Most cars nowadays tend to be forgettable, but that doesn’t mean that they’re bad. I’m plainly saying nothing about them stands out. The Kia Sorento (surprisingly) is the exception to that thought; our recent excursion up north to Baguio and deep into Benguet ingrained in me that the Sorento hybrid is a serious player in a crowded SUV segment.
Northern escapes with the 2025 Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid
With the number of media drives we attended on a yearly basis, you’d think that the brands would’ve run out of places to bring us to. Yet, Kia piqued our interest when they said we’d be going to some familiar (Clark, Baguio) places but also chart the uncharted during this particular drive.
What got me curious about what they had planned is that the Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid isn’t known as a rugged, in-your-face, go-everywhere SUV. It’s capable, yes, but as more of a plush family cruiser rather than a bruiser. (This thought was short-lived.)
We set off for our trip with me behind the wheel for the 1st stint, and immediately the Kia Sorento showed its true main colors as a comfortable, well-equipped, and sizeable 7-seater SUV. It was quiet throughout EDSA and NLEX, not much NVH levels or engine noise, and the general proportions of the Sorento made it feel small enough to easily weave through traffic without much thought or hassle.
Our first stop on this trip was the Mimosa Golf Club in Clark Freeport Zone, This would be the 1st of 2 golf clubs we’d be visiting, this is because the brand says the Sorento is a golfer’s car (Whoopie for me). We had lunch in Baker J Cafe, which had its own 2-bay golf simulator that, of course, Kelvin and I used and abused.
We did shift our perspective, though. Since Kelvin and I are golfers, we decided to see if this is something we’d consider. I noticed at first how the Sorento looks at home in the parking lot of any premier golf club, it has the perfect blend for me of modern avant-garde design touches, but also manages to be classy and somewhat elegant despite the fact. It’s a less-in-your-face SUV compared to the other models in the segment, it would rather sneak past you at first, and take a knowing glance once parked and noticed.
The inside takes the same philosophy as the exterior, a blend of new but plush, with a mixture of materials like brushed metal touches, soft touch leather, and build quality to match the more expensive European brands. I also like how ergonomic the interior is, despite it having a lot of buttons and features, it didn’t feel like the cockpit of a jumbo jetliner. The Kia Sorento’s interior layout was easy to come to grips with.
We left Clark and headed for Baguio, and in the next few stints of this drive, I was able to be a passenger. The moment I sat in the 2nd row I was hit by how much space there is for passengers, there is a huge amount of head and legroom, one of the most comfortable 2nd rows I’ve ever sat in, as evidenced by my falling asleep pretty quickly until we reached the end of TPLEX for our ascent up Baguio.
I would take the wheel again, which I was excited about because we’d be taking Kenon road, one of my favorite driving roads in the country. We got through the first initial roadworks, and our pace picked up, allowing me to really push the Kia Sorento Hybrid. I used all of the combined 235 PS and 367 Nm of torque from the turbo hybrid powerplant, coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system.
The Sorento felt somewhat at home in this canyon carving scenario despite its size and bulk, the steering was surprisingly precise and direct, requiring minimal turning input from me, and the tuning of the engine and transmission was responsive without being abrupt (in sport mode). The all wheel drive system was also a highlight, giving me the confidence in the corners that the grip would hold, and I felt the system adjusting which tire/s would get the power for better corner grip and exit, it was fun to say the least to hustle the Sorento up a mountain road.
It’s one of, if not the best, SUV I’ve ever driven up a mountain road.
Day 1 ended with us pulling into the Manor hotel in Baguio late into the afternoon, and as we were given some free time before dinner, Kelvin and I snuck off to try the Camp John Hay driving range, which is newly opened to the public. The range is situated between some of the actual golf holes of the course, and features an uphill layout (forcing you to actually scoop the ball properly), It also has to be one of the most relaxing driving ranges I’ve ever been to, quiet, cold, and pure tranquility only broken by the occasional echoes of ball strikes and grunts of disapproval from errant golf shots.
Lubo Lake Benguet
Day 2 marked our uncharted drive, and we left early in the morning and set off deep into the mountain range of Benguet. The drive was long and twisty, we hadn’t driven in a straight line for almost an hour and a half. The roads were tight, twisty, and technical, which the Kia Sorento ate up with gusto, coupled with some stunning views along the way.
I took the wheel right before we entered the path towards Lubo Lake, which is a former quarry that was filled with water after the occupants left, making it a man-made lake. The path leading to the lake is what it is, a path, not even a road. It’s barely wide enough for the Sorento and isn’t asphalted or even a road in most portions, I’d say we were offroading and rock crawling for about 80% of the 1-hour journey from the main road to the lake itself.
This is where I was impressed the most by the Sorento, here is an SUV built as a plush mobile for on-road and light off-road driving, and yet it easily drove through this ordeal without so much as a tire squeal, I didn’t even have to switch on the terrain mode, it was perfectly capable and stable all throughout.
We arrived at the lake and were greeted by a man-made marvel in the middle of nowhere, Benguet. I have to say, though, the seclusion of Lubo Lake adds so much charm to the place, something almost inaccessible to most people, it would be impossible for someone to just wander into this area unknowingly considering how far it is from the main road, not to mention that there isn’t really a road leading here. We settled down for a really good and hearty lunch, and were given a couple of hours to unwind and make content.
We journeyed back to Camp John Hay in Baguio, and I was a passenger all the way back, allowing me to snooze in comfort. It never ceases to amaze how the Kia Sorento is the epitome of modern automotive technology, the ability to insulate its occupants from the outside world in all ways and with ease.
Homebound
Day 3 was a pretty straightforward drive with a lone lunch stop at the Luisita Golf Club in Tarlac and an uneventful journey back to Manila. We made use of the Kia Sorento’s many creature comforts to make our ride home as comfortable as possible, ADAS for the long highway stretch, the space and comfort of the interior, plus the amenities inside to keep us entertained and not playing I Spy.
Overall, I wasn’t expecting this drive to be as memorable as it ended up being. This is purely down to the Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid, this remarkable product is a true jack of all trades. A silent, comfortable, practical, and plush ride most of the time, or a capable, sporty, no-nonsense SUV when needed.
The Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid embodies the true resurgence of the Kia brand, a very well thought-out global product, showing that the brand means business and understands what modern SUV owners need and want. Not to mention it’s priced really well against the main rivals in the segment.
