Compare the2025 Mazda CX-90VS 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-90 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Mazda CX-90 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-90 Premium has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sorento Hybrid 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-90. But it costs extra on the Sorento Hybrid.

Both the CX-90 and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and available around view monitors.

The Mazda CX-90 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Sorento Hybrid has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The CX-90’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sorento Hybrid runs out after 100,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Kia is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 3 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The CX-90’s standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 53 more horsepower (280 vs. 227) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The CX-90 PHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 96 more horsepower (323 vs. 227) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The CX-90 Turbo S’ standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 113 more horsepower (340 vs. 227) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the CX-90 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

The CX-90 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Sorento Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Both the CX-90 and Sorento Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The CX-90 has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The CX-90 Turbo S’ standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Sorento Hybrid (19.6 vs. 17.7 gallons).

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Mazda CX-90, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Sorento Hybrid.

For better stopping power the CX-90 Turbo S/PHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Sorento Hybrid:

The CX-90 stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

For better traction, the CX-90 has larger standard tires than the Sorento Hybrid (265/55R19 vs. 235/55R19). The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sorento Hybrid (275/45R21 vs. 235/55R19).

The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sorento Hybrid’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-90 Premium/Turbo S has standard 21-inch wheels. The Sorento Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-90’s wheelbase is 12 inches longer than on the Sorento Hybrid (122.8 inches vs. 110.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-90 is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than on the Sorento Hybrid.

The CX-90 Premium Plus handles at .82 G’s, while the Sorento Hybrid EX pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-90 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sorento Hybrid EX (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the CX-90 has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento Hybrid (8 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the CX-90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-90 PHEV Premium/Turbo S’ minimum ground clearance is 1.2 inches higher than on the Sorento Hybrid (8.1 vs. 6.9 inches).

The CX-90 offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Sorento Hybrid can only carry 6.

The CX-90 has 36.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento Hybrid (141.6 vs. 105.3).

The CX-90 has .3 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more third row headroom, .8 inches more third row legroom and .3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Sorento Hybrid.

The CX-90’s cargo area provides more volume than the Sorento Hybrid.

The CX-90’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Sorento Hybrid’s (3500 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Kia Sorento Hybrid is only 2000 pounds. The CX-90 offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The CX-90 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Sorento Hybrid 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 CX-90 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Sorento Hybrid. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The CX-90 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-90’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 Hybrid’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

On a hot day the CX-90’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sorento Hybrid can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-90’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 Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-90 Turbo S has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-90’s optional 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 Hybrid has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The CX-90 Premium Plus/Turbo S has standard front air conditioned seats and the CX-90 Turbo S Premium Plus also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.