Compare the2026 Subaru ForesterVS 2026 Kia Sorento

The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Sorento doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

The Subaru Forester’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Kia Sorento does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.

Both the Forester and the Sorento 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, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

	Forester	Sorento
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	198	446
Neck Compression	39 lbs.	58 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	276/274 lbs.	276/445 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	211	340
Neck Injury Risk	33.1%	43%

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

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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Kia Sorento:

	Forester	Sorento
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.4 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	84 lbs.	117 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
HIC	167	228

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

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Subaru Forester’s reliability 22 points higher than the Sorento and the Subaru Forester Hybrid is rated 25 points higher than the Sorento.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru second in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 10th.

The Forester’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 3 more horsepower (194 vs. 191) than the Sorento LX/S’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Sorento doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 flat-4 Hybrid	35 city/34 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Sport/Touring 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/32 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	24 city/28 hwy
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
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Forester Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Sorento doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Forester 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 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Forester’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Sorento are solid, not vented.

The Forester stops shorter than the Sorento:

	Forester	Sorento
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

The Forester’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Sorento LX’s standard 65 series tires.

The Forester Sport handles at .82 G’s, while the Sorento X-Pro SX Prestige pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Forester Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sorento X-Pro SX Prestige (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Forester Wilderness’ turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Sorento’s (34.5 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The Forester’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Sorento’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento (8.7 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Forester Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the Sorento (9.3 vs. 8.2 inches).

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 300 pounds less than the Kia Sorento.

The Forester is 6.7 inches shorter than the Sorento LX/S/EX/SX, making the Forester easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Forester 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 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Forester has 5.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Sorento (110.8 vs. 105.3).

The Forester has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Sorento.

The front step up height for the Forester is 3.5 inches lower than the Sorento (15.5” vs. 19”). The Forester’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the Sorento’s (17.25” vs. 19”).

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume than the Sorento with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 12.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Forester easier. The Forester’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.9 inches, while the Sorento’s liftover is 31.7 inches.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Sorento. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Subaru third in service department satisfaction. With a 56% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness/Touring’s exterior PIN entry system. The Sorento doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Forester’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Sorento’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Sorento doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Forester’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Sorento offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Forester has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Sorento S/EX/SX.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Subaru Forester retains 62.8% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 47.74% resale value of the 2026 Kia Sorento after five years, which can save the Subaru’s owner up to $5562 in depreciation.

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Kia Sorento isn't recommended.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Kia Sorento by 85% during 2025.