2027 Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia Sorento: We Compared the Data
By the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Updated November 8, 2026 · how we score
Our pick: the Sorento — it leads our weighted scorecard 4–3 across 9 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($32,590 vs $34,800) and better 5-year value retention (50.8% vs 44.6%). Choose the Santa Fe if a lower NHTSA complaint rate matters most to you (0.55 vs 1.29 per 1,000 sold).
Scorecard: Santa Fe 3 pts · Sorento 4 pts across 9 scored categories.
The scorecard
| Category (weight) | 2027 Santa Fe | 2027 Sorento | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (2) | $34,800 | $32,590 | Sorento |
| NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2) | 0.55 | 1.29 | Santa Fe |
| 5-year value retained (1.5) | 44.6% | 50.8% | Sorento |
| Best EPA combined (1.5) | 36 mpg | 37 mpg | Tie |
| Most horsepower available (1) | 277 hp | 274 hp | Tie |
| Max towing (1) | 4,500 lb | 4,500 lb | Tie |
| Cargo behind rear seats (1) | 14.6 cu ft | 12.6 cu ft | Santa Fe |
| Standard seats (1) | 6 | 6 | Tie |
| Recalls, 2023–2025 model years (0.5) | 10 | 7 | Sorento |
| Weighted points | 3 | 4 | Sorento |
Which one we'd buy, and for whom
- Commuter. Commuters: it's a wash — Santa Fe 36 mpg vs Sorento 37 mpg (best EPA combined).
- Family. Families: the Santa Fe — 14.6 cu ft vs 12.6 cu ft (cargo behind rear seats).
- Budget. Tight budgets: the Sorento — $32,590 vs $34,800 (starting MSRP). Used, the median asking price is $23,366 for the Santa Fe vs $21,528 for the Sorento.
- Resale. Resale-minded buyers: the Sorento — 50.8% vs 44.6% (5-year value retained).
- Towing. Towing: it's a wash — Santa Fe 4,500 lb vs Sorento 4,500 lb (max towing).
Price: sticker and what buyers paid
The Santa Fe starts at $34,800 and tops out at $48,450; the Sorento runs $32,590 to $53,490 (manufacturer MSRP, before destination). Used, the median asking price is $23,366 for the Santa Fe and $21,528 for the Sorento (all model years, US dealer listings).
Reliability: NHTSA complaints and recalls
- Santa Fe: 0.55 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 44th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Sorento: 1.29 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 2th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 model years: Santa Fe 10, Sorento 7.
Latest rated model years on our years-to-avoid pages: Santa Fe 2016 (solid) · Sorento 2016 (avoid).
Complaint rates are owner complaints filed with NHTSA divided by vehicles sold — a federal-data signal, not a survey score.
Specs side by side
| 2027 Santa Fe | 2027 Sorento | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (base trim) | $34,800 | $32,590 |
| Top-trim MSRP | $48,450 | $53,490 |
| Horsepower | 231–277 hp | 186–274 hp |
| Max torque | 311 lb-ft | 311 lb-ft |
| EPA combined | 21–36 mpg (hybrid avail.) | 23–37 mpg (hybrid avail.) |
| Max towing | 4,500 lb | 4,500 lb |
| Seats (standard / max) | 6 / 7 | 6 / 7 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 14.6 cu ft | 12.6 cu ft |
Automaker-published figures; EPA ratings from fueleconomy.gov. "—" = not published.
Size
| Santa Fe | Sorento | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 190.2 in | 189.6 in |
| Width | 74.8 in | 74.8 in |
| Height | 67.7 in | 66.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 110.8 in | 110.8 in |
| Ground clearance | 7 in | 6.9 in |
Resale: 5-year value retained
A 5-year-old (2021) Santa Fe lists for a median $19,817 — 44.6% of today's median new price of $44,436. A 5-year-old (2021) Sorento lists for a median $20,500 — 50.8% of today's median new price of $40,387.
Shop both
- See 30,822 new 2027 Hyundai Santa Fes for sale →Median listed price $43,824 · updated Nov 7, 2026
- See 1,742 new 2027 Kia Sorentos for sale →Median listed price $44,922 · updated Nov 7, 2026
Negotiating either one?
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More on the Hyundai Santa Fe
More on the Kia Sorento
Related head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the Santa Fe better than the Sorento?
On our data, no — the Sorento comes out ahead. Our pick: the Sorento — it leads our weighted scorecard 4–3 across 9 categories, winning on a lower starting price ($32,590 vs $34,800) and better 5-year value retention (50.8% vs 44.6%). Choose the Santa Fe if a lower NHTSA complaint rate matters most to you (0.55 vs 1.29 per 1,000 sold).
Which is more reliable, the Santa Fe or the Sorento?
On federal data, the Santa Fe: owners filed 0.55 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold versus 1.29 for the Sorento (2015–2022 sales years). That's complaint volume, not a survey score. NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 Santa Fe and 7 for the Sorento.
Which holds its value better, the Santa Fe or the Sorento?
The Sorento: a 5-year-old example lists for 50.8% of the new price, versus 44.6% for the Santa Fe, based on median used asking prices against today's median new price.
Which is cheaper, the Santa Fe or the Sorento?
The Sorento starts lower: $32,590 vs $34,800 starting MSRP (before destination).
Which has better gas mileage, the Santa Fe or the Sorento?
It's a wash: 36 mpg vs 37 mpg best EPA combined.
How we score
Each category compares one published number per model and counts only when both models have it. The winner earns the category weight; results inside the tie band earn nothing. Our pick has more weighted points; level points fall back to more category wins, then the reliability winner, then the price winner.
- Starting MSRP: lower wins; tie within 3%.
- NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold: lower wins; tie within 15%.
- 5-year value retained: higher wins; tie within 2 points.
- Best EPA combined: higher wins; tie within 1 mpg (3 MPGe).
- Most horsepower available: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Max towing: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Cargo behind rear seats: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Standard seats: higher wins; tie same count.
- Median discount verified buyers got: higher wins; tie within 0.5 points.
- Recalls, 2023–2025 model years: lower wins; tie within 1.
Towing weighs 2 for pickups and 1 otherwise; seating is only scored between SUVs and minivans, using standard (never optional) seats. Sources: automaker spec pages and order guides; EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov); NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns against published US sales; median used asking prices across active US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers; verified buyer-submitted deal sheets for discounts.
Cite this page: CarWhere, "2027 Hyundai Santa Fe vs Kia Sorento: We Compared the Data," carwhere.com/compare-cars/hyundai-santa-fe-vs-kia-sorento, updated November 8, 2026.