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I’ve learned a few things about my Kia Sorento PHEV on this trip. Some of it I could have probably gleaned from the manual, like how to turn off the auto shutdown feature which only stays off until you manually shut down the car, resetting to either 30 or 60 minutes when you turn it back on depending on which you most recently used. Switching off the auto shutdown feature is useful if you want to tap the hybrid battery to power things like my portable fridge that I run off the 12V outlet in the rear of the vehicle and to recharge phones, camera batteries, flashlights, etc. when you are not otherwise driving the vehicle. I’ve also learned: The Sorento is comfortable to sleep in with the right equipment and set up; the cruise control does not always stop fast enough in a “panic” stop scenario (or rather it isn’t as proactive as it should be, waiting a little too long and then not braking hard enough); the auto high beams work extremely well and react to an oncoming car coming around a corner almost instantaneously; and the driver/seat memory button doesn’t seem to remember the side view mirror settings (or at least mine doesn’t).

I also learned some interesting things about the history and beauty of the San Juan Islands. For one, we almost went to war with Great Britain, for a third time in less than a hundred years, in 1859, over a pig! Talk about pointless, but I digress. If you are ever planning to visit the Pacific Northwest, and you’re a fan of scenic, even breathtaking, natural landscapes, you owe it to yourself to hop on a ferry to one of the San Juans and spend a day or six exploring these unique islands that were almost part of Canada, instead. Thanks, Emperor Wilhelm I for settling that one! Though part of me secretly wishes we were part of Canada (think of all the poutine and ketchup chips!).

While staying on the island, I was able to make use of free 240V charging in the parking lot of a bank. I recharged on two different occasions while exploring the lovely town of Friday Harbor. The first time, I charged to 95% from 54%, adding approximately 17 miles of range, and the second time I charged to 65% from 47%, adding approximately 8 miles of range. About ⅔ of the driving I did on the island (approximately 49 miles) was in electric (EV) mode, and had I known I could have recharged so easily and only needed about 3 - 4 miles of range for all the time I ran my fridge and charged devices over the weekend, I would have been able to cover 100% of the distance I drove on the island in EV mode. Note taken!

Some final notes on efficiency and the experience of car camping in the Kia Sorento PHEV: while car camping is a highly subjective thing (some may hate it, others love it), I find it a very comfortable, relaxing thing to do with a 10 year old daughter in particular, my mini me that would much rather have the comforts of home and all her particular foods and accoutrement. What makes it so comfortable is not the Sorento part itself (because the gas or hybrid versions would have just as much space and capability to haul our stuff), but its plug-in hybrid capability. If I save enough of the battery, I can run my portable fridge for days, or even weeks, and recharge whatever small devices I may need to. I could do the same with a portable solar panel and battery - and I actually do that too - but the point is I don’t have to. I have the option to keep my food and beverages cold for as long as I want, adding this simple but important comfort and convenience is a brilliant feature one may utilize in the PHEV Sorento without using any gas (do remember to leave the car on though, not in Accessory mode but all the way on, when tapping the hybrid battery for running/charging devices while parked). Also, while I drove us from our campsite and onto the ferry home, 100% on battery, my wife (with her need for speed) drove the longest leg of the trip home, about 90 miles and 82% in HEV mode. Her fuel efficiency for that distance was an impressive 39.6 MPG (better than my outbound drive). Take that Mr. Efficiency!

Please leave any questions or comments below, and if you’re in Canada and a fan of my articles, please send ketchup chips. My daughter is about to divorce her loving parents if she doesn’t get some, soon!

Images courtesy of Justin Hart.

Justin Hart has owned and driven electric vehicles for over 14 years, including a first generation Nissan LEAF, second generation Chevy Volt, Tesla Model 3, an electric bicycle and most recently a Kia Sorento PHEV. He is also an avid SUP rider, poet, photographer and wine lover. He enjoys taking long EV and PHEV road trips to beautiful and serene places with the people he loves. Follow Justin on Twitter for daily KIA EV news coverage.