Compare the2025 Kia SorentoVS 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Both the Sorento and the Santa Fe Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Sorento is safer than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

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 EX/SX’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 50 more horsepower (281 vs. 231) and 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 271) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Sorento EX/SX 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

Both the Sorento and Santa Fe Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Sorento has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Kia Sorento, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Sorento offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Sorento stops shorter than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Sorento 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 Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the Santa Fe Calligraphy Hybrid AWD (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Sorento X-Line/X-Pro has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Santa Fe Hybrid (8.2 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Sorento to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Kia Sorento may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 600 pounds less than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

The Sorento has .2 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear hip room than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

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

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is limited to 2000 pounds. The Sorento offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sorento, based on reliability, safety and performance.