The Highlander Limited's optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Sorento doesn't offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening 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.

The Highlander Limited offers optional Pre-Collision System, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn't react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Sorento offers an available collision warning system without the automated brake feature which would prevent or reduce the collision if the driver fails to react.

The Toyota Highlander has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Sorento doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Highlander Limited offers optional Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it's stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Sorento doesn't offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you're involved in an accident and you're incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Highlander and the Sorento have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

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 Toyota Highlander is safer than the Kia Sorento:

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

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2016, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Sorento is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2016.

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn't pay scheduled maintenance for the Sorento.

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander's warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2015 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota third in reliability, above the industry average. With 47 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 20th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Highlander V6 is faster than the Kia Sorento:

For better stopping power the Highlander's brake rotors are larger than those on the Sorento:

The Highlander stops much shorter than the Sorento:

For better traction, the Highlander has larger tires than the Sorento (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R17).

The Highlander'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 L/LX's standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Sorento L/LX.

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .81 G's, while the Sorento LX pulls only .78 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Highlander XLE AWD executes Motor Trend's “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Sorento LX (27.8 seconds @ .62 average G's vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G's).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Sorento (8 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Sorento can only carry up to 7.

The Highlander has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear hip room, 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room, 4.2 inches more third row hip room and 2.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Sorento.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander's middle and third row seats recline. The Sorento's third row seats don't recline.

The Highlander's cargo area provides more volume than the Sorento.

The Highlander's optional rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Sorento's rear cargo window doesn't open.

The Highlander has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Sorento (1455 vs. 930 lbs.).

The Highlander has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Sorento (1455 vs. 1120 lbs.).

The Highlander's standard front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Sorento's standard passenger windows don't open or close automatically. The Highlander Limited/Platinum's front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches.

The Highlander has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The automatic headlight on/off feature is not available on the Sorento L.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Highlander Limited detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Sorento doesn't offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Highlander's standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Sorento doesn't even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

The Highlander XLE/Limited/Platinum's standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Sorento's navigation system doesn't offer real-time traffic updates.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Highlander will retain a greater percentage of its original price after three and five years than the Sorento.

The Toyota Highlander has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander second among midsize SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner's expectations. The Sorento isn't in the top three.