Compare the2025 Kia Sorento HybridVS 2025 Lincoln Aviator

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

Both the Sorento Hybrid and the Aviator 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, 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 Lincoln Aviator:

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

The Kia Sorento Hybrid achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Aviator is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

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 Aviator’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Hybrid 4 years and 30,000 miles longer than Lincoln covers the Aviator. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Aviator ends after only 6 years or 70,000 miles.

There are over 47 percent more Kia dealers than there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sorento Hybrid’s warranty.

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 19 points higher than the Aviator.

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 Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is ranked 25th, 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 Lincoln 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, Lincoln is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 13 places higher in reliability than Lincoln.

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

Regenerative brakes improve the Sorento Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Aviator doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Sorento Hybrid higher (6 out of 10) than the Lincoln Aviator (5). This means the Sorento Hybrid produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Aviator every 15,000 miles.

The Sorento Hybrid stops shorter than the Aviator:

For better maneuverability, the Sorento Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Aviator’s (37.9 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

The Kia Sorento Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 550 pounds less than the Lincoln Aviator.

The Sorento Hybrid is 9.7 inches shorter than the Aviator, making the Sorento Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento Hybrid has 1.7 inches more rear legroom, .4 inches more third row legroom and 1.6 inches more third row hip room than the Aviator.

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 Aviator doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Consumer Reports rated the Sorento Hybrid’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Aviator’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

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 Aviator’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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

The Kia Sorento outsold the Lincoln Aviator by almost six to one during 2023.