Kia Sportage vs. Sorento: which is better?
Discover the differences between the Sportage & Sorento
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It's no secret Kia makes some of the more compelling SUVs on the market, namely the Sportage and Sorento.
For solid family cars at an affordable price with strong reliability and long warranties, they’re hard to ignore – even if you’re a diehard BMW fan.
But out of these two properly practical SUVs, which should you buy?
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Kia Sportage vs. Sorento: full comparison
There are a few main differences that set these two family SUVs apart.
The first is size, with the Kia Sorento offering seven seats and the Kia Sportage five.
There’s also styling, weight, fuel efficiency, interiors and practicality.
Let’s dive into it...
Kia Sportage overview
The Kia Sportage is the most popular SUV in the brand’s lineup, and on the market in general.
This is because it’s priced well (even more so on the used car market), very practical and a well-sized rival to the fan-favourite Nissan Qashqai.
It’s also been out since 1993, so it’s well-bed-into the SUV landscape.
Kia Sorento overview
The Kia Sorento is larger than the Sportage and is better-suited to larger families, or those who need the extra boot space.
It launched in 2002, making it almost a decade younger than its smaller sibling, but because they both share the same tech, there’s very little in it other than overall size.
Kia Sportage vs. Sorento: which has more style?
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The old saying goes: ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ and in this case, it couldn’t be more accurate.
Looks are subjective, so to say one is prettier than the other is a moot point. But we can pick out key design elements to help you make an informed decision.
The Sportage used to have a very rounded design. In recent years, it’s become sharper and more aggressive-looking, which we think looks better and more purposeful than before.
It has arrow-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs) that add to its aesthetic and a wide range of colours to pick from.
The Sorento is equally as sharp but has a boxier shape, a bit like a Mercedes G-Wagen or an old Hummer.
Competing with the Range Rovers of the luxury SUV world, it has to stand out more to appeal to that type of audience.
What’s the drive like in the Sportage vs. Sorento?
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Get behind the wheel of either car and you’ll be sat high-up with plenty of visibility.
Being SUVs, there’s very little that varies between them when you’re driving on the motorway. But, get into town, and you’ll soon notice a difference – especially when it comes to parking.
Both get great parking sensor systems but sometimes it can still be daunting to park large cars in tight supermarket spaces.
The Sorento, being the bigger car, is a bit harder to manoeuvre. It’s not unmanageable by any means, it just takes some getting used to.
The Sportage is available with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and the Sorento comes with either a 1.6-litre petrol or 2.2-litre diesel.
No matter which you choose, you’ll return strong fuel economy figures of up to 49mpg (this will vary across trims and engines).
Kia Sportage vs. Sorento: interior comparison
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Inside, both cars are well-equipped and come with swish cabins, but the Sorento is definitely more luxurious.
Rivalling the likes of Land Rover, the Sorento needs to keep up by offering plush seats, a cracking infotainment system and all the other mod cons you’d expect in that class.
Both get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as well as the other standard tech features like a solid sound system, safety features and comfortable seats.
As standard, the Sportage gets an eight-inch touchscreen compared to the Sorento 10.25-inch screen. Note you can upgrade the Sportage’s to 12.3 inches in higher trims.
Kia Sportage vs. Sorento size differences
The real difference between the two cars is the size.
Both are SUVs, so they’re bound to be big, but the Sorento tips scales.
Kia Sportage dimensions:
Length: 4515mm
Width: 1865mm
Height: 1645mm
Boot space: 591 litres
Kia Sorento dimensions:
Length: 4815mm
Width: 1900mm
Height: 1700mm
Boot space: 604 litres
Sorento vs. Sportage boot space comparison
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With the Sorento being 300mm longer, you’d expect its boot to be bigger than it is compared to the Sportage.
The Sportage gets a 591-litre boot, whereas the Sorento gets 604 litres.
Fold down the Sportage’s rear seats and this grows to 1,780 litres, with 2,011 litres in the Sorento.
Yes, the Sorento’s boot is larger but in the real world there’s really not much in it.
Is the Kia Sportage or Sorento more reliable?
Kia has a long history of making solid and dependable cars, so the Sportage and the Sorento are bound to be reliable picks.
Both also come with Kia's excellent seven-year warranty, which even transfers to new owners when sold.
Safety is strong, too. Both cars score a full five stars in the most recent Euro NCAP safety tests.
What is the best model: Kia Sportage or Sorento?
If you still can’t decide which is better for you: the Kia Sorento vs. Sportage, then perhaps our short summaries will help.
You should buy a used Kia Sportage if...
> you want a mid-sized SUV with sharp styling
> you don’t need a large SUV
> you’re budget-conscious
You should buy a used Kia Sorento if...
> you need the largest SUV possible on a budget
> you appreciate the finer interiors in life
> seven seats are important to you
Used Kia Sportage vs. used Kia Sorento: which should you buy?
Now you’ve decided which Kia SUV you’d rather have, why not check out our range of used examples?
Browse different ranges and trims of used Kia Sorento cars and used Kia Sportage cars, and you could stumble across your dream ride.