Compare the2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Highlander Hybrid’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Highlander Hybrid 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Plug-In Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	38.2%
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	347 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	55 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	159 lbs.	179 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	81/191 lbs.	545/323 lbs.

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

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 Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Plug-In Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	15 inches
HIC	280	366
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	41 G’s

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

Warranty

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 Highlander Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Highlander Hybrid. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Highlander Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th.

Engine

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 more horsepower (261 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

Tires and Wheels

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander Hybrid XLE’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Highlander Hybrid XLE.

Suspension and Handling

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

Chassis

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 5.3 inches shorter than the Highlander Hybrid, making the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has .7 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more third row headroom and 1.6 inches more third row legroom than the Highlander Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Ergonomics

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid SX Prestige’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.