kia sorento vs hyundai santa fe 2023

If you’re cross-shopping these Korean cousins, you’re basically choosing between two flavours of the same excellent seven-seat pavlova.

Kia Sorento (2023) — Pros: sharp cabin design, adult-friendly second row, generous tech and safety, long warranty. Cons: firmish ride on big wheels, third row for kids, diesel clatter when cold.

Hyundai Santa Fe (2023) — Pros: cushier ride, quiet touring manners, intuitive controls, strong safety kit. Cons: cabin design feels older, third row still tight, options can push price north.

In Australia the Sorento carries a 7-year warranty while the Santa Fe has 5 years; both offer petrol, diesel and (trim-dependent) hybrid variants, with availability varying by dealer and state.

Drive both back-to-back on the same loop—suburban bumps, a highway blast, and a sneaky speed hump—and pick the one your spine and wallet like most.