Compare the2025 Kia SorentoVS 2025 Volvo XC90

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Kia Sorento is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Volvo XC90, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Both the Sorento and the XC90 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Sorento is safer than the XC90:

The Sorento comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The XC90’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC90. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the XC90 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Kia dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Sorento’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 Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 79 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volvo is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 15 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Sorento EX/SX 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the XC90 B6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento gets better mileage than the XC90 running its gasoline engine:

Both the Sorento and the XC90 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Sorento’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The XC90 T8 doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XC90 requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Sorento has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XC90. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The Sorento offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The XC90 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Sorento stops shorter than the XC90:

The front and rear suspension of the Sorento uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the XC90, which uses transverse leafs springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the XC90 B6 Ultra pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XC90 B6 Ultra (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Sorento’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the XC90’s (37.9 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Kia Sorento may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 1100 pounds less than the Volvo XC90.

The Sorento LX/S/EX/SX is 5.4 inches shorter than the XC90, making the Sorento easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 4.7 inches more rear legroom, 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room, .5 inches more third row headroom and 6.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the XC90.

The Sorento’s cargo area provides more volume than the XC90.

The Sorento Prestige’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 XC90’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Sorento has standard extendable sun visors. The XC90 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Sorento is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The XC90 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Sorento owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Sorento will cost $1065 to $5110 less than the XC90 over a five-year period.

The Sorento will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Sorento will retain 52.6% to 54.37% of its original price after five years, while the XC90 only retains 49.37% to 51.75%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Sorento, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Volvo XC90 isn't recommended.

The Kia Sorento outsold the Volvo XC90 by over two to one during 2023.