Compare the2023 Kia SorentoVS 2022 Lexus RXL

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

Safety

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Both the Sorento and RXL 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 RXL’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 RXL doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Sorento and the RXL 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, 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 Kia Sorento is safer than the Lexus RXL:

	Sorento	RXL
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	33.2%
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	412 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	212/405 lbs.	433/719 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	159 lbs.	267 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	81/191 lbs.	403/457 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 Lexus RXL:

	Sorento	RXL
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	44 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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sorento its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 125 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The RXL is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

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 RXL’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lexus covers the RXL. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the RXL ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sorento has a standard 760-amp battery. The RXL’s 580-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 Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

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 Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the RX 350L 3.5 DOHC V6:

	Sorento	RXL
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	7.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	89.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			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
RXL
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy

Regardless of its engine, the Sorento’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RXL Hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 RXL doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Sorento stops much shorter than the RXL:

	Sorento	RXL
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sorento’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RXL (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

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 RXL’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the RXL.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the RX 350L AWD pulls only .75 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 seconds quicker than the RX 350L (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sorento’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the RXL’s (37.9 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Sorento X-Line has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RXL (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Sorento to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Kia Sorento may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 800 pounds less than the Lexus RXL.

The Sorento is 7.9 inches shorter than the RXL, making the Sorento easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Sorento has .5 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 10.8 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear shoulder room, 2 inches more third row headroom, 6.1 inches more third row legroom and 7.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

The front step up height for the Sorento is 1.5 inches lower than the RXL (19” vs. 20.5”). The Sorento’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the RXL’s (19” vs. 20.8”).

Cargo Capacity

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

	Sorento	RXL
Behind Third Seat	12.6 cubic feet	7.5 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	38.5 cubic feet	23 cubic feet
Third Seat Removed	45 cubic feet	n/a
Second Seat Folded	75.5 cubic feet	58.5 cubic feet

Towing

The Sorento’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (2000 vs. 0 pounds).

Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Sorento, using 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. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RXL.

Ergonomics

The Sorento’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The RXL’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 RXL’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Sorento owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sorento will cost $1405 less than the RXL over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Sorento will be $8911 to $13251 less than for the Lexus RXL.

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