Compare the2023 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape FHEV have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Escape FHEV has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sorento Hybrid 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 Escape FHEV and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and 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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

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

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

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

The Escape FHEV has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

On the EPA test cycle the Escape FHEV gets better mileage than the Sorento Hybrid:

The Escape FHEV 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape FHEV higher (8 out of 10) than the Kia Sorento Hybrid (7). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 5.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sorento Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

The Escape FHEV has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The Escape FHEV stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

For better maneuverability, the Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Sorento Hybrid’s (37.2 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

The Ford Escape FHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 600 pounds less than the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

The Escape FHEV is 9.3 inches shorter than the Sorento Hybrid, making the Escape FHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Escape FHEV has 1 inch more front legroom and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Sorento Hybrid.

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Sorento Hybrid with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape FHEV easier. The Escape FHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Sorento Hybrid’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

The Escape FHEV 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 Escape FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sorento Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Escape FHEV SEL/Titanium’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 Hybrid’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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

The Escape FHEV’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sorento Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Escape FHEV owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Escape FHEV will cost $145 to $1115 less than the Sorento Hybrid over a five-year period.

The Escape FHEV will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Escape FHEV will retain 49.07% to 49.62% 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 Ford Escape FHEV will be $6116 to $6841 less than for the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Ford Escape FHEV and the Kia Sorento Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Ford Escape outsold the Kia Sorento by 65% during 2022.