inventory, so it’s unlikely that this move will have a major impact on sales performance. Moreover, even with the discount, the Kia Sorento hybrid remains in the price range above 1 billion VND. This is a price point that is not easily accessible to the majority of buyers in a market that is yet to fully recover.
What does the Kia Sorento hybrid offer?
The most significant difference between the Kia Sorento hybrid and the regular version lies in the powertrain. Both the HEV and PHEV variants use a 1.6L T-GDi gasoline engine that delivers a maximum output of 178 horsepower and 265 Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The hybrid version’s exterior is similar to the regular version. It retains the signature “tiger nose” grille, “tiger eye” headlights, and stylized C-shaped front bumper that enhance the vehicle’s sporty and distinctive character.
The HEV variant combines with a 60 horsepower electric motor and 264 Nm of torque, along with a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The PHEV variant, on the other hand, features a more powerful electric motor with 90 horsepower and 304 Nm of torque, paired with a 13.8 kWh battery pack that can be charged externally.
The Kia Sorento HEV Premium is equipped with front-wheel drive, while the HEV Signature and both PHEV variants receive all-wheel drive (AWD).
The interior of the Kia Sorento HEV/PHEV features premium leather upholstery, sophisticated metal accents, a sporty leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with paddle shifters, push-button start, power seats, Qi wireless charging with cooling fan, HUD display, sunshades, and ambient interior lighting.
The Kia Sorento HEV/PHEV come equipped with ADAS advanced safety assistance technologies such as surround-view monitoring, blind-spot display, lane keeping assist, forward collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and the new rear blind spot collision avoidance warning.
However, the VIN 2022 vehicles will not have blind spot collision avoidance or rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist. These features were only added in 2023.
