Compare the2023 Hyundai Santa Fe HybridVS 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Santa Fe Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Sorento Hybrid.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Sorento Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	296	334
Neck Injury Risk	16%	21%
Neck Stress	149 lbs.	168 lbs.
Neck Compression	13 lbs.	22 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	50/51 lbs.	212/405 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	244	390
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	53%
Neck Stress	99 lbs.	159 lbs.

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

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 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Sorento Hybrid
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
Hip Force	576 lbs.	579 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Santa Fe Hybrid is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the Sorento Hybrid.

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 Santa Fe Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento Hybrid is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sorento Hybrid’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Santa Fe Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento Hybrid.

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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s reliability 29 points higher than the Sorento Hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is faster than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Sorento Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	8.2 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.6 MPH	87.2 MPH

The Santa Fe Hybrid stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

	Santa Fe Hybrid	Sorento Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	130 feet	132 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

For greater off-road capability the Santa Fe Hybrid has a 1.35 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento Hybrid (8.2 vs. 6.85 inches), allowing the Santa Fe Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Santa Fe Hybrid has .9 inches more front headroom, 2.7 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more rear legroom, 1.2 inches more rear hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sorento Hybrid.

The front step up height for the Santa Fe Hybrid is 1.5 inches lower than the Sorento Hybrid (17.5” vs. 19”). The Santa Fe Hybrid’s rear step up height is .7 inches lower than the Sorento Hybrid’s (18.3” vs. 19”).

The Santa Fe Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the Sorento Hybrid with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Santa Fe Hybrid easier. The Santa Fe Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Sorento Hybrid’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

The Santa Fe Hybrid uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento Hybrid 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.

The Santa Fe Hybrid’s front power windows 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 Hybrid’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

Both the Santa Fe Hybrid and the Sorento Hybrid have standard heated front seats. The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Sorento Hybrid.

The Santa Fe Hybrid Limited’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Santa Fe Hybrid will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Santa Fe Hybrid will retain 50.72% to 50.86% of its original price after five years, while the Sorento Hybrid only retains 45.41% to 46.07%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid will be $1045 to $2618 less than for the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Hyundai Santa Fe outsold the Kia Sorento by 43% during 2022.