If you are in the market for a great SUV that combines safety, comfort, and technology to offer the most luxurious rides, two options to consider are the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento. Both are great SUVs and ideal for adventurous individuals in Plano, Texas, who are looking for a vehicle to safely get them to any destination. They are both suitable for city life, and in many ways, they are pretty similar to each other.
So how should you go about deciding which to purchase? In this guide, we provide all the info you need to determine which SUV might work better for you.
Powertrain
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The Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento offer the same drive configuration in terms of their transmissions and engines. This includes a turbocharged four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated four-cylinder, both of which are mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions.
Despite these similarities, something notably unique about the Hyundai is that it weighs at least 100 pounds less than its Kia counterpart. This means the Santa Fe feels quicker than the Sorento, which is something that buyers who are after a fun-to-drive factor will love.
Safety Features
Aside from the standard safety elements that you will find in most cars, the Santa Fe and Sorento come with excellent safety features. With the Hyundai Santa Fe, every trim comes with adaptive cruise control, driver attention warning, lane-keeping assist, and forward collision avoidance assist. Whichever trim you settle for, you’ll enjoy the same security features.
Although the Kia Sorento offers many of these features, it falls short in some areas. For instance, Kia purposely includes some of the best safety features only on its higher trims. The adaptive cruise and the cyclist detection are two examples. That means you must be ready to part with more money if you wish to have these features in any of the lower trims.
The Santa Fe, of course, offers an advantage if you are looking for a car that keeps you in the loop on everything happening around you. Regardless of the trim, you settle for, you get the same great features.
Cargo and Towing
The difference in the interior layout of these two SUVs is further evident in the cargo space each can offer, especially when you start folding down the seats. When you fold down the second-and third-row seats of the Sorento, you unlock 75.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Folding just the third row gives you 45 cubic feet of cargo space, but you’re left with just 12.6 cubic feet when the third row is upright.
With the Santa Fe, you can unlock 72.1 cubic feet of cargo space when you fold the second row, which nearly matches the maximum cargo volume of the Sorento. When you’re using all five seats, the Santa Fe provides 36.4 cubic feet of cargo space. That means when both SUVs have all of their rows upright, the Santa Fe offers you more cargo capacity.
As for the towing, the two SUVs have the same capacity. With naturally aspirated engines, they can comfortably pull up to 2,000 pounds and tow up to 3,500 pounds with turbocharged engines; these towing capacities require the use of trailer brakes. The reason for the identical towing capabilities is that they share the same chassis and drivetrain components.
Fuel Economy
Because the two SUVs share the same chassis and drivetrain components, their fuel economy is just about the same. The front-wheel-drive Santa Fe offers 28 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg in the city, and 26 mpg combined. With a turbo engine or all-wheel drive, those numbers go down slightly. For instance, with all-wheel drive, you get 28 mpg on the highway, 21 mpg in the city, and 24 combined. All Hyundai Santa Fe models boast an 18.8-gallon fuel tank.
With the Kia Sorento, the front-wheel-drive models offer you 29 mpg on the highway, 24 mpg around town, and 26 mpg combined. These fuel economy numbers also drop somewhat if you’re cruising with a turbocharged engine or all-wheel drive. The turbocharged engine gives you 29 mpg on the highway, 22 mpg in the city, and 25 mpg combined, while the all-wheel-drive achieves 28 mpg on the highway, 21 mpg around town, and 24 mpg combined. All Kia Sorento models have a 17.7-gallon fuel tank.
Keep in mind, though, that the Sorento is a bit heavier and bigger. The Santa Fe feels lighter and will get you to your destination more efficiently. Plus, it has a larger tank, making it ideal if you do a lot of driving. It offers a higher range per tank than its counterpart.
Technology and Features
Today, technology has an enormous impact on the driving experience, and both of these vehicles come packed with premium technology packages. The Sorento boasts a standard 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the most premium trims come with a 10.25-inch touch screen. Other technologies include wireless charging, at least one USB port for each row, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system.
Features in the Santa Fe are similar. The lower trims have an 8-inch touch screen, while the higher ones have a 10.25-inch touch screen. All models come with steering wheel controls for the audio and cruise control systems, Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Bluetooth connectivity. You get remarkable technologies such as Harman Kardon’s 12-speaker sound system and automatic climate control with higher trims.
When it comes to technology, both vehicles offer a similar experience. However, the Santa Fe provides a more consistent experience across all its trims, giving it the overall advantage.
Which Is Better?
The Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento share a lot of similarities. When deciding which is ideal, you want to focus on whether you need more seating space, the cargo capacity, and the details of each trim. Overall, the Hyundai Santa Fe has some advantages over the Kia Sorento, and it is easy to see why:
- It features the same security features and technologies across all trims.
- It feels lighter on the road and more suitable for those after a fun-to-drive factor.
- It offers more cargo capacity when all seats are upright.
- It offers more range per tank than its counterpart.
Need more information on why Santa Fe makes a better SUV for drivers in Plano, Texas? Get in touch today to speak with our car experts. They will help you understand why the Hyundai Santa Fe is such a great vehicle and guide you in making a purchase decision.