Compare the2023 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Outlander PHEV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid 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 Outlander PHEV’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.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Outlander PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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.

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 Plug-In Hybrid the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Outlander PHEV has not been tested, yet.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s warranty.

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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 70 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 28th, 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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 14th.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (261 vs. 248) than the Outlander PHEV’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Outlander PHEV running its gasoline engine (35 city/33 hwy vs. 25 city/27 hwy).

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 Outlander PHEV 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 Outlander PHEV’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Outlander PHEV.

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 Outlander PHEV; 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 4.3 inches longer than on the Outlander PHEV (110.8 inches vs. 106.5 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander PHEV.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard flush composite headlights. The Outlander PHEV has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has 1.7 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room, 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.7 inches more third row headroom, 10.5 inches more third row legroom, .4 inches more third row hip room and 1.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Outlander PHEV.

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Outlander PHEV’s in almost every dimension:

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 Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Outlander PHEV’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The power windows standard on both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Outlander PHEV have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander PHEV prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Outlander PHEV’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’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 Outlander PHEV’s power window, power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Outlander PHEV’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mitsubishi only offers heated mirrors on the Outlander PHEV SE/SEL.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Outlander PHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 costs extra on the Outlander PHEV.

A built-in pollen filter removes pollen, exhaust fumes and other pollutants from the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s passenger compartment. This helps prevent lung and/or sinus irritation which can trigger allergies or asthma. The Outlander PHEV’s air conditioner doesn’t offer a filtration system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Outlander PHEV SE/SEL offers wireless charging.

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

The Kia Sorento outsold the Mitsubishi Outlander by almost two to one during 2022.