SUVs are the very best kind of vehicle to drive if you have a big family members or perform chauffeur to lots of individuals, but it can be challenging to pick which is the very best for your money. Two of the newest SUVs are the Kia Sorento and the Toyota, the two 3-row SUVs with competitive costs. How do these two examine when pitted towards each other, and which is proper for you? Let us uncover out.
Review Summary
- The Kia Sorento is a great budget SUV, although it can’t directly compete with the Highlander.
- If you’re not that interested in performance or cargo space, consider checking out some of the Sorento’s premium trim packages. Even with numerous add-ons, you’ll likely pay less than a factory standard Highlander.
- The Highlander has more spacious third-row seats than the Sorento, but the Sorento has more spacious front and second-row seats.
- The Highlander has a much more powerful engine than the Sorento, for the performance-minded folks.
- The Sorento has slightly better fuel economy and offers several hybrid options that include a plug-in model. If you’re interested in a hybrid SUV, the Sorento is the better pick.
At a Glance
Let us consider a peek at the uncooked specifications of each SUV so you can get a better notion of their capabilities.
- Horsepower: 191 HP
- Engine: 2.5L 4-cylinder
- Starting MSRP: $29,590
- Fuel economy: 24 mpg city/29 mpg highway
- Cargo space: 75.5cu-ft
- Number of seats: 6-7
- Horsepower: 295 HP
- Engine: 3.5L 6-cylinder
- Starting MSRP: $35,405
- Fuel economy: 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway
- Cargo space: 84.3 cu-ft
- Number of seats: 7-8
The Kia Sorento was freshly transformed for 2022 with quality inside characteristics and options, which includes fake wooden inlays, quilted leather-based seat stitching, and metal textures. General, the interior feels exactly how Kia’s designers described it: refined boldness. With a 12.three-inch digital instrument cluster and a normal eight-inch touchscreen, the Sorento isn’t devoid of modern amenities.
As far as safety, the Sorento comes with a blind-spot keep track of and 360-degree encompass see that will help keep you safe. Top quality trim deals provide quite a few updates to the interior, the most notable of which is a wi-fi charging heart console, ambient LED lights, and JBL encompass sound speakers.
The Sorento is basically a wonderful budget SUV, which describes why it’s so popular in Canada. It has fantastic gasoline mileage for an SUV, which only gets far better if you go with the plug-in hybrid. It does not supply everything special as considerably as electrical power, but that is not such a large offer.
- Plug-in hybrid options are available
- $10,000 cheaper than the Highlander at MSRP
- Excellent premium trim options
- Slightly better fuel economy than the Highlander
- Slightly smaller exterior length helps cornering and parking
- Taller front and second-row seats than the Highlander
- Weaker engine than the Highlander
- Fewer seats
- Less cargo space
- Can only tow up to 3,500 pounds
- Smaller third-row seats
The Toyota Highlander is a powerhouse disguised as an SUV. With a 3.5L 6-cylinder powertrain, you’d be difficult-pressed to discover a better-doing SUV. Alongside with that power comes a impressive five,000lb towing capacity, which is important if you frequently fish or haul other hefty tools. Talking of hauling, the Highlander has a palatial 85 cubic feet of cargo room, which paired with the towing ability, tends to make it a great fishing motor vehicle.
The Highlander also benefits greatly from Toyota’s famous track record for trustworthiness, which will help the automobile retain its resale value for years. That’s great if you plan to trade in or offer it later on, but it tends to make acquiring a utilised Highlander hard.
- More cargo space than the Sorento
- 1 more seat than the Sorento
- More powerful engine
- Able to tow up to 5,000 pounds
- Taller third-row seats than the Sorento
- Starting MSRP is almost $10,000 more expensive than the Sorento
- Worse fuel economy than the Sorento
- Slightly longer exterior makes cornering and parking incrementally more difficult
- No plug-in hybrid option
- Smaller front and second-row seats than the Sorento
- More expensive when buying used
What Are The Differences Between Them?
Overall, the Highlander is a much better SUV, but it’s critical to note that the Sorento is considerably cheaper. Let’s check out out how they assess in a number of key places.
Performance
Edge: Toyota Highlander
With its 3.5L six-cylinder motor, the Toyota Highlander enjoys an impressive 295 horsepower. This helps make the SUV extremely punchy and responsive
Price
Edge: Kia Sorento
Starting at a complete $10,000 cheaper than the Highlander, the Sorento is the best SUV funds choose. If you want something a little bit fancier, you can always opt for premium trim and 2nd-row captain-style seats. You’ll nevertheless arrive out a lot cheaper than the base Highlander, which is at least well worth taking into consideration.
Cargo Space:
Edge: Toyota Highlander
With almost 10 far more cubic feet of cargo place than the Sorento, the Highlander is a great deal much more suited to hauling heaps of objects. No make a difference precisely what you’re transporting, you are going to be grateful for the extra room in the back and all through the cab.
Seating:
Edge: Toyota Highlander
If you’re acquiring an SUV, then chances are having a lot of seats is crucial to you. If you have a quite big family or frequently haul cargo with your vehicle, it’s worth mentioning that the Highlander has 1 a lot more seat than the Sorento.
- Users note that the newly remodeled Kia Sorento is very nice but won’t be as reliable as the Highlander, and nor will it hold its value as well.
- People note that the Highlander is a better pick if you intend to use it for a long time, but that the Sorento has more amenities and would be better if you intend to trade it in after a couple of years.
- Drivers say that the Highlander is the objectively better SUV, but that the Sorento is an excellent choice if you’re trying to save money.
- Users note that if you’re looking for a Sorento, you should wait and shop around for deals. Kia dealers are known for frequent promotions and special financing deals.
- One user mentioned that the Highlander feels great to drive and is very useful for cargo, but that the Kia has better value for a much lower price.
Both the Kia Sorento and Toyota Highlander are great SUVs, but they’re divided by a $10,000 cost gap. If you can afford the extra money, go with the Highlander. If you’re seeking for something less costly, the odds are great you can find a Sorento significantly marked down. Both way, you can’t go mistaken.
Highlighted Impression Credit score: (Left) Daniliuc Victor, Shutterstock (Right) BONDART Photography, Shutterstock
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