Compare the2026 Ford Escape FHEVVS 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Ford Escape FHEV have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Escape FHEV has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Escape FHEV. But it costs extra on the Sorento Hybrid.

Both the Escape FHEV and the Sorento Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 and available 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 Ford Escape FHEV is safer than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	Escape FHEV	Sorento Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	143	446
Neck Injury Risk	22.5%	23%
Neck Stress	185 lbs.	208 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	58 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	188/315 lbs.	276/445 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	102	340
Neck Injury Risk	36.3%	43%

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 Escape FHEV is much safer than the Sorento Hybrid:

	Escape FHEV	Sorento 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
Thigh Forces L/R	67/90 pounds	202/315 pounds
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	67/90 pounds	202/315 pounds
Leg Forces L/R	382/292 pounds	472/697 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

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

	Escape FHEV	Sorento Hybrid
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	32 G’s
Hip Force	462 lbs.	552 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Escape FHEV’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Sorento Hybrid runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Ford dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Escape FHEV’s warranty.

Reliability

The Escape FHEV has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

The battery on the Escape FHEV is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Escape FHEV’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Sorento Hybrid’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escape FHEV first among compact suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Sorento Hybrid isn’t in the top three in its category.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Escape FHEV is faster than the Kia Sorento Hybrid:

	Escape FHEV	Sorento Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	8.1 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.7 MPH	87.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Escape FHEV gets better mileage than the Sorento Hybrid:

			MPG
Escape FHEV
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/36 hwy
Sorento Hybrid
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/36 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	34 city/34 hwy

The Escape FHEV has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Escape FHEV higher (7 out of 10) than the Kia Sorento Hybrid (6). This means the Escape FHEV produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Sorento Hybrid every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Escape FHEV has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Escape FHEV’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Sorento Hybrid:

	Escape FHEV	Sorento Hybrid
Front Rotors	13 inches	12.8 inches

The Escape FHEV stops shorter than the Sorento Hybrid:

	Escape FHEV	Sorento Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	132 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Escape FHEV’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Sorento Hybrid’s (37.2 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

Chassis

The Ford Escape FHEV may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 pounds less than the Kia Sorento Hybrid.

The Escape FHEV is 9.5 inches shorter than the Sorento Hybrid, making the Escape FHEV easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Escape FHEV uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Escape FHEV has 1 inch more front legroom and .2 inches more rear headroom than the Sorento Hybrid.

Cargo Capacity

The Escape FHEV has a much larger cargo volume than the Sorento Hybrid with its rear seat up (34.4 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Escape FHEV easier. The Escape FHEV’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Sorento Hybrid’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

Towing

The Escape FHEV can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escape FHEV can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Sorento Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Escape FHEV Elite/Platinum offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Escape FHEV’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Sorento Hybrid doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Escape FHEV’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Sorento Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Recommendations

The Ford Escape outsold the Kia Sorento by 57% during 2024.

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