Compare the2021 Kia SorentoVS 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander

Both the Sorento and Outlander 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 Outlander’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 Outlander 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 Outlander 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 Outlander doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

The Sorento has standard 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Sorento and the Outlander 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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sorento first among midsize suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Outlander 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 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’ 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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 13th.

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 25 more horsepower (191 vs. 166) and 19 lbs.-ft. more torque (181 vs. 162) than the Outlander’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 57 more horsepower (281 vs. 224) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 215) than the Outlander GT’s standard 3.0 SOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento 2.5T AWD Auto turbo 4 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the Outlander GT AWC V6 (21 city/28 hwy vs. 20 city/27 hwy).

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 Outlander 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 Outlander GT requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Sorento has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Outlander AWC’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 Outlander FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 16.6 gallons).

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

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

The Sorento stops shorter than the Outlander:

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

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 Outlander’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line has standard 20-inch wheels. The Outlander’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

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

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 Outlander 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 Outlander (110.8 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento is 4.1 inches wider in the front and 4.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Outlander.

The Sorento has .5 inches more front legroom, 3 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 4.4 inches more rear legroom, 3.2 inches more rear hip room, 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.1 inches more third row headroom, 1.4 inches more third row legroom, 3.1 inches more third row hip room and 2.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Outlander.

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

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sorento’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Outlander doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

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

The power windows standard on both the Sorento and the Outlander 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 Outlander prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Outlander 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 Outlander has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/LE/SP/SEL/GT.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Sorento has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Outlander doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Outlander doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sorento, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mitsubishi Outlander isn't recommended.