Compare the2026 Kia SorentoVS 2025 Subaru Outback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Sorento and Outback have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento 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 Outback’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 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 Subaru Outback has not been tested.

The Sorento SX has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outback only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Sorento has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Outback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sorento has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Outback and it’s not available on the Base and the Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Compared to metal, the Sorento’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Outback has a metal gas tank.

Both the Sorento and the Outback 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Sorento is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	43%	43%
Neck Stress	139 lbs.	147 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	118/119 lbs.	161/137 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 is much safer than the Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Injury Chance	19%	30%
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	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	POOR

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 is safer than the Subaru Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	25	28
Hip Force	196 lbs.	247 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	116
Spine Acceleration	29 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	196 lbs.	635 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	552 lbs.	674 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Sorento is safer than the Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	64	69
Neck Compression	-89 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.71 in	.94 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.14 in	1.54 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	959 lbs.	1026 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	68	387
Neck Compression	-67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.81 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	469 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	580 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Sorento is 2.6% less likely to roll over than the Outback.

The Kia Sorento has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 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, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Outback is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Sorento comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Outback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Outback ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 24 percent more Kia dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Sorento’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Sorento has a standard 760-amp battery. The Outback’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The Sorento LX/S’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (191 vs. 182) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (181 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Sorento EX/SX’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (281 vs. 260) and 34 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Sorento EX/SX 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Outback 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Sorento	Outback
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	86.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Sorento gets better mileage than the Outback:

			MPG
Sorento
	FWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy
Outback
	AWD	Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Outback XT/Wilderness requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Sorento higher (6 out of 10) than the Subaru Outback (5 to 6). This means the Sorento produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outback every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Sorento’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.8 inches

The Sorento stops much shorter than the Outback:

	Sorento	Outback
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Sorento has larger standard tires than the Outback (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17). The Sorento EX/SX’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (255/45R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The Sorento EX/SX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento EX/SX has standard 20-inch wheels. The Outback’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Sorento 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 Outback doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the Outback (110.8 inches vs. 108.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the Outback Limited XT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Sorento X-Line SX Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Outback Limited (26.5 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Sorento has standard seating for 7 passengers; the Outback can only carry 5.

The Sorento has .2 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front hip room, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear hip room and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Outback.

Cargo Capacity

The Sorento’s cargo area provides more volume than the Outback.

	Sorento	Outback
Third Seat Folded	38.5 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	45 cubic feet	32.6 cubic feet

The Sorento’s cargo area is larger than the Outback’s in almost every dimension:

	Sorento	Outback
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	15.5”/42.5”/76.5”	n.a./42”/75”
Max Width	54”	51”
Min Width	42.4”	43.3”
Height	33”	32.1”

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Subaru Outback is limited to 3500 pounds. The Sorento offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Sorento uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Outback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Sorento 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 Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Sorento and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Sorento is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Sorento’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Sorento has a standard Smart Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start costs extra on the Outback and isn’t available on the Outback Base.

The Sorento SX’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Outback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Sorento’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

Both the Sorento and the Outback offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Sorento has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Outback doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Sorento Prestige has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Outback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia Sorento and the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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