2024 Kia Sorento vs 2025 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Kia Sorento underwent a significant visual transformation, aligning more closely with its Kia SUV siblings like the Telluride and EV9. This update included a robust new front end, enhanced taillights, and a more sophisticated interior. The exterior featured a prominent grille, vertically stacked LED headlights, and wing-like daytime running lights, giving the Sorento a larger and more assertive appearance. The rear received subtle updates, with higher trims boasting elegant LED taillights and new bumpers. The Sorento's trims in Canada included LX, EX, X-Line, X-Line Limited, and the new X-Pro, each offering distinct visual elements, such as blacked-out wheels and earth-tone paint colours.

Inside, the Sorento showcased a redesigned dashboard with a horizontal layout reminiscent of the EV9, providing a cleaner and more upscale look. The gauge cluster and infotainment displays were integrated under a single pane of glass, with higher trims featuring twin 12.3-inch displays. The cabin materials were upgraded, with faux open-pore wood grain and quality stitching on the leather-wrapped steering wheel and seats. A brown interior colour option added character, and overall, the 2024 Sorento felt more upscale and solidly assembled than some competitors.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna, while maintaining its minivan identity, attempted to infuse style into its design. The trapezoidal grille, upswept body lines, and hidden sliding door tracks contributed to its unique appearance. The rear end mirrored the front's cinched-in-the-middle look, with narrow taillights featuring sharp corner spears. The Platinum package introduced new flower-petal wheel designs. Despite these efforts, the Sienna still retained its minivan essence, prioritizing practicality over aesthetics.

Our test vehicle, the top-of-the-line Toyota Sienna Limited with the Platinum package, featured the new Magnetic Grey paint colour. The Canadian lineup included LE, XLE, and XSE trims, with prices ranging from $51,219 to $73,753. The Sienna's interior received updates for 2025, with the Platinum package offering a new woodgrain finish. However, opinions on the interior were mixed, with some finding the materials less appealing. Overall, the Sienna's interior looked improved, but it still faced challenges in terms of road-trip comfort.

The 2024 Kia Sorento retained most of its mechanical components, with the base engine being a 2.5-litre four-cylinder producing 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, struggled with the Sorento's weight, resulting in lackluster performance. The EX and higher models featured a turbocharged 2.5-litre engine generating 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, mated to a dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission. Turbocharged Sorentos offered lively acceleration and ample passing power, with zero-to-100 times in the mid-seven-second range.

All Sorentos in Canada came with all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard. The LX and EX trims had 17.6 centimetres of ground clearance, while the X-Line and X-Pro trims offered 20.9 centimetres. The Sorento handled confidently, with well-weighted steering and effective brakes. The X-Line's large wheels could transmit vibrations on rough surfaces, but the X-Pro's 17-inch rims with all-terrain tires provided a smoother ride and better grip on loose terrain. The X-Pro also boasted improved engine cooling, resulting in a towing capacity of 2,040 kilograms, compared to the X-Line's 1,587 kilograms.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The front-wheel-drive (FWD) was standard, with an available all-wheel-drive (AWD) system featuring an additional rear-mounted electric motor. The hybrid system delivered a net horsepower rating of 245, which, while not impressive, was sufficient for city driving and highway cruising. The Sienna's hybrid powertrain prioritized fuel economy, with an official rating of 6.6 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving for the FWD model.

The Sienna's handling was predictable and secure, with minimal body roll. However, the steering lacked precision and communication, and the handling became squishy in curves and corners. The brakes performed adequately, but during a mountain descent, they experienced temporary fade. The Sienna XSE offered a sport-tuned suspension for a slightly more engaging drive, but overall, the Sienna prioritized a smooth and absorbent ride. The hybrid powertrain contributed to a quiet highway experience, except when the CVT droned during hard acceleration.

The 2024 Kia Sorento's cabin was upscale and modern, offering comfort in the first two rows but limited space in the third. Despite this, the Sorento provided advantages over smaller models with optional third-row seats, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander and Volkswagen Tiguan. It also offered comparable room to larger alternatives like the Toyota Highlander. The front seats provided 1,052 millimetres of legroom, while the second row offered 1,060 millimetres. The third row had 752 millimetres of legroom, which, while tight, was better than some competitors.

The Sorento's third row was not intended for adults but worked well for occasional transportation of children. With optional captain's chairs in the second row, access to the third row was convenient. The Sorento's new dashboard lacked convenient storage areas but featured logically ergonomic controls. Cargo space was compromised with the third row in use, offering only 357 litres. Folding the third row increased cargo capacity to 1,090 to 1,274 litres, depending on trim and configuration. With all seats down, the Sorento provided up to 2,139 litres of cargo space.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna prioritized form and function, offering unique seating and cargo solutions. The front seats were power-adjustable and heated, with ventilated and perforated leather in the Limited with Platinum package. However, the cushions felt hard after extended driving. The second-row captain's chairs with ottoman-style leg rests were popular with teenagers, and the refrigerated compartment on the back of the centre console was a hit. The third-row seat accommodated adults, and the sliding side doors facilitated easy loading and unloading.

Storage space was generous, with a wide tray under the centre console. However, finding secure places for one-litre water bottles was challenging. The Sienna offered 949 litres of cargo space behind the third-row seat, with the third-row seats collapsible for additional space. With the third-row seats stowed, the Sienna provided 2,129 litres of cargo space behind the second-row seats. Maximum cargo capacity was 2,860 litres, less than rivals due to the inability to remove the second-row seats. Toyota's research suggested most minivan owners rarely removed seats, but for those needing maximum load space, the Sienna might not be ideal.

The 2024 Kia Sorento featured a single-pane, twin-screen setup for its gauge and infotainment displays, with all models using a 12.3-inch screen integrated into the dashboard. The gauge cluster in lower trims consisted of two dials and a 4.3-inch TFT information display, while higher trims had a second 12.3-inch digital display. The infotainment system, called "Connected Car Navigation Cockpit" (CCnC), was redesigned for ease of use and future-proofing. It prioritized popular features on the home screen and offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The Sorento's infotainment system could receive over-the-air updates, ensuring it remained up-to-date. USB-C outlets were available in all three rows, and higher trims featured a Bose 12-speaker surround sound system. The X-Line Limited and X-Pro models offered Digital Key 2.0, allowing certain smartphones or NFC smart cards to lock, unlock, and drive the vehicle without a key. This feature also enabled sharing access to the vehicle, which could be useful for families with teenage drivers.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna's higher-spec models featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display for the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) infotainment system. The Limited with Platinum package included a four-zone automatic climate control system, a 10-inch head-up display (HUD), and a camera-based digital rearview mirror. The TAM system offered access to four connected services plans, with varying complimentary subscription periods. The digital assistant, part of the Drive Connect plan, responded accurately to commands and questions.

The TAM system supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, providing alternatives to the native navigation system and digital voice assistant. The Limited trim featured a 12-speaker JBL premium audio system, although the sound quality was affected by excessive bass. The four-zone climate control system was appreciated, and the digital rearview camera offered zoom-in/zoom-out capability. The see-through surround-view camera and HUD were helpful features, although the HUD lacked blind-spot warnings.

The 2024 Kia Sorento offered an extensive suite of active safety features, with more standard and optional systems than before. Standard features included adaptive cruise control with stop and go, forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-following and lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert with emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Optional features included navigation-based adaptive cruise control and Highway Driving Assist 2, which included automated lane changes.

Kia's adaptive cruise control systems were designed to learn from driver behaviour and maintain precise distances between vehicles. However, adverse weather conditions could affect sensor performance. The Sorento's safety features generally performed well, with available options like surround-view cameras and a rear-view camera mirror. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not fully evaluated the 2024 Sorento, but it received "Good" ratings in some tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not evaluated the 2024 model, but previous models received four-star overall ratings.

The 2025 Toyota Sienna featured Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) 2.0, an older technology set compared to TSS 3.0. TSS 2.0 included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Sienna also had automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The lane-centring assist performed well, although it could waver in some situations.

The Sienna's adaptive cruise control responded quickly when changing lanes to pass slower vehicles. However, during sudden traffic braking events, human intervention was required to avoid collisions. The 2025 model year introduced rear-seat reminder technology, which detected movement within the cabin and issued warnings. The NHTSA gave the Sienna a five-star overall rating, but it received lower scores for frontal crash protection. No minivans earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.