2020 Subaru Ascent vs 2021 Kia Sorento

The 2020 Subaru Ascent, resembling a larger Subaru Forester, was designed with practicality and utility in mind. It featured gray plastic cladding for 360-degree protection, an oversized grille, and exaggerated fender flares for a robust appearance. The Ascent's roof rails and 20-inch aluminum wheels on three of the four trims added to its functional design. The base model, starting at $31,995, came with 18-inch wheels and lacked privacy glass. Upgrading to the Premium trim at $34,395 offered better detailing and a superior infotainment system. The Limited trim at $39,345 added leather seats, while the top-tier Touring trim at $45,045 included premium leather, a panoramic sunroof, and luxury enhancements. The test vehicle, priced at $46,285, featured the Touring trim with third-row quick-charge USB ports. Its Abyss Blue Pearl paint and Java Brown leather interior provided a stylish and quality feel, making it a good value for the money. CarGurus recommended the Ascent Premium with additional packages for a similar look and comfort at a lower price.

The 2021 Kia Sorento marked a significant design improvement over its predecessor, shedding its jelly-bean shape for a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package included roof rails and a shark fin antenna, enhancing its sporty look. The front featured an expansive tiger-nose grille with a curved bottom edge leading to squinting headlights accented by running lights. A silver accent between the front fender and door added visual interest. The rear design included large D-pillars and beautiful vertical taillights. The Sorento's interior boasted high-value features like heated outside mirrors, second-row air vents, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and keyless entry. The base LX trim had a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, while higher trims offered 10-way adjustment with power lumbar support. Heated seats were available on all but the LX trim, and the SX Prestige with the X-Line package included ventilated seats. The panoramic sunroof provided ample light, though it could let in too much heat. The SX Prestige's real perforated leather seats were soft and comfortable, though more thigh support was desired.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and all-wheel drive (AWD). With 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, it offered good acceleration for its size. However, it was a thirsty powertrain, averaging 18.9 mpg on the test loop, below the EPA estimate of 22 mpg. The Ascent's handling was not particularly sporty, with slow and numb steering and a suspension that struggled with undulating road surfaces. The CVT produced uneven power delivery, and the shifter felt cheap. Despite these drawbacks, the Ascent excelled in off-road conditions with its Active Torque Split AWD system, X-Mode off-road traction system, Hill Descent Control, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of powertrains, with the most common being a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. However, the test car featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) and AWD. This setup provided ample power for merging, cruising, and passing. The Sorento also offered a hybrid version with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and electric motor. The AWD system included torque vectoring and a center-locking differential for better traction. The suspension, with McPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup in the rear, provided a smooth ride even with 20-inch wheels. The Sorento's drive modes, including Eco, Normal, and Sport, significantly impacted performance, with Sport mode offering the best throttle response. Despite its 4,000-pound weight, the Sorento handled corners well without excessive body lean.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent offered a comfortable interior, especially in the Touring trim with soft leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The driver’s seat had a 10-way power adjustment with a manual thigh support extension. The front passenger seat lacked height adjustment but was still comfortable. The Ascent's dashboard featured a useful shelf and ambient lighting, though the controls appeared dated. Storage options included a center bin, door panel bins, and a glove compartment. The Ascent could be configured with a second-row bench seat or captain’s chairs, with the latter available in Premium and Limited trims. The third-row seat was relatively comfortable for short trips, and the Ascent offered 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 47 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2021 Kia Sorento, while practical, was best considered a four-seater in its top trims due to the tight third-row space. The second-row captain's chairs were comfortable, and the front and rear seats provided ample legroom at 41.4 inches and 41.7 inches, respectively. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 12.6 cubic feet, but folding the seats increased the total cargo volume to 75.5 cubic feet. The Sorento offered good storage options, including a phone spot with an optional wireless charger, cupholders, a center console bucket, and door pockets. The second-row seats also had cupholders built into the rear doors. While the cargo volume was on the smaller side for a three-row SUV, it was comparable to compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent came with a Starlink infotainment system featuring Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, and a CD player. Premium trim added an 8-inch touchscreen, text-messaging capability, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Starlink Safety and Security connected services. The Touring trim included a high-resolution screen and navigation. The system had stereo knobs and separate climate controls, but the voice-control system was outdated and unresponsive. The navigation system occasionally misplaced the vehicle's location, causing frustration. However, Bluetooth pairing and music streaming were easy, and the Harman Kardon speakers provided rich sound quality. The Ascent Touring also offered a 180-degree front camera view, a 180-degree rear camera view, and a PIN Code Vehicle Access system for secure keyless entry.

The 2021 Kia Sorento featured an 8-inch touchscreen on the LX, S, and EX trims, with hard buttons, volume and tuning knobs, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SX and SX Prestige trims had a larger 10.25-inch screen with haptic touch buttons and knobs, though it required a wired connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen's right third displayed redundant information, reducing its effective size. The Sorento had plenty of USB ports but no USB-C ports. The optional Bose stereo system was decent but not exceptional. The navigation system needed improvement, particularly in voice search and Point-of-Interest functions. Most drivers would likely rely on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for navigation.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent was built on Subaru’s latest global platform, earning a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. It featured EyeSight, a suite of camera-based ADAS including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Premium trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while Limited included LED steering-responsive headlights and reverse automatic braking. The EyeSight Assist Monitor projected alerts onto the windshield, enhancing driver awareness. The Ascent also had a rear-seat reminder system and Starlink Safety Plus connected services, offering automatic collision notification, SOS emergency calling, and roadside assistance for three years. The Security Plus plan added remote engine start and other features for six months.

The 2021 Kia Sorento came with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver-attention warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, and auto high beams. The test car also had a surround-view camera and front and rear camera views at low speeds. The adaptive cruise control worked smoothly, though the lane-keeping assist could be overly active. The NHTSA awarded the Sorento four out of five stars overall and in frontal-impact crash tests, and five stars in side-impact tests. The IIHS gave the Sorento a Top Safety Pick designation, with the SX trim's LED headlights receiving top marks, while the lower trims' LED reflector headlights were rated poorly.