Compare the2024 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2024 Mazda CX-90

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and CX-90 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 CX-90’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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S Premium offers Rear Cross Traffic Braking.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the CX-90 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, 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 163 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CX-90 has not been fully tested, yet.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-90’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-90 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 42 percent more Kia dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below 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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the CX-90 running its gasoline engine:

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 32 miles, up to 10% further than the CX-90 PHEV‘s -mile range on a full charge and a full tank of fuel. The CX-90 PHEV has to start its internal combustion engine after only 26 miles.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-90 PHEV requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 750 pounds less than the Mazda CX-90.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 11.4 inches shorter than the CX-90, making the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the CX-90.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CX-90 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

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 CX-90 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The power windows standard on both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the CX-90 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 CX-90 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 CX-90’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S Premium.

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the CX-90.

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