Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Kia Sorento

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sorento doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, 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.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Kia Sorento:

	Highlander	Sorento
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	292	334
Leg Forces (l/r)	321/243 lbs.	212/405 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	328	390
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	53%

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Warranty

The Highlander’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sorento runs out after 100,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento.

There are over 62 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 19 points higher than the Sorento.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Sorento isn’t in the top three in its category.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Kia is ranked 15th.

Engine

The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 104 more horsepower (295 vs. 191) and 82 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 181) than the Sorento 2.5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 14 more horsepower (295 vs. 281) than the Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Highlander	Sorento
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12 inches

The Highlander’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sorento are solid, not vented.

The Highlander stops shorter than the Sorento:

	Highlander	Sorento
60 to 0 MPH	132 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander L/LE/XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sorento LX.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Highlander’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Sorento (112.2 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento (8 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Sorento can only carry 7.

The Highlander has 36 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento (141.3 vs. 105.3).

The Highlander has .9 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room, .6 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.1 inches more third row hip room and 2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Sorento.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Sorento’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Highlander	Sorento
Behind Third Seat	16 cubic feet	12.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	38.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	75.5 cubic feet

The Highlander’s cargo area is larger than the Sorento’s in almost every dimension:

	Highlander	Sorento
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	17.8”/48”/80.7”	15.5”/42.5”/76.5”
Max Width	50”	54”
Min Width	45.8”	42.4”
Height	31”	33”

Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sorento’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sorento doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’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 Highlander’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 Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Sorento can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander Platinum’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.

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

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sorento doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Sorento doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Highlander Limited/Platinum 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’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Highlander has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige.

The Highlander Limited/Platinum has a 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 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Kia Sorento, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Kia Sorento by almost four to one during the 2021 model year.