Toyota Kluger v Kia Sorento 2021 Comparison

If competition truly improves the breed, then seven-seat family SUV buyers are in for a treat with this comparison.

The freshly-landed new 2021 Toyota Kluger has hit the Australian market running, amassing nearly 3000 sales in its first two months on dealership forecourts and resuming its position as one of the top-selling models in the category.

The fourth-generation Toyota Kluger is larger, stacked with more technology and brings the option of a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain for the first time.

The Kluger’s rival in this comparison might not be the biggest seller, but the Kia Sorento has fast become the benchmark among large seven-seat SUVs that are purpose-built to meet the everyday requirements of Aussie families.

This was reflected in its winning of carsales’ 2020 Car of the Year, but the arrival of the new Kluger intensifies the competition and deserves close scrutiny to determine whether the Sorento still deserves its position as best in class.

Toyota Kluger versus Kia Sorento. Hybrid versus diesel. Let’s go…

On test is the 2021 Toyota Kluger GX hybrid and the diesel-powered 2021 Kia Sorento Sport+.

Both are mid-grade versions in their respective model range , offering seven seats, all-wheel drive layouts and a broad suite of standard equipment.

The most affordable hybrid variant of the new Kluger family in Australia, the GX is priced from $54,150 plus on-road costs.

That compares with $56,850 plus ORCs for the penultimate diesel version of the Sorento range you see here, although the Sport+ does get more standard equipment for the outlay.

In drive-away pricing terms, it’s effectively lineball: the Kluger GX hybrid set at $59,688 and the Sorento Sport+ at $59,690.

Beginning with the Toyota, standard equipment includes LED headlights and tail-lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, cloth seat trim, keyless entry/start, manual dual-zone air-conditioning, five USB ports and auto wipers and headlights.

Entry variants come with an 8.0-inch touch-screen atop the centre console, incorporating AM/FM/DAB+ radio, Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Over in Kia’s camp, the Sorento matches the Toyota in all key areas, but adds larger 19-inch alloy wheels, leather seat upholstery, heated front seats and heated steering wheel, hard-wired satellite navigation and an electric tailgate.

For infotainment, it’s another small victory for the Sorento thanks to the inclusion of a larger 10.25-inch centre touch-screen, a superior seven USB ports and two 12-volt outlets spaced around the cabin.

Both vehicles here are fitted standard with a full-size alloy spare wheel, and are evenly matched with a claimed 2.0-tonne braked towing capacity.

The Kia is backed by a more generous seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty compared to a five-year/unlimited provision for the Toyota.

On the servicing front, the Kluger gains a big advantage. Toyota says the first five years/75,000km of servicing will set owners back a total of $1250, based on 12-month/15,000km intervals.

Over the same period, Kia says the Sorento will cost $2393 to service, based on the same 12-month/15,000km intervals.

It’s a close tussle between these two where safety is concerned. Both the 2021 Toyota Kluger and the 2021 Kia Sorento carry a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on the tough new testing standards introduced last year.

The Toyota Kluger GX and Kia Sorento Sport+ both feature seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that will detect pedestrians and cyclists plus offer intersection assistance, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, active cruise control, lane keeping assistance, automatic high beam, driver fatigue monitoring and speed sign recognition.

The Kluger’s curtain airbags extend all the way to the rear roof pillar, protecting occupants in the third row, whereas the Kia’s curtain airbags only cover the first and second rows.

The Kluger doesn’t offer a front centre airbag like the Sorento, which is designed to prevent head-clash between the driver and front passenger in the event of a crash.

The Sorento also boasts a Safe Exit Assist function designed to ensure you don’t ‘door’ a cyclist or step out in front of a car approaching from behind.

Both vehicles offer front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, however you have to walk further up each model range for a full 360-degree overhead camera.

The biggest point of difference between the 2021 Toyota Kluger and latest Kia Sorento – at least in this comparison – is what drives them.

The Kluger’s headline inclusion is a hybrid drivetrain that combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder combustion engine and two motor generators – one up front and one rear-mounted – that deliver a combined 184kW of power and 242Nm of torque.

Toyota says the Kluger AWD hybrid set-up returns combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 5.6L/100km and CO2 emissions of 128g/km. Toyota recommends use of 95 RON premium unleaded fuel.

The hybrid drives through an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) with an extra Trail mode that “improves traction in slippery off-road conditions” and an e-Four AWD system that allows up to 100 per cent of drive to be sent to the front wheels or up to 80 per cent to the rear, depending on conditions.

Over in Camp Sorento, a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder takes a more conventional path to offer similar efficiency and more torque than the Toyota. Hybrid options are also on their way, but delays have pushed the regular hybrid out until 2022 while a plug-in hybrid model is expected late this year.

Linked to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, the Sorento diesel makes 148kW and 440Nm, reaching peak outputs considerably lower in the rev count. Kia claims a combined fuel efficiency rating of 6.1L/100km and emissions of 159g/km CO2 combined.

Based on the same TNGA-K platform that underpins the latest Toyota RAV4 – among other models – the 2021 Toyota Kluger is considerably bigger in key proportions than the Sorento: 4966mm in length (versus 4810mm), 1930mm in width (versus 1900mm) and 2850mm in wheelbase (versus 2815mm). It also stands taller than the Sorento, at 1755mm (versus 1700mm).

Both vehicles here are suspended by sophisticated MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, the Kia’s subject to a tuning process conducted here on Aussie roads.

Each has a dedicated off-road mode, though they’re hardly geared to tackle Big Red.

Taking a look inside the respective cabin of the 2021 Kia Sorento Sport+ and Toyota Kluger GX hybrid, there is one clear winner: the consumer.

Both vehicles have taken a seismic leap forward in their cabin refinement, technology and presentation in the latest generation.

The Kia’s suave, tech-laden internals are almost good enough to pass off as a luxury SUV, while the Toyota’s generational change brings a welcome improvement in technology and additional cabin space to match its larger on-road footprint.

Aesthetically and in equipment terms, the Kia takes the cake where presentation and technology is concerned. The larger 10.25-inch centre touch-screen, metallic highlights, leather seats and quality soft-touch furnishings combine to deliver a thoughtful, cohesive interior layout.

From the driver’s seat, the Sorento Sport+ finely balances ease of use with the minimalism trend that has swept the car industry – with a dashboard centre fascia that employs a handful of capacitive-touch buttons that combine with umpteen touch-screen menus.

Once accustomed to its layout, the touch-screen is relatively user-friendly, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feel well integrated.

Incidental storage is strong and space feels plentiful for front-row passengers, complemented by comfortable leather-clad seats with warmers and an open forward view.

Second-row space is similarly strong, supported by an array of open cubbies and storage spaces. The rear doors, for example, feature an open area beside the door handle to store your phone, a cup holder up high and a bottle holder down low.

That said, there is no way of remotely adjusting fan speed or climate control temperature from the Kia’s second row. Another gripe: the 60/40 split for the rear seat isn’t as compatible with right-hand drive roads, with the bigger portion of the split located on the left (kerb side).

The Kia features a larger second-row door aperture than the Kluger. Yet its biggest family-related party trick comes in the form of a lone button on each outboard second-row seat.

It offers a one-touch mechanism that simultaneously folds the backrest and moves the second row forward, offering quick and easy access to the third row. Read: no clunky (and multiple) levers like the Kluger.

In addition, the Kia’s walkthrough opening into the third row is slightly larger in this comparison; with the rear seat tilted all the way forward, you have about 25cm of width to squeeze through at the tightest point compared with about 20cm for the Kluger.

The Sorento’s glasshouse also feels more open, meaning second-row passengers can see more.

Once back in the bleachers, occupants will find a single 12-volt outlet and two USB outlets. Space is decent for shorter journeys and occupants get access to separate fan speed controls.

Over in the Kluger’s corner, the interior is also well considered with its technology and presentation, but probably the biggest nod comes in the form of its third-row/boot space.

The Kluger’s dashboard centre fascia continues to employ traditional hard-wired buttons combined with an upgraded but still-smaller 8.0-inch touch-screen in this comparison.

Although it’s not as pretty to look at as the Sorento’s layout, you can jump into the Kluger and more or less feel familiar with its layout straight away. Ditto its touch-screen menus, where everything is clean and legible.

The Kluger offers up a couple of hidey holes in the dashboard and adequate door pockets to squeeze in drink bottles, plus odds and ends.

Second-row space is likewise strong, supported by remote fan speed controls and two additional USB ports. The presence of scratchier plastics is less convincing, ditto the lack of under-thigh support from the second-row seats.

The Kluger’s longer boot dimensions liberate marginally more room than the Kia. However, the clever packaging of the latter tends to offset much of that physical gain in space.

The Kluger’s two ISOFIX attachment points fall short of the four fitted to the Sorento. It also gets two fewer top-tether points, owing to the fact the Kia can handily accommodate child seats in the third row.

The Toyota gets a small nod for cargo volume, with additional room (242 litres versus 187L) behind the sixth and seventh seats and slightly more length with those seats stowed.

But the Kia again fights back with that clever packaging, offering a remote button to stow the second-row seats from the boot area, whereas the Toyota doesn’t. The Sorento’s tailgate also offers electric assistance.

For all of its interior benefits born from a larger layout, the 2021 Toyota Kluger feels its size on the road.

Jumping between the Kia Sorento Sport+ diesel and the Toyota Kluger GX hybrid, this is the immediate observation, both in terms of navigating tight spaces or meandering a series of corners.

The Kluger’s size is by no means a deterrent, but it is an important consideration.

The Kia Sorento feels smaller from the driver’s seat, and you can see more of the bonnet and your surroundings, whereas the Kluger’s slabby dashboard design and chunky C-pillar section can limit the outlook.

We’ve written about the Kia’s pleasant driving manners on numerous occasions, and the same rings true for the Sorento Sport+ on test.

Initial start-up and take-off in the Sorento is heralded by vibration and some grumbling from its 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine. Beyond those traits, the Sorento delivers pleasing engine performance, inherent efficiency and surefooted dynamics.

The engine works well with the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, which makes the most of the oiler’s natural mid-range cadence. Happily, there’s minimal lag or hesitation upon setting off – a common tendency for other turbo/dual-clutch transmission pairings.

Of these two seven-seaters, the Kia adopts a sportier bent with its ride and handling package. On larger 19-inch wheels, the chassis feels busier over pitter-patter bumps and more prone to occasional thudding.

With that said, the Kia makes up ground where cornering and changes of direction are concerned, reacting more positively to driver inputs and exuding more agility. For keener drivers, the Kia also offers more feedback via its key controls.

The Kluger has no such shortcomings with low-speed vibration. The electric portion of the drivetrain helps ensure smooth, seamless passage upon taking off.

All told, the drivetrain spends about 50 per cent of the time in EV mode around town, which bodes well for fuel economy (see below).

The electric assistance means, at least initially, the petrol engine is unfussed in regular conveyance. Ask more of the 2.5-litre, though, and its vocals are more audible; so too a lack of low-down torque compared to the pulling power offered by the diesel Sorento.

Whereas the Kia’s diesel engine reaches its peak 440Nm from 1750rpm, the Toyota’s petrol engine doesn’t muster its maximum 242Nm until at least 4400rpm.

The Kluger’s CVT transmission tends to augment the noise factor, slurring its way through the rev range under heavy acceleration before settling back to a more muted tenor upon reaching the required speed.

The Toyota elicits more body roll through corners than the Kia, and cannot quite match the Korean SUV for outright control.

However, the ride is comprehensively smooth on B-grade roads and cabin insulation is excellent.

In short, the Kluger is a vehicle that happily saunters along, and feels comprehensively better on-road than its previous generation.

When it comes to the all-important fuel economy figure, it’s neck and neck. The Kluger returned a combined average of 7.2L/100km on test while the Kia returned 7.3L/100km – on a loop that included highways, rural roads and congested traffic.

The 2021 Kia Sorento Sport+ is a deserving victor in this comparison with the new-generation 2021 Toyota Kluger GX.

It cannot compete with the Toyota’s larger interior space wrought by its vastly bigger on-road footprint, nor its hybrid drivetrain, yet the clever Sorento offsets these factors with excellent packaging and a nonetheless efficient and muscular turbo-diesel engine.

Add in its strong value equation, superior technology and outstanding presentation, and the Kia Sorento maintains a small edge over its ever-improving competition.

How much does the 2021 Kia Sorento Sport+ diesel AWD cost?
Price: $56,850 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 148kW/440Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 159g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)

How much does the 2021 Toyota Kluger GX hybrid AWD cost?
Price: $54,150 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 142kW/242Nm (184kW combined)
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 5.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 128g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)

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