Paddy Rall
Despite having grown up with cars, Patrick Rall has been writing about the automobile business for more than ten years. He spent a lot of time driving and working on all kinds of automobiles at the track because he was raised in his father’s performance business.
In the crowded mid-sized SUV market, the Hyundai Sante Fe and the Kia Sorento compete.
However, despite the fact that they frequently get overlooked in favor of more well-known brands, these two Korean models are the best if you want tons of material without spending a fortune. The Hyundai and Kia brands were initially the go-to options for motorists who were just interested in getting the best deal on a car, but over the past 20 years, they have evolved into market leaders in terms of value.
The Kia Sorento and Hyundai Sante Fe both meet the criteria for a mid-sized sport utility vehicle that provides a long list of premium amenities both inside and out without costing a premium. These two mid-sized SUVs have significantly diverse interior designs, despite sharing a common basic chassis framework and many drivetrain parts. Which one is best for you, considering how closely the two are related, aside from the seating arrangement?
Today, we compare the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Sante Fe’s major attributes and features, examining their similarities and differences as well as which vehicle performs best in the key categories.
In This Article...
SERPRESULT
Due to their corporate kinship, the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe are comparable in many aspects, including their shared technologies and powertrains.
Behind the rear row, the new 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe features larger cargo space than the Kia Sorento.
Price
According to US News, the Kia Sorento is more expensive than the Hyundai Santa Fe. But the starting point is extremely similar. The base variants of the Sorento start at $25,990 and go as high as $44,690. As an alternative, the Santa Fe starts at $25,000, just $1,000 more than its rival. The most expensive Santa Fes cost just $39,550. Affordableness is where Hyundai outperforms the competition, especially with its more expensive models. With the Sorento, you still get your money’s worth because three rows are standard on all of its versions.
Comparison of the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe; overall rating
Rundown of Vehicle Comparisons
Both the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento are three-row midsize SUVs. Both of them provide all-wheel drive as an option in addition to front-wheel drive as the default. There are many similarities between Kia and Hyundai because they are both owned by the same parent business, but there are also some variances.
The Kia Sorento has a 185-horsepower engine as standard equipment and a 290-horsepower engine as an option. The Hyundai Santa Fe has 290 horsepower as standard.
Both of these SUVs have different amounts of cargo space. When the second and third rows are folded, the Sorento offers 73 cubic feet of room, which is much less than the Santa Fe’s 83.2 cubic feet. This is a significant discrepancy, which is probably caused by the Santa Fe’s extra six inches in length.
The decision between these two vehicles boils down to personal preference, unless you really require the additional cargo space provided by the Hyundai Santa Fe. See which one better meets your needs after testing out both and driving them. For regular family use, either the Kia Sorento or the Hyundai Santa Fe are good options.
Specs
The seating of the Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia Sorento is a significant distinction that needs to be made clear right away in the comparison. In contrast to the Sorento, which has three rows of seats and can accommodate up to eight passengers, the Santa Fe only has two rows and can accommodate up to five passengers. This aspect may be crucial if you routinely transport large groups of individuals. Now that this has been made clear, let’s discuss the engines in each car.
The powertrain options for the Sorento and Santa Fe are identical. You can choose between a 2.5-liter engine with 191 horsepower and a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 281 horsepower. There is almost no distinction between these two excellent possibilities, therefore they won’t affect your choice of vehicle in the end.
Car buyers frequently consider cargo room to be important (especially those searching for an SUV), and the Sorento clearly triumphs in this comparison because it is the larger vehicle. When all the seats are folded down, the Sorento will provide you nearly 76 cubic feet of space. You can maintain the second row of seats up and still have 45 cubic feet. The Santa Fe, on the other hand, offers drivers 36.5 cubic feet of space behind the second row of seats if the seats are up and 72 cubic feet of space with all the seats down. The distance may not be huge, but if you need to transport a lot of stuff, it will undoubtedly matter.
Review of the 2022 Kia Sorento: City MPG: 21 to 25 MPG, Highway MPG: 25 to 28 MPG, and Seating Capacity: 5 seats, 6 to 7
How similar are the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento?
As corporate cousins, the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe are comparable in many aspects, including their shared drivetrains and technological amenities. However, there is at least one significant difference between these midsize SUVs: the Sorento has three rows of seats while the Santa Fe just has two.
What else is comparable to the Hyundai Santa Fe?
The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox is offered with a choice of two turbocharged gasoline engines or a turbocharged diesel engine, as well as front-wheel or all-wheel drive. A 7-inch color touchscreen with AM/FM, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto is included in the base infotainment system. In addition, there are two USB ports and 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity.
Although the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not yet conducted crash tests on this crossover, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given it an overall rating of 5 stars. A special Teen Driver function is one of the standard safety features that tracks a teen’s driving so that parents may support them in forming safe driving practices. There are four trim levels, ranging in price from the Equinox L at the base to the Premier at $31,000.
What is Kia Sorento comparable to?
With its three rows of seating and available hybrid, the Sorento nips out a separate niche.
When we consider the Sorento, we also consider the Lexus RX: Its appearance is intriguing, and hybrid variations are available, although both could benefit from a solid round of aesthetic cleanup and refinement work.
The Ford Explorer, which has available three-row seating and is available in gas-electric and gas variants, may be its main opponent; however, the Sorento shares a platform with the five-seat Hyundai Santa Fe, which also has a plug-in hybrid model.
While the Nissan Murano’s attractive appearance is long overdue for an update, the VW Tiguan offers a third row seat on some variants and a Spartan charm.
What sets a Kia and a Hyundai apart from one another?
Although Kia and the Hyundai Motor Group are separate companies, Kia Motors is a subsidiary of Hyundai. The distinction between Kia and Hyundai is that each brand has its own brand philosophies to build its vehicles in a distinctive manner. As you can see, they are similar but distinct.
Which model, the Hyundai Tucson or Santa Fe, is superior?
While the Hyundai Tucson models have superior predicted highway fuel economy, the Hyundai Santa Fe lineup has more horsepower capacity. Although the Hyundai Tucson has more cargo space than the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Hyundai Santa Fe offers better passenger space.
Are Hyundai and Kia produced in the same facility?
Actually, no. Hyundai is not the same manufacturer as Kia. Since Hyundai Motor Group is their parent firm, they resemble one another more as corporate sisters. Therefore, even though vehicles like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade have similar platforms and structural elements, they are still distinct brands that can stand alone.
In actuality, Kia’s shareholding by Hyundai Motor Group was reduced by 2013. Both brands continued to produce moving forward within Hyundai Motor Group. In the end, Kia gained fame in the British market. has earned credibility as a mainstream brand in the North American market. Likewise, Hyundai. Every year, each brand receives recognition and prizes.
Since 2015, a number of Hyundai Motor Group entities have been partially owned by Kia. While Hyundai and Kia are not the same manufacturer today, they do share a common objective. The focus should be on mobility’s future.
Which brand is superior? Kia or Hyundai?
The conclusion is that, despite the similarity of the vehicles offered by Hyundai and Kia, Kia models offer greater value and better quality, as well as bolder style and a more engaging driving experience. Simply put, no matter what you value most in a car, Kia automobiles are better overall. Of course, it is ultimately up to you to decide. We recognize that purchasing a new car is a significant investment. We advise you to test drive both brands since we are certain that you will ultimately decide on a Kia. Any way you look at it, it’s unquestionably the better option. Please forgive me, Hyundai.
Is the Sorento being discontinued by Kia?
Sorento Kia The automaker’s minivan, one of just four models still available for purchase in the United States, will be terminated in 2022, but the all-new and highly rated Carnival SUV has already taken its place.
Are Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles dependable?
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Hyundai Santa Fe is ranked second among 26 midsize SUVs. It has lower ownership costs than the national average due to the $515 average annual repair cost. The Santa Fe is one of the more dependable automobiles on the road since its maintenance are less severe and more seldom than those for other vehicles.
Is Hyundai more dependable than Kia?
Three of the top four spots are taken by brands owned by the Hyundai Motor Group: Kia, Genesis, and Hyundai in the first year of the newly constructed J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).
Participants are asked to evaluate their cars three years after purchasing them as part of an annual research to see which ones have the fewest reported issues.
The J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Research was conducted in order to analyze the 2019 model-year automobiles in this year’s study (IQS). There may be a connection between the findings of the analysis since seven of the top ten brands in the IQS study are also among the top ten brands in this year’s VDS.
Long-term dependability is even more important because many owners are keeping their cars for longer, according to David Amodeo, director of global automotive at J.D. Power, in a press release.
“When it comes to averting difficulties, some automakers outperform others significantly. These issues include the mechanical, exterior, and interior components of the car, as well as the entertainment, driver aid, and other technological systems found in modern cars.”
The VDS, now in its 33rd year, had a redesign that took into account all of the features and technologies present in contemporary automobiles. In nine primary vehicle categories—climate, driving experience, appearance, features/controls/displays, infotainment, interior, powertrain, seats, and driving assistance—new for 2022—the survey examines 184 individual problem areas.
The study now assesses satisfaction with the state of the car three years after purchase. Owners are questioned about software changes that have been made to their car as well as whether they think it is more appealing today than when they first acquired it.
According to Amodeo, “automakers are increasingly considering how closely customers’ interactions with their vehicles resemble those of other consumer electronics.” “For instance, cell phones often receive over-the-air software updates, and as a result, automakers are increasingly required to use this strategy to address issues, enhance features, and add capabilities in order to maintain customer satisfaction. The best automakers at this will have a tremendous edge.”
Seven of the top 10 issues identified by the study are infotainment-related: voice recognition, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, Bluetooth, insufficient power outlets or USB ports, confusing or challenging navigation systems, infotainment touch screen or display screen, and inaccurate/outdated maps.
For the second year in a row, the Porsche 911 received the top rating for overall vehicle dependability. The 911 has received this distinction three times in the last four years.
The highest-ranking brand was Kia, which improved from third place in 2021. Buick, Hyundai, Toyota, and Dodge are other popular mass market brands that score highly for reliability of their vehicles, placing second, third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
Genesis ranked first among luxury vehicles, followed by Lexus, Porsche, Cadillac, and Lincoln.
On average, mass market brands like Kia and Hyundai experienced less issues than their premium competitors. More technology is frequently found in vehicles from premium manufacturers, which raises the possibility of issues.
The survey also discovered that the quality of mass-produced cars has greatly increased recently and is now on par with that of premium manufacturers.