Compare the2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2025 Lincoln Aviator

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

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

Both the Sorento Plug-In 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 and available 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 Plug-In 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 Plug-In 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 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 Aviator’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Plug-In 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 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 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.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions for 30 miles. The Aviator can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento Plug-In 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 Plug-In Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. 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 Plug-In Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Lincoln Aviator (5). This means the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Aviator every 15,000 miles.

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

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

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has 1.3 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 Plug-In Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened and closed 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.

When the Sorento Plug-In 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.

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