Compare the2021 Kia SorentoVS 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Both the Sorento and Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross’ 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sorento and the Eclipse Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sorento’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sorento has a standard 760-amp battery. The Eclipse Cross’ 520-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 6th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Mitsubishi vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 5 places higher in reliability than Mitsubishi.

The Sorento 2.5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (191 vs. 152) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 129 more horsepower (281 vs. 152) and 127 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Sorento has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Eclipse Cross AWD’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 15.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Sorento has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Eclipse Cross FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 16.6 gallons).

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

For better traction, the Sorento has larger standard tires than the Eclipse Cross (235/65R17 vs. 215/70R16). The Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Eclipse Cross (255/45R20 vs. 225/55R18).

The Sorento LX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires. The Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento LX has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Eclipse Cross ES. The Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL.

The Sorento has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Eclipse Cross (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento is 4 inches wider in the front and 4.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Eclipse Cross.

The Sorento has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Eclipse Cross can only carry 5.

The Sorento has 10.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Eclipse Cross (105.3 vs. 94.6).

The Sorento has .8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear headroom, 6.4 inches more rear legroom, 3.1 inches more rear hip room and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Eclipse Cross.

The Sorento’s cargo area provides more volume than the Eclipse Cross.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento’s optional second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sorento EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Sorento’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Sorento’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Eclipse Cross’ (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is only 1500 pounds. The Sorento offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Sorento Prestige/X-Line’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 Eclipse Cross’ passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sorento has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Eclipse Cross only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Sorento has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Eclipse Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/SEL.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sorento Prestige/X-Line keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Both the Sorento and the Eclipse Cross offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sorento has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Eclipse Cross’ available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.