Compare the2024 Volvo XC90VS 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC90 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 XC90’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC90 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Kia Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The Volvo XC90 offers an optional built in child booster seat. It’s more crash worthy than an added child seat because of its direct attachment to the seat. Kia doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the Sorento Hybrid. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC90 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC90 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC90’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Sorento Hybrid’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC90 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The XC90 has standard Post-impact 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the XC90. But it costs extra on the Sorento Hybrid.

Both the XC90 and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors and available 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 Volvo XC90 is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	137	334
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	22 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	217	390
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	53%
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	89 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 Volvo XC90 is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	15 inches
HIC	209	280
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	32 G’s
Hip Force	383 lbs.	579 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC90 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento Hybrid was last a “Top Safety Pick Plus” in 2019 but no longer qualifies.

Warranty

The XC90’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sorento Hybrid’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC90 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento Hybrid.

Reliability

The battery on the XC90 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC90’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Sorento Hybrid’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

Engine

The XC90 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 20 more horsepower (247 vs. 227) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The XC90 B6’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 68 more horsepower (295 vs. 227) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The XC90 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 228 more horsepower (455 vs. 227) and 265 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder is faster than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
Zero to 30 MPH	2.3 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	8.4 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	11.2 sec	13.8 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.5 sec	4.2 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.4 MPH	87.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 running on electricity gets better mileage than the Sorento Hybrid:

			MPGe
XC90
	AWD	T8 Electric Motor	59 city/57 hwy
Sorento Hybrid
			MPG
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	39 city/35 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/33 hwy

The XC90 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The Sorento Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The XC90 has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sorento Hybrid (18.8 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC90 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.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC90, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sorento Hybrid.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC90’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Sorento Hybrid:

	XC90 B5/B6	XC90 T8	Sorento Hybrid
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	14.4 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	13.4 inches	12.8 inches

The XC90 stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	121 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC90’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sorento Hybrid (275/45R20 vs. 235/65R17).

The XC90’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sorento Hybrid’s standard 65 series tires. The XC90’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Sorento Hybrid’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC90 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sorento Hybrid. The XC90’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Sorento Hybrid.

Suspension and Handling

The XC90 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Sorento Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XC90 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC90’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC90’s wheelbase is 6.7 inches longer than on the Sorento Hybrid (117.5 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

The XC90 B6 Core handles at .85 G’s, while the Sorento Hybrid EX pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XC90 B6 Core executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sorento Hybrid EX (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC90 has a 1.95 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento Hybrid (8.8 vs. 6.85 inches), allowing the XC90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The XC90 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 3.05 inches higher than on the Sorento Hybrid (9.9 vs. 6.85 inches).

Passenger Space

The XC90 has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Sorento Hybrid can only carry 6.

The XC90 has .4 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more rear hip room, 2.3 inches more third row legroom and 2.4 inches more third row hip room than the Sorento Hybrid.

The front step up height for the XC90 is 3.2 inches lower than the Sorento Hybrid (15.8” vs. 19”). The XC90’s rear step up height is 3 inches lower than the Sorento Hybrid’s (16” vs. 19”).

Cargo Capacity

The XC90’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sorento Hybrid.

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
Second Seat Folded	85.7 cubic feet	75.5 cubic feet

The XC90’s cargo area is larger than the Sorento Hybrid’s in every dimension:

	XC90	Sorento Hybrid
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	21.8”/49.6”/80.3”	15.5”/42.5”/76.5”
Max Width	54.7”	54”
Min Width	44.5”	42.4”
Height	35”	33”

Towing

The XC90’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sorento Hybrid’s (5000 vs. 2000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The XC90 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige, the XC90 Ultimate has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The XC90 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 XC90’s front power windows 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.

If the windows are left open on the XC90 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sorento Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The XC90’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 Sorento Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC90 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC90 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XC90 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights. The XC90 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The XC90’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sorento Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the XC90 and the Sorento Hybrid have standard heated front seats. The XC90 also offers optional heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the Sorento Hybrid.

The XC90 Ultimate offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Sorento Hybrid.

Recommendations

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Volvo XC90, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.

Motor Trend selected the XC90 as their 2016 Sport Utility of the Year. The Sorento Hybrid has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC90 as the 2016 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Sorento Hybrid has never been chosen.