Compare the2024 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2023 Mercedes EQB

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and EQB 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 EQB’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 Plug-In Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The EQB doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard Parking Collision Avoidance-Rear that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The EQB doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the EQB.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the EQB 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, 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 EQB has not been 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 EQB’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the EQB. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the EQB ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much 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 Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes 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 Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 50 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 15 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 73 more horsepower (261 vs. 188) than the EQB 250+’s standard electric motor. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 36 more horsepower (261 vs. 225) than the EQB 300’s standard electric motor.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 466 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The EQB’s range is only 227 to 245 miles, after which the minimum time to recharge is 32 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a professionally installed 220-volt charging station can take up to 11 hours and 15 minutes.

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 EQB are solid, not vented.

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 EQB.

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 EQB; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than on the EQB.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has .3 inches more front legroom, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.6 inches more rear legroom, 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 2 inches more third row headroom, .5 inches more third row legroom and 9.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the EQB.

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

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The EQB doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid uses 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. The EQB doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the EQB only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The EQB doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the EQB. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated second row seats aren’t available in the EQB.

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 EQB.

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 EQB.

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

The Kia Sorento outsold the Mercedes EQB by almost 50 to one during 2022.