Compare the2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid

The Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 1 place higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 12 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 258) than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid (110.8 inches vs. 108.9 inches).

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard seating for 6 passengers; the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid can only carry 5.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has .1 inches more rear headroom and .8 inches more rear legroom than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid SX Prestige’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.