Compare the2023 Kia SorentoVS 2022 Jeep Cherokee

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Sorento and Cherokee have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige/X-Line has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Cherokee’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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

The Sorento Prestige has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Sorento’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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sorento and the Cherokee 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

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

	Sorento	Cherokee
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	38.2%
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	408 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	41 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	212/405 lbs.	368/516 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 Kia Sorento is safer than the Jeep Cherokee:

	Sorento	Cherokee
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	43 G’s

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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sorento the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Sorento comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Cherokee’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Jeep covers the Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Cherokee ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sorento has a standard 760-amp battery. The Cherokee’s 700-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 23rd, 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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

Engine

The Sorento 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (281 vs. 271) and 72 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 239) than the Cherokee’s standard 3.2 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Jeep Cherokee V6:

	Sorento	Cherokee
Zero to 30 MPH	2.3 sec	2.9 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	8.3 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	10.3 sec	14.3 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.1 sec	4.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	84.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

			MPG
Sorento
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
		2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/25 hwy
Cherokee
	FWD	3.2 DOHC V6	20 city/29 hwy
	AWD	Trailhawk 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
		3.2 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
		Active Drive II 3.2 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
		Trailhawk 3.2 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cherokee with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Sorento has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cherokee (17.7 vs. 15.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Sorento offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Cherokee doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Sorento stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

	Sorento	Cherokee
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sorento has larger standard tires than the Cherokee (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R17). The Sorento’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cherokee (255/45R20 vs. 245/65R17).

The Sorento’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cherokee Limited’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Cherokee’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Cherokee (110.8 inches vs. 106.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Cherokee.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4 pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4 (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Sorento has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Cherokee can only carry 5.

The Sorento has .9 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 5.2 inches more rear hip room and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Sorento	Cherokee
Third Seat Folded	38.5 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	45 cubic feet	27.6 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	75.5 cubic feet	54.7 cubic feet

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

	Sorento	Cherokee
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	15.5”/42.5”/76.5”	n.a./33.9”/67.6”
Max Width	54”	49.2”
Min Width	42.4”	39.4”
Height	33”	28.8”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento’s optional second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Ergonomics

The Sorento Prestige’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Cherokee doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Sorento Prestige’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 Cherokee’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the Sorento’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Sorento has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sorento’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Cherokee’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

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

When the Sorento Prestige 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 Cherokee’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

The Kia Sorento outsold the Jeep Cherokee by over two to one during the 2022 model year.

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