Compare the2024 Kia Sorento HybridVS 2024 Ford Escape FHEV

Both the Sorento Hybrid and Escape FHEV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento 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 Escape FHEV’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.

Both the Sorento Hybrid and the Escape FHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

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 Kia Sorento Hybrid is safer than the Ford Escape FHEV:

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

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 front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sorento Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 126 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape FHEV is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

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

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Sorento Hybrid’s reliability 11 points higher than the Escape FHEV.

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford 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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 12 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Sorento Hybrid’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 35 more horsepower (227 vs. 192) than the Escape FHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Kia Sorento Hybrid is faster than the Ford Escape FHEV:

The Sorento Hybrid has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape FHEV (17.7 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Sorento 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 Escape FHEV are solid, not vented.

The Sorento Hybrid stops shorter than the Escape FHEV:

For better traction, the Sorento Hybrid has larger tires than the Escape FHEV (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento Hybrid’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Escape FHEV (110.8 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento Hybrid is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Escape FHEV.

The Sorento Hybrid EX handles at .80 G’s, while the Escape FHEV AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento Hybrid EX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape FHEV AWD (27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Sorento Hybrid has standard seating for 6 passengers; the Escape FHEV can only carry 5.

The Sorento Hybrid has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape FHEV (105.3 vs. 102.2).

The Sorento Hybrid has .3 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Escape FHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sorento Hybrid’s middle row seats recline. The Escape FHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

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

The Sorento Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Escape FHEV’s in almost every dimension:

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento Hybrid’s optional second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape FHEV 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 Hybrid. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sorento Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Sorento Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escape FHEV’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Sorento Hybrid’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Escape FHEV’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sorento Hybrid’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape FHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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

The Sorento Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape FHEV.

When the Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape FHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Sorento Hybrid has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Escape FHEV. The Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape FHEV.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Escape FHEV.

The Sorento Hybrid SX Prestige has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Escape FHEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento Hybrid and the Ford Escape FHEV, based on reliability, safety and performance.