2022 Hyundai Santa Fe vs 2022 Kia Sorento

Third-row seats add weight and reduce cargo space, so if you know you don’t need one but still want a roomy, midsize SUV, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is a great choice.

This model year, a new plug-in hybrid version is the big news, but the standard 2022 Santa Fe model lineup gains a new XRT trim level that is, in Hyundai’s words, “designed to convey an outdoor lifestyle.” In plain language, that means it gets a mixture of blacked-out exterior details, unique black alloy wheels, additional lower body cladding, fake front and rear skid plates, nearly useless running boards, and roof-rail crossbars that look like basket handles.

More importantly, Hyundai also expands the availability of blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Assist to the Santa Fe SE trim level, albeit not until later in the year.

Kia redesigned the popular Sorento last model year and for 2022 the midsize, three-row crossover SUV gets a few changes.

For starters, the appealing X-Line package is now available with S and EX trim in addition to the SX Prestige. All 2022 Kia Sorento models except for the base LX trim now have a standard 10.25-inch infotainment system with navigation and UVO connected services. Additionally, the top-of-the-line SX Prestige adds a more comfortable driver’s seat and heated second-row captain’s chairs as standard equipment.

The big news, however, pertains to a new all-wheel-drive option for the efficient Sorento Hybrid and the debut of the Sorento Plug-in Hybrid, which can travel 32 miles on electricity before switching to gas-electric hybrid propulsion and returning 34 mpg in combined driving.