Compare the2023 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

The Kia Sorento Plug-In 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 Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Santa Fe 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, all wheel drive, 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 and driver alert 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 Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid:

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

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th, 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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 35 more horsepower (261 vs. 226) than the Santa Fe Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid running on electricity gets better mileage than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Santa Fe Hybrid:

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The Santa Fe Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Santa Fe Hybrid Blue’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Santa Fe Hybrid Blue.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Santa Fe Hybrid; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the Santa Fe Hybrid (110.8 inches vs. 108.9 inches).

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard seating for 6 passengers; the Santa Fe Hybrid can only carry 5.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Santa Fe Hybrid.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid. The Santa Fe Hybrid doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’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 Santa Fe Hybrid’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Santa Fe Hybrid Blue/SEL’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Santa Fe Hybrid Limited.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.