Subaru Forester vs. Kia Sorento: Which Is Better?
The Subaru Forester is more affordable than the Kia Sorento, but which of these small SUVs is better for you and your family?
Written by Zachary Morgan
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
The competition is fierce between the 2022 Subaru Forester and the 2022 Kia Sorento. Both are comfortable, come equipped with great tech features, and offer a lot of value for the money, but the Forester is a bit more affordable.
Both the Forester and the Sorento are great examples of what you want from a crossover SUV. They’re spacious, practical, and fairly fuel-efficient, meaning they’re great for everything from road trips to getting the kids to soccer practice. But which is the better choice for the 2022 model year?
Here to help with this conundrum is
Jerry
, the trusted broker app that helps drivers save on car insurance
. We’ve whipped up an extensive comparison of the 2022 Forester and Sorento to help determine which one is the clear winner. Plus, Jerry can help you save money on both Subaru insurance
and Kia insurance
.Forester vs. Sorento: Which is more expensive?
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Forester Base | $27,070 | $30,855 | |
$29,320 | $33,685 | ||
$30,890 | Sorento X-Line S | $35,685 | |
$33,000 | $36,785 | ||
Forester Wilderness | $33,945 | $39,585 | |
[Forester Touring(https://getjerry.com/car-insurance/subaru-forester-touring-insurance-cost) | $36,420 | Sorento X-Line EX | $40,485 |
Sorento SX Prestige | $42,485 | ||
Sorento X-Line SX Prestige | $44,485 |
Make auto loan refinancing easy with PriceProtect™
Make auto loan refinancing easy with PriceProtect™
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversThe bottom line: a Kia Sorento is roughly $3,000 to $5,000 more expensive than a Subaru Forester.
Ownership costs
There’s more to a vehicle’s true cost than just the sticker price. To really understand which of these vehicles is more expensive to live with, you’ll have to look at long-term factors like fuel consumption, maintenance, repairs, and insurance, to name a few.
According to Edmunds, the estimated true cost to own a 2022 Forester is around $34,425 over five years. With a total cash price of $29,663, that means that there’s an additional $4,762 you’ll need to budget for. Conversely, the 2022 Sorento has a true ownership cost of $41,164, which is $7,468 over the cash price.
So what makes the Sorento more expensive to own than the Forester?
Well, for one thing, the Sorento is bigger than the Forester. The Sorento is a bit more reliable than the Forester as well, with a 4/5 reliability rating from RepairPal as opposed to 3.5/5 for the latter.
Kia maintenance costs
are also cheaper for the Sorento at around $533 a year compared to $632 for the Forester. MORE:
Subaru tune-up cost
Insurance costs
Forester insurance starts around $1,891 a year for a base model, compared to $2,388 a year for the standard Sorento. Naturally, you can save money on either vehicle’s insurance with
Jerry
—but rates for the Forester will tend to be a bit lower than a Sorento’s thanks to its lower value.Winner: Subaru Forester
If affordability is the name of your game, then it has to be the Subaru Forester, thanks to the economical starting price, reasonable level of expenses, and cheaper insurance.
If you’re more interested in factors other than the MSRP, then keep reading for a more comprehensive comparison of the pros, cons, strengths, and weaknesses between the 2022 Forester and Sorento.
Subaru Forester vs. Kia Sorento: In-depth comparison
Body style and size
You can tell one of the major differences between these two SUVs just by looking at them, because the Sorento is bigger and sleeker than the smaller, more traditional-looking Forester.
In terms of size, the two-row Forester is categorized as a compact crossover SUV, as opposed to the Sorento which is a midsize with standard
third- row seating
. When you take a closer look at the specs, though, they’re actually not that far apart from each other. The Sorento is heavier and longer than the Forester, but the Forester surprisingly appears more spacious on the inside.Dimensions | 2022 Subaru Forester | 2022 Kia Sorento |
|---|---|---|
Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 110.8 inches |
Passenger volume | 111.6 cubic feet | 105.3 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear/third) | 41.2/39.6 inches/NA | 40.3/39.1/36.8 inches |
Legroom (front/rear/third) | 43.3/39.4 inches/NA | 41.4/41.7/29.6 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 28.9 cubic feet | 12.6 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 74.2 cubic feet | 75.5 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 to 9.2 inches | 6.9 inches |
Base curb weight | 3454 lbs | 3794 lbs |
Engine and performance
The similarities don’t stop with size alone, either, because these two SUVs are powered by very similar engines. Under the hood, the Forester is packing a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (182 horsepower, 176 lb-ft of torque), while the Sorento is similarly equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (191 horsepower, 181 lb-ft).
The Forester engine is paired to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with
Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive (AWD)
, while the Forester’s engine is wedded to an eight-speed automatic transmission that is front-wheel drive (FWD). As you can see, the Sorento’s engine is slightly more powerful than the Forester’s, but the reality is that neither of these engines is particularly noteworthy.
However, both vehicles have their own way of making up for the lackluster engine. The Forester offers sturdy, dependable handling as well as
Subaru’s signature off-road performance
capabilities. The Sorento is nimble and athletic to drive and also offers an upgraded, turbocharged engine.When it’s all said and done, this one’s a bit of a toss-up.
Fuel economy
In the fuel economy category, a clear winner emerges, although it was a close contest yet again. According to the EPA, the 2022 Forester has a fuel efficiency of 29 combined mpg, which slightly beats the 26 combined mpg offered by the Sorento.
Although they are marketed separately from standard Sorento models, there are hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sorento available, with a fuel economy of 37 combined mpg and 79 MPGe, respectively.
Safety
The Forester and the Sorento are both very safe vehicles, but the Forester wins in a head-to-head comparison. The Forester earned a perfect five-star rating from the NHTSA and was also selected as a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS.
The Sorento, meanwhile, was given excellent safety scores, just not as good as the Forester’s. The NHTSA awarded it with four out of five stars and the IIHS gave it a majority of “Good” ratings across all of their testing categories.
Bottom line: The Forester is safer and more fuel efficient than the Sorento.
Tech
Both the Forester and the Sorento make a point of including or offering plenty of nifty tech features, but the actual utility of these features is what sets them apart.
The Forester comes equipped with an easy to use 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility with navigation capability, and USB ports for both the front and rear seats. It also has Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver’s aid features, which include forward collision mitigation, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Lastly, all models other than the standard trim onboard WiFi, which is pretty cool.
The Sorento, meanwhile, boasts a slightly larger 8-inch touchscreen, a Bose audio system, and eight USB charging ports throughout the cabin. There’s also a voice recognition system, but it doesn't always work very well and can often have a hard time recognizing vocal inputs or commands. Like the Forester, the Sorento is also equipped with driver’s aid features like driver attention warning and forward collision mitigation.
Both vehicles have some interesting things going for them, but overall the tech in the Forester is more user-friendly and has more practical value.
Interior and comfort
One of the main standouts for the interior of both vehicles is the spaciousness, but as you saw in the table earlier the Forester has more room to stretch out and get comfortable.
The basic Sorento trim does have more interior features than the Forester, though, with a height-adjustable driver’s seat and folding seats in the second and third rows. Going up a trim or two will get you more adjustable seats, simulated leather upholstery, and optional second-row captain’s chairs (reduces seating capacity to six).
The Forester, however, has an impressive amount of storage space no matter what trim you’re buying. In fact, only the
Honda CR-V
has more cargo space in the compact SUV class. MORE:
Winner: Subaru Forester
It was a close one, but the Subaru Forester emerges victorious from our competitive comparison. It was an extremely close call, but the Forester is simply roomier, has more useful tech, and is several thousand dollars cheaper than the Sorento.
We’re not putting down the Sorento, though, because it’s still a great vehicle. For all the city-dwellers, road-trippers, and commuters out there, the Sorento could easily be a better choice thanks to its superior fuel economy and standard third-row seating.
How to save on Subaru insurance costs
No matter which of these fine SUVs you choose, you’ll still want to protect your vehicle with a great auto insurance policy. After making such a tough decision, though, finding better insurance might seem overwhelming. Fortunately, Jerry can make the process a breeze.
Jerry
is the world’s first super app for car owners and the easiest way to compare quotes online. Our process is simple, just download the app, answer some basic questions, and let our licensed insurance broker super app
get to work.In less than a minute, you’ll get a list of quotes from some of the nation’s top-rated insurance companies. If you see something you like, our team of experts will walk you through finalizing your new policy and can even help you cancel your old one.
We saved the best for last, though, because the average Jerry user saves over $800 a year on their car insurance!
“UsingJerryis a super straightforward process, and at each step, you can see exactly what coverage you’re paying for. Thanks to Jerry, I’m paying $900 less each year while keeping full coverage for my new car!” —Martin H.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Reduce your monthly car payments in minutes?
Find out if Jerry can reduce your payments by an average of $150/month
4.7
