Compare the2023 Kia Sorento HybridVS 2023 Audi Q5

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 Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The Q5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kia Sorento Hybrid has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige has a standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Rear that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Q5 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sorento Hybrid’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 Q5 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sorento Hybrid and the Q5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Sorento Hybrid is safer than the Audi Q5:

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

The Sorento Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Q5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sorento Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

The Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 26 more horsepower (227 vs. 201) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 236) than the Q5 40 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento Hybrid gets better mileage than the Q5 running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q5 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Sorento Hybrid has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q5 Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (17.7 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Sorento Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 (5 to 7). This means the Sorento Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 every 15,000 miles.

The Sorento Hybrid stops much shorter than the Q5:

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento Hybrid is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Q5.

The Sorento Hybrid EX handles at .80 G’s, while the Q5 45 TFSI Prestige pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Sorento Hybrid’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Q5 40/45 TFSI’s (37.9 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Sorento Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Q5 55 TFSI e’s (37.9 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Sorento Hybrid has standard seating for 6 passengers; the Q5 can only carry 5.

The Sorento Hybrid has .7 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q5.

The Sorento Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q5.

The Sorento Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Q5’s in every dimension:

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sorento Hybrid uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Sorento Hybrid 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 Q5 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sorento Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Sorento Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Q5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q5.

The Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Sorento Hybrid is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q5 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Sorento Hybrid owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sorento Hybrid will cost $405 to $3145 less than the Q5 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Sorento Hybrid will be $12331 to $19738 less than for the Audi Q5.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento Hybrid and the Audi Q5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kia Sorento outsold the Audi Q5/SQ5 by 33% during 2022.