Compare the2021 Kia SorentoVS 2021 Buick Enclave

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia Sorento are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Buick Enclave doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

Both the Sorento and Enclave have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Enclave’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Kia Sorento 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 Enclave doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sorento Prestige/X-Line has a standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Rear that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Enclave doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sorento offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Enclave doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Sorento’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Enclave doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sorento and the Enclave have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Sorento comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Enclave’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Buick covers the Enclave. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Enclave ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sorento has a standard 760-amp battery. The Enclave’s 730-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sorento first among midsize suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Enclave isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked 7th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Buick vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Buick is ranked fifth.

The Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 45 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 266) than the Enclave’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Buick Enclave:

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento gets better fuel mileage than the Enclave:

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 Enclave doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Sorento’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Enclave:

The Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Enclave’s optional 55 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Sorento’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Enclave’s (37.8 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sorento has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Enclave (8.2 vs. 7.7 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 550 to 650 pounds less than the Buick Enclave.

The Sorento is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Enclave, making the Sorento easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento has .2 inches more front legroom and 2.8 inches more rear legroom than the Enclave.

The Sorento has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Enclave doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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

The Sorento’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Enclave’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Sorento Prestige/X-Line’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The Enclave’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The Sorento has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Enclave doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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