How safe is the Kia Sorento?
Drivers of the 2021–2023 Kia Sorento died at a rate of 15 per million registered vehicle years, 57% lower than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it safer than most vehicles for its driver: it ranks 37th of 129 vehicles, safer than 72% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Kia Sorento sits among all 129 vehicles
Kia Sorento (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
2WD vs. 4WD
IIHS rates each drivetrain separately. The score above combines them, weighting the version with more data more heavily.
| Version | Deaths* | 95% range |
|---|---|---|
| Kia Sorento 2WD | 12 | 0–26 |
| Kia Sorento 4WD | 23 | 0–45 |
Vehicles ranked near the Kia Sorento
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Kia TellurideSUV · Midsize | 15 | 73 |
| 35 | Subaru AscentSUV · Midsize | 15 | 73 |
| 36 | Honda Ridgeline crew cab 4WDPickup · Small | 15 | 73 |
| 37 | Kia SorentoSUV · Midsize | 15 | 72 |
| 38 | Cadillac XT5Luxury SUV · Midsize | 15 | 71 |
| 39 | Subaru Impreza wagonWagon / minivan · Small | 14 | 70 |
| 40 | Dodge DurangoSUV · Large | 16 | 70 |
How it compares with other SUVs
Among the 46 SUVs ranked, the Kia Sorento is 17th. The safest SUVs are below. See all SUVs.
| SUVs rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Tahoe 4WDSUV · Large | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WDSUV · Small | 5 | 96 |
| 3 | Volkswagen AtlasSUV · Midsize | 6 | 95 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Suburban 1500 4WDSUV · Very large | 6 | 94 |
| 5 | Ford Escape hybridSUV · Small | 7 | 91 |
| 17 | Kia SorentoSUV · Midsize | 15 | 72 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2017–2020 models, the Kia Sorento had a driver death rate of 30 (range 18–43) and ranked 66th of 127. The newer rate is lower.
Common questions
Is the Kia Sorento a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Kia Sorento is safer than most vehicles for its driver. Its driver death rate of 15 per million registered vehicle years is 57% lower than the average, and it ranks 37th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Kia Sorento compare with other SUVs?
It ranks 17th of 46 SUVs. The safest is the Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, with a rate of 0.
Is the 2WD or 4WD Kia Sorento safer?
The 2WD version had the lower driver death rate (2WD: 12, 4WD: 23). Their ranges overlap, so the difference may be down to chance.
Why is this different from the Kia Sorento's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.