Compare the2024 Dodge DurangoVS 2024 Kia Sorento

The Durango has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sorento doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Durango and the Sorento 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and front and rear parking sensors.

The Dodge Durango weighs 630 to 1655 pounds more than the Kia Sorento. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Dodge Durango is safer than the Kia Sorento:

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 Dodge Durango is safer than the Kia Sorento:

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

The Durango’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sorento runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Durango’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Durango has a standard 160-amp alternator (180-amp - Durango optional and 220 optional). The Sorento’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Durango has a standard 850-amp battery. The Sorento only offers a 760-amp battery.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

The Durango has more powerful engines than the Sorento:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Durango V8’s fuel efficiency. The Sorento doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Durango has 6.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sorento (24.6 vs. 17.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Durango’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.

For better traction, the Durango has larger standard tires than the Sorento (265/60R18 vs. 235/65R17). The Durango R/T Tow N Go’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sorento (295/45R20 vs. 255/45R20).

The Durango SXT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 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 Durango SXT has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sorento LX.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Durango can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Sorento doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Durango offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Sorento; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Durango 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’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Durango offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Sorento doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Durango’s wheelbase is 9 inches longer than on the Sorento (119.8 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Durango has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento (8.1 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Durango to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Durango has 36.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento (141.4 vs. 105.3).

The Durango has 1.4 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more rear hip room, 1 inch more third row headroom and 3.9 inches more third row legroom than the Sorento.

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

The Durango’s cargo area is larger than the Sorento’s in almost every dimension:

The Durango’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sorento’s (6200 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sorento is only 3500 pounds. The Durango 4x4 offers up to a 8700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Durango V8 4WD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Durango can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sorento can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Durango 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.

The engine in the Durango is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Sorento. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

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

The Durango’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sorento’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Durango’s headlight performance “Good” to “Very Good” (depending on model and options), a higher rating than the Sorento’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The Durango’s standard rear view mirror and optional 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 Durango 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 Sorento Prestige.

The Durango 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.