Compare the2025 Hyundai Tucson HybridVS 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 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.

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

Both the Tucson Hybrid and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

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

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 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 Tucson Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the Sorento Hybrid’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked fourth.

The Tucson Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 4 more horsepower (231 vs. 227) and 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (271 vs. 258) than the Sorento Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Tucson Hybrid gets better mileage than the Sorento Hybrid:

The Tucson Hybrid stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

For better traction, the Tucson Hybrid SEL Convenience’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sorento Hybrid (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R19).

The Tucson Hybrid Limited handles at .82 G’s, while the Sorento Hybrid EX pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Tucson Hybrid has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento Hybrid (8.3 vs. 6.9 inches), allowing the Tucson Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 500 pounds less than the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

The Tucson Hybrid is 6.9 inches shorter than the Sorento Hybrid, making the Tucson Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Tucson Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Tucson Hybrid has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento Hybrid (107.9 vs. 105.3).

The Tucson Hybrid has .4 inches more rear headroom and .6 inches more rear legroom than the Sorento Hybrid.

The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the Sorento Hybrid with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

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

On a hot day the Tucson Hybrid’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 Tucson Hybrid Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and the Kia Sorento Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Kia Sorento by over two to one during 2023.