Kia Sorento: If you're not ready to get an electric car just yet, Kia may be your friend

Kia’s UK boss has said that the brand will continue to sell combustion-engine cars “for as long as we are allowed”.

Paul Philpott – one of the senior figures in the British motor industry - said that Kia was “not abandoning non-EVs any time soon” and had told the same thing to dealers at a conference in Berlin at the end of May.

That’s good news for those of you who may have contributed to the Kia Sportage possibly becoming the best-selling car in the UK.

The brand’s combustion-engined Sportage has recently been named the best-selling car of October in the latest round of official registration figures and it is this model – along with others like the Picanto and Sorento – which makes up the brand’s non-EV offerings.

Tested here, at a recent Kia driving event in Northumbria, is the Sorento. It is a formidable machine, not quite at cute as the Sportage but bulkier and better equipped yet it feels as nimble to drive.

Mr Potts, speaking earlier, said: “Next year, 28 per cent of [of our cars] have to be EV – but that means 72 per cent aren’t EVs. So we’ve got to keep the likes of Sportage, Picanto, Stonic and Sorento all going. For as long as we are allowed to sell non-EVs, we’ll go on selling non-EVs”.

He added that the brand was seeking clarity from the government on the rapidly approaching 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. “Even 2030 is not clear yet – and we’re asking the government for clarity on what is the 2030/2035 strategy. You’ve got to determine it and tell us because then we can plan for it.

“All we know is that by 2030, 80 per cent of everything we sell has got to be EVs – but what’s the other 80 per cent? What can they be?”.

“We’re making billion-pound decisions about future product stream and future product investment without a clear pathway over the next decade as to what we can sell.”

It may be an interesting and uncertain time for the motor industry but it also promises to be exciting for Kia. We were told at the Northumbria event how the company had virtually doubled its sales in a decade and how some eight new models would be coming on stream next year in its busiest 12 months yet.

Yet while the debate over EVs and petrol-diesel debate will no doubt continue, we are testing here what seems to be the common-sense model – a hybrid which offers the best of both worlds.

Sorento is now on its fourth generation and has become established since being launched in 2003. And in a welcome move, the new range actually starts some £3,030 cheaper than the previous range.

So, how does Sorento shape up? It’s a vast car at 4.8 metres long and 1.9 metres wide. It is a rare vehicle in that it offers seven seats.

On the exterior, the new Sorento takes inspiration from the firm’s EV9 electric SUV with vertical headlights and redesigned LED daytime running lights. There’s a new bonnet design and fresh alloy wheels, too, while a gloss-black radiator grille, black side sills and wheel-arch mouldings are new additions as well.

Step inside and there are dual curved 12.3-inch displays, ambient lighting plus a customisable head-up display.

The standard 2 model includes 17-inch alloy wheels, a six-speaker audio system, tinted glass, a four-inch driver display screen and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

The Sorento 3 is priced from £46,195 and adds 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, a 12.3-inch driver display screen, powered tailgate and a Bose audio system.

Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line 4 trim starts from £50,695 and boasts a tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, alloy pedals, an electric steering column plus electric front seats with electric lumbar support.

All models come with a choice of engines, including a 2.2-litre diesel producing 190bhp, a 1.6-litre hybrid with 212bhp and a 1.6-litre plug-in hybrid with 249bhp.

All versions of the new Kia Sorento come with an automatic gearbox as standard.

Prices start at £41,995 for the 2 model – £3,030 cheaper than the previous entry-level Vision trim – and rise to £55,995 for the 4 plug-in hybrid – with order books open now.

The model tested here is the 2. I like the attention to detail – the air conditioning for rear-seat passengers for example, and the automatic de-fogging system.

It has front and rear parking sensors and forward collision-avoidance systems, plus stability control and smart cruise control, which maintains a safe distance behind the vehicle in front.

It is also an incredibly able car in all conditions with various terrain modes.

New Sorento also continues its predecessor’s legacy as one of the safest cars in its segment, with a range of passive and active safety and security systems as standard. All Sorento models receive front centre airbags, side and curtain front airbags, all-round three-point seatbelts, impact-sensing auto door unlocking, second row grab handle and ISOFIX fittings.

Kia Sorento HEV2 1.6 GDi: £42,995; A 1,598cc 212bhp petrol engine and a electric motor; Top speed 113mph and 0 to 60mph in 9.7 seconds; 48.7mpg; Insurance group 25E; Seven years warranty, 100,000 miles