Compare the2021 Kia SorentoVS 2021 Mazda CX-9

Both the Sorento and CX-9 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 CX-9’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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Sorento are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The CX-9 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 CX-9 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sorento’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-9 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Compared to metal, the Sorento’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-9 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Sorento and the CX-9 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, 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 CX-9’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 Mazda covers the CX-9. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-9 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 39 percent more Kia dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sorento’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Sorento has a standard 150-amp alternator. The CX-9’s 110-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sorento first among midsize suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The CX-9 isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 22nd, below the industry average.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 14th.

The Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 31 more horsepower (281 vs. 250) than the CX-9’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda CX-9:

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento gets better fuel mileage than the CX-9:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Sorento’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The CX-9 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-9 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Sorento higher (5 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-9 (3). This means the Sorento produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-9 every 15,000 miles.

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 CX-9.

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 CX-9 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 CX-9:

The Sorento stops shorter than the CX-9:

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 CX-9 Carbon Edition/Grand Touring/Signature’s 50 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the Sorento’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the CX-9’s (37.8 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

The Kia Sorento may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 500 pounds less than the Mazda CX-9.

The Sorento is 10.4 inches shorter than the CX-9, making the Sorento easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento has 1 inch more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.4 inches more third row headroom and 2.4 inches more third row hip room than the CX-9.

The Sorento’s cargo area provides more volume than the CX-9.

The Sorento has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The CX-9 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento’s optional second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CX-9 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Sorento. The CX-9 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The power windows standard on both the Sorento and the CX-9 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sorento is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-9 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Sorento’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The CX-9’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento and the Mazda CX-9, based on reliability, safety and performance.