Compare the2024 Lexus TXVS 2023 Kia Sorento

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus TX 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 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The TX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sorento 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.

Both the TX and the Sorento have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

Warranty

The TX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Sorento’s (6/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The TX has more powerful engines than the Sorento:

	Horsepower	Torque
TX 350 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	275 HP	317 lbs.-ft.
TX 500h 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	366 HP	406 lbs.-ft.
TX 550h+ 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid	406 HP
Sorento 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder	191 HP	181 lbs.-ft.
Sorento 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder	281 HP	311 lbs.-ft.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the TX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Sorento:

			MPG
TX
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/28 hwy
Sorento
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
		2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/25 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the TX 500h/550h+’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sorento doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus TX higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Sorento (5). This means the TX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sorento every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The TX 550h+ has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sorento doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	TX 350 4dr Sport Utility	TX 500h/550h+	Sorento
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	15.7 inches	12.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	13.3 inches	12 inches

The TX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sorento are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the TX has larger tires than the Sorento (255/55R20 vs. 235/65R17).

The TX’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 LX’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the TX has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sorento LX. The TX’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Sorento.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the TX’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the Sorento (116.1 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the TX is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Sorento.

For greater off-road capability the TX 550h+ Luxury 4dr Sport Utility has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento (7.7 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the TX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The TX F Sport uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Sorento doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The TX has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room, 1 inch more rear shoulder room, .4 inches more third row headroom, 3.9 inches more third row legroom and 4.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Sorento.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the TX’s middle and third row seats recline. The Sorento’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	TX	Sorento
Behind Third Seat	20.2 cubic feet	12.6 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.4 cubic feet	38.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97 cubic feet	75.5 cubic feet

Towing

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

Servicing Ease

The TX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 63% lower rating, Kia is ranked 26th.

Ergonomics

The TX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Sorento does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The TX Luxury offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sorento doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The TX’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Sorento’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The TX’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 Sorento’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the TX 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. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Sorento can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The TX’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’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The TX Luxury/F Sport has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Sorento doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the TX Luxury/F Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Sorento doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The TX’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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The TX Premium/Luxury has standard front air conditioned seats and the TX offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Sorento doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The TX has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus TX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Sorento S/EX/SX/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The TX Premium/Luxury/F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Sorento doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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