Kia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander

Interior Space & Comfort

The Kia Sorento is spacious as a midsize SUV, offering a 7-passenger seating capacity. Both models offer three rows of seating for their respective passengers, but the Kia Sorento has a few advantages in this category. Take a look at the table below:

To start things off, let’s consider each of their passenger volumes. The Sorento provides you with a spacious 154.2 cubic feet of passenger volume. The Toyota Highlander only offers a passenger volume of 141.3 cubic feet. These passenger volume numbers really do make it clear that it’s the Kia Sorento that allows its occupants to move around the cabin freely in order to make themselves feel comfortable.

In the front row, the Sorento has a notable advantage in terms of legroom by measuring in at 44.1 inches, as opposed to the 42 inches of first-row legroom that you’re going to find in the Highlander. In the third row, the Sorento leads with 31.7 inches of legroom, while the Toyota Highlander cramps its third-row passengers with a mere 27.7 inches of legroom.

Learn more in the full Kia Sorento Interior Review!

Sorento vs Highlander: Style & Convenient Touches

Both of these SUVs offer stylish appearances and they even share some similarities. However, when you get closer, you begin to see the notable style differences. From the front end, the Kia Sorento offers a sleek and refined front that’s complete with a small but pronounced grille. The Toyota Highlander features a somewhat boxy front that includes an overpowering grille that just seems too large and out of place for a model of this size.

From the profile, the Sorento seems to have a smoother body and outline than the Toyota Highlander. Even though both rides offer their unique style characteristics, it’s the Sorento that’ll effectively catch your eye, as well as turn some heads.

The Kia Sorento continues to outshine the Toyota Highlander as we move on to the category of convenience. First, there’s the 14-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, which includes 4-way power lumbar support. The Sorento uses this to ensure you’re able to enjoy a comfortable driving position, no matter how long the ride proves to be. The Highlander only has a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat available.

Speaking of longer drives, if you’re planning on spending a lot of time on the road, you’ll be interested to know the Kia Sorento is available with a Driver Attention Warning (DAW). In the event fatigue has set in—making it more difficult to devote the proper attention to the road in front of you—this system will kick in to alert you. As a result, you will have the opportunity to pull over and get some rest if you feel this is necessary. This is not something you’re going to find in the Toyota Highlander.

The Smart Welcome is another feature that’s only found in the Sorento. This feature can sense when your Smart Key is approaching the Kia vehicle and can immediately turn on the exterior pocket lights to make it easier for you to see the door handles at night.

Deciding Between the Kia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander

Now that you have more details on these two SUVs and how they compare to one another, you’re closer to making the choice that’s right for you. At The Kia Store, we hope this comparison provided you with the details you were looking for to help you see the many advantages the Sorento has. You can always drop by our dealership to take a closer look and even get behind the wheel to experience it out on the road.

Stop in to see us today or contact us to schedule a good day and time to take a test drive here at our dealership. We’re proud to be a key automotive resource for drivers all over Louisville, Kentucky; Elizabethtown, Kentucky; and Clarksville, Indiana. We’re here to help you choose the model you’ll be driving off the lot.

1. EPA fuel economy estimates. Actual mileage will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits, and your vehicle’s condition. These estimates reflect EPA’s revised coefficients beginning with some 2017 models.