Compare the2022 Volkswagen TiguanVS 2021 Kia Sorento

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Tiguan has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sorento doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Tiguan has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tiguan has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line has a cross-path warning system.

Both the Tiguan and the Sorento 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tiguan the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The Tiguan’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Sorento’s (7/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tiguan for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Tiguan’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Sorento’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Tiguan’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 181) than the Sorento 2.5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Tiguan gets better mileage than the Sorento:

			MPG
Tiguan
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
		R-Line 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Sorento
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
		2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/25 hwy

Both the Tiguan and the Sorento have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All Tiguan’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Tiguan higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Sorento (5). This means the Tiguan produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sorento every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Tiguan	Sorento
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.8 inches

The Tiguan stops shorter than the Sorento:

	Tiguan	Sorento
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sorento SX/Prestige/X-Line’s 45 series tires.

Passenger Space

The Tiguan has 18.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento (123.9 vs. 105.3).

The front step up height for the Tiguan is 1.6 inches lower than the Sorento (17.4” vs. 19”). The Tiguan’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Sorento’s (17.5” vs. 19”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Tiguan easier. The Tiguan’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the Sorento’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

Servicing Ease

The Tiguan uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento 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 three different drivers share the Tiguan SEL R-Line, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Sorento doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Tiguan’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sorento’s parking brake has to released manually.

The Tiguan’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 Sorento’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Tiguan SE/SEL/SEL Premium the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Sorento can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tiguan SEL/SEL Premium R-Line’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Sorento’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Tiguan SE/SE R-Line Black/SEL/SEL Premium R-Line to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Sorento doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

Consumer Reports rated the Tiguan’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Sorento’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Tiguan SE R-Line Black/SEL/SEL Premium R-Line has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sorento doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Tiguan SEL Premium R-Line also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

When the Tiguan SEL Premium is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Sorento’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Sorento doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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