The modified Sorento PHEVs that competed in the 2021 Rebelle Rally
Photo: Kia
Earlier this month, Kia announced that there would be a pair of Sorento PHEVs in the Electrified Designation of the 2021 Rebelle Rally, competing in the X-Cross Class. The annual event recently ended and the teams driving the two Sorento PHEVs landed in two podium spots, taking home second and third place among 10 teams.
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Verena Mei and Tana White scored 1,297 points to take the second-place spot, just 37 points behind first place. Third place was taken by Sabrina Howells and Alyssa Roenigk, scoring 1,230 points. Among the X-Cross Class were various models, but only one other EV competed — the VW ID.4 — and came in eighth place.
The trail-ready Sorento PHEVs were inspired by the Zion and Yosemite Sorento X-Line concepts and were modified to include items like underbody armor, a front bumper guard, and a skid plate. With the Rebelle Rally being an event made for women, it was vital that Kia got a women-owned company to customize the Sorentos. LGE-CTS Motorsports gave one SUV a “Desert Sand” exterior color while the other was painted in “Pine Green.” The SUVs also had 17-inch MKC matte black wheels and Hankook Dynapro AT2 all-terrain tires.
(L to R) Sabrina Howells, Alyssa Roenigk, Tana White, and Verena Mei
Photo: Kia
Not only did Kia participate in the Rebelle Rally, but it also donated $10,000 to Girls Inc. of Orange County — a non-profit that works to “positively change the lives of 4,000 girls, kindergarten to 18 years old, each year by providing year-round holistic, compensatory, and intentional programming focusing on STEM, financial literacy, sound body image, healthy relationships, and college and career readiness.”
This charitable action aligns with Kia’s new tagline of “Movement That Inspires” and is one of many things the brand has done to give back in its area. The automaker recently donated two Kia Carnival MPVs to Kheir Clinic in Los Angeles and announced the recipients of its Great Unknowns annual scholarship.
Morgan has lived all over the USA and in Europe. Now residing just outside of Philly, Morgan often spends time at local sporting events, testing the limits of her caffeine tolerance levels, and playing board games with their wife. See more articles by Morgan.
