Compare the2025 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

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 45 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’ 2024 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 fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 30 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.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-90 (6). This means the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-90 every 15,000 miles.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 11.2 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 has .6 inches more front headroom and .9 inches more rear legroom than the CX-90.

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.

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.

The Kia Sorento outsold the Mazda CX-90 by almost three to one during 2023.