Top 10 Competitors of the 2019 Kia Sorento

2019 Kia Sorento dusk ・ Photo by Kia

The 2019 Kia Sorento is a three-row SUV with room for up to seven passengers. It’s available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive with a choice of either a four-cylinder engine or more powerful V6. It has up to 73 cubic feet for cargo and can tow up to 5,000 pounds. There are six trim levels offering plenty of variety to fit every buyer’s needs, and it’s affordable, with a starting price of $25,990.

There’s a lot to like about the Sorento, but the SUV market is hot so there’s also a lot of competition. If you’re in the market for a 7-passenger vehicle, here are 10 Kia Sorento competitors to consider.

2019 Honda Pilot

The 2019 Honda Pilot has room for up to eight passengers, with optional second-row captain’s chairs that add comfort but bring overall seating down to seven. There’s a choice of either front-wheel or all-wheel drive with a standard V6 engine paired to either a 6-speed or new 9-speed automatic transmission.

The Pilot can tow up to 5,000 pounds with up to 83.9 cubic feet for cargo, which puts it ahead of the Sorento. New this year is standard Honda Sensing safety technology, which includes lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, road departure mitigation, and collision mitigation braking. Choose from six available trims with a starting price of $31,450.

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2019 Toyota Highlander

The 2019 Toyota Highlander has room for eight passengers, with optional second-row captain’s chairs that take seating down to seven. There’s a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive with a V6 engine standard on all but the base model, which offers a less-powerful four-cylinder engine as an option. Equipped with the V6 engine, the Highlander can tow up to 5,000 pounds with room for 83.7 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row of seats.

Standard safety features include pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, auto high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. There’s a range of six trims that start at $31,330.

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2019 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2019 Nissan Pathfinder offers seating for seven passengers and is available in a range of four trims. There’s a standard V6 engine paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission with a choice of either front-wheel or four-wheel drive. Hill start assist is standard with hill descent control available.

The Pathfinder can tow up to 6,000 pounds, which puts it ahead of competitors. When it comes to the interior, there’s up to 79.5 cubic feet for cargo behind the first row. Automatic emergency braking is standard across the lineup, with blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert standard on all but the base model. Pricing on the 2019 Nissan Pathfinder starts at $31,230.

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2019 Dodge Durango

The 2019 Dodge Durango offers flexible seating with room for up to seven passengers. There’s the option for second-row captain’s chairs, which brings seating down to six, or lose the third row and the Durango has room for five. It offers the same variety when it comes to engines with a 3.6-liter V6, 5.7-liter V8, or 6.4-liter V8 for those who put a top priority on performance.

The Durango boasts an excellent tow rating of up to 8,700 pounds when properly equipped. It also has a cavernous interior with room for 85.1 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row. Pricing on the 2019 Dodge Durango starts at $29,995.

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2019 Ford Explorer

The 2019 Ford Explorer has room for up to seven passengers with optional second-row captain’s chairs that take seating down to six. Roll Stability Control and SOS Post-Crash Alert System are standard safety features with optional inflatable rear outboard seatbelts, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with brake support, and lane keep assist.

Power comes from either a 2.3-liter four-cylinder, or a choice of two 3.5-liter V6 engines paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The Explorer is available with front-wheel or four-wheel drive and it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. Inside, there’s room for up to 81.7 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row. The Explorer is available in five trims with a starting price of $32,365.

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2019 Subaru Ascent

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is an all-new model with three rows of seating and room for up to eight passengers. Optional second-row captain’s chairs reduce seating down to seven. The Ascent comes standard with a four-cylinder engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive, regardless of the trim level. This SUV caters to those with an active lifestyle, offering 8.7 inches of ground clearance for off-road adventures and X-Mode with hill descent control.

It can tow up to 5,000 pounds and has room for up to 86.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row. Standard safety includes EyeSight with adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning, and lane keep assist. Pricing starts at $31,995.

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2019 Volkswagen Atlas

The 2019 Volkswagen Atlas comes with seating for seven passengers, or optional second-row captain’s chairs that lowers seating to six. Power comes from either a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with the option for all-wheel drive only with the V6 engine.

The Atlas features an expanded line of standard safety features this year with front assist, blind spot monitor, and rear traffic alert on every trim. There also are automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers. The Atlas can tow up to 5,000 pounds with 96.8 cubic feet for cargo behind the first row. Available in five trims, the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas starts at $30,895.

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2019 Mazda CX-9

The 2019 Mazda CX-9 is an upscale SUV with room for up to seven passengers. Power comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift and sport mode. Standard safety features on the CX-9 include blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, trailer stability assist, and smart city brake support. Additional available safety features include lane keep assist, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, and advanced smart city brake support with pedestrian detection.

The CX-9 offers a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive and can tow up to 3,500 pounds with room for 71.2 feet of cargo behind the first row. Pricing starts at $32,280.

Photo by Mazda

2019 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse comes with seating for up to eight passengers, or seven if you go with the second-row captain’s chairs. It’s available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive in a range of six trims. There’s also a choice of either a 3.6-liter V6 or 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, both paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

The Traverse can tow up to 5,000 pounds and has room for up to 98.2 cubic feet of cargo behind the first row, making it a true cargo hauler. Standard safety includes rear seat reminder and teen driver, which helps you coach new drivers toward better driving habits. Pricing for the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse starts at $29,930.

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2019 Buick Enclave

The 2019 Buick Enclave has seating for up to seven passengers with an elegant and upscale interior. Power comes from a 3.6-liter V6 engine paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission with a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Enclave can tow up to 5,000 pounds with up to 97.6 cubic feet for cargo behind the first row.

Standard safety includes rear park assist, passenger sensing system, and rear vision camera. Optional safety features include forward automatic braking, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, lane change alert, and low speed forward automatic braking. Pricing for the 2019 Buick Enclave starts at $40,000.

Photo by General Motors