Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraverseVS 2021 Kia Sorento HEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the Chevrolet Traverse’s middle seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Kia Sorento HEV doesn’t offer comfort guides on its middle seat belts.

The Traverse has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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

The Traverse (except LS) offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sorento HEV only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Traverse and the Sorento HEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Traverse the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento HEV has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Traverse’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Sorento HEV’s (6/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Traverse second among midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Sorento HEV isn’t in the top three.

Engine

The Traverse’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 83 more horsepower (310 vs. 227) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. 258) than the Sorento HEV’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Traverse FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sorento HEV (19.4 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Traverse AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sorento HEV (21.7 vs. 17.7 gallons).

The Traverse has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Chevrolet Traverse, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sorento HEV.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Traverse has larger tires than the Sorento HEV (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R17).

The Traverse’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sorento HEV’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Traverse has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Sorento HEV. The Traverse offers optional 20-inch wheels.

The Chevrolet Traverse’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Kia Sorento HEV only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Traverse has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse’s wheelbase is 10.1 inches longer than on the Sorento HEV (120.9 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Traverse is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Sorento HEV.

For greater off-road capability the Traverse has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento HEV (7.5 vs. 6.85 inches), allowing the Traverse to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the Traverse offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Traverse uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Traverse has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Sorento HEV can only carry 6.

The Traverse has 2.5 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room, 4.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.4 inches more third row headroom, 3.9 inches more third row legroom, 6 inches more third row hip room and 4.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Sorento HEV.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Traverse	Sorento HEV
Behind Third Seat	23 cubic feet	12.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.8 cubic feet	38.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	98.2 cubic feet	75.5 cubic feet

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Traverse easier. The Traverse’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.6 inches, while the Sorento HEV’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sorento HEV is limited to 3500 pounds. The Traverse offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Traverse can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Traverse can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sorento HEV can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Servicing Ease

The Traverse uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento HEV uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Traverse Premier/High Country, the memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster) and outside mirror angle. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Traverse Premier/High Country’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Traverse’s front power windows lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Sorento HEV’s passenger windows don’t open automatically.

On a hot day the Traverse’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sorento HEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Traverse’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

When the Traverse Premier/High Country is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Sorento HEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Traverse LT Leather/RS/Premier/High Country’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sorento HEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Traverse and the Sorento HEV offer available heated front seats. The Traverse Premier/High Country also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Sorento HEV.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Traverse Premier/High Country keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Traverse’s optional (except LS) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Traverse (except LS)’s available 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 Sorento HEV’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

The Traverse (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Sorento HEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.