Compare the2027 Kia Sorento Hybrid VS 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Both the Sorento Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento 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.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Kia Sorento Hybrid achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid has not been tested.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sorento 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 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 Hybrid and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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, available all-wheel drive and 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 Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	23%	38.2%
Neck Stress	208 lbs.	347 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	139 lbs.	179 lbs.
Neck Compression	52 lbs.	90 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	118/119 lbs.	545/323 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Sorento Hybrid is much safer than the Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Sorento Hybrid is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	55
Hip Force	196 lbs.	300 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	114
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	37 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	15 inches
HIC	228	366
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	552 lbs.	664 lbs.

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

The Kia Sorento Hybrid (built after September 2025) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2026 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test, and a “Good” score in the revised vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention test. The Highlander Hybrid is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2026.

The Sorento 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 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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 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 above average in initial quality. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Sorento Hybrid stops shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

	Sorento Hybrid	Highlander Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	132 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	148 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

The Sorento 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 Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Highlander Hybrid XLE.

The Sorento 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.

The Sorento Hybrid EX handles at .80 G’s, while the Highlander Hybrid Platinum pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento Hybrid EX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Highlander Hybrid Platinum (27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Kia Sorento Hybrid may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 350 pounds less than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

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

The Sorento Hybrid has .7 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more third row headroom and 1.6 inches more third row legroom than the Highlander Hybrid.

The Sorento 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 Hybrid’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Sorento 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.

The Sorento Hybrid is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento Hybrid and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Kia Sorento outsold the Toyota Highlander by 69% during 2025.