Five Things the Ford Explorer Does Better Than the Kia Sorento

If you go looking for a three-row SUV to meet the needs of your growing family, you’ll quickly discover that you have a lot of different options available to you these days. We find a great way to keep things simple is to focus on just a couple models at a time to see how they compare, like the 2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Kia Sorento. Although the Sorento is a fine vehicle in its own right, with plenty of great things to offer, when you start looking at it next to the Explorer, it quickly ends up falling behind. Ford has been making amazing vehicles for well over a century, and that legacy of quality and remarkable design continues to this day, setting its vehicles apart from what else is out there. Let’s take a look at these two models and five things the Explorer simply does better.

Thing #1 – Enhanced Power and Performance

It can be easy to focus on things other than performance when looking at an SUV because it’s not like you’re interested in a sports car or full-size truck. That being said, performance is something that always matters because it impacts your drive each day; with three-row SUVs like this, you want something powerful enough to be fun to drive. The 2025 Kia Sorento has a number of different engines available—too many, as far as we’re concerned. In particular, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models make it easy to get lost in what Kia offers. To keep things simple, the standard engine for the 2025 Sorento is a 2.5L four-cylinder with 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque; for enhanced power, there’s an available turbocharged 2.5L engine that delivers 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, which is much better.

Looking at the 2025 Explorer, Ford makes your selection simple with two fantastic engines for you to choose from, and both are superior to the comparable engines in the Sorento. To start, there’s a standard 2.3L turbocharged EcoBoost I-4 engine that provides 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. We’d say this is better than the most powerful engine Kia offers, and we’re just getting started. The available 3.0L turbocharged V6 for the Explorer delivers an incredible 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, taking performance to another level completely. You can see that the Sorento doesn’t even come close to this, making the Explorer far more enjoyable to drive each day.

Thing #2 – Greater Towing for Work and Play

All of that power is about more than just enjoying your time on the road and how it feels when you press the pedal; it’s also about what kinds of things you can get done with your vehicle. A lot of folks like three-row SUVs like the Sorento and Explorer because you get a larger model that can do more than simply get you from one place to another each day. Both of these vehicles are ready to do some towing for you, making them ideal for handling a wide range of tasks. Whether you need to load up a trailer to help your kid move into their first apartment or haul a boat behind you for some fun on the weekend, towing with your SUV can be important.

The 2025 Kia Sorento can handle different amounts of towing, depending on the engine we look at. With its standard engine, the Sorento tops out at just 2,000 lbs of towing. With its more powerful engine, its capabilities improve, and it can handle up to 4,500 lbs of maximum towing. However, the 2025 Ford Explorer gives you 5,000 lbs of maximum towing capacity with either engine, surpassing what the Sorento is capable of. This makes it a lot easier to ensure your SUV can handle a boat, camper, or anything else you want to load up and pull behind you. You might not need to do much towing on a daily basis, but you never know what the future will throw at you, and having this kind of muscle available can make a big difference down the road.

Thing #3 – More Cargo Space Inside

Although we admit that you might not use the towing potential of your SUV each day, one thing you will frequently take advantage of is how much space you have inside of it. These are both three-row SUVs that offer seating for up to seven people, with two in the front, three in the middle, and two at the rear. However, we should note that three of the four 2025 Explorer trims are available with seven-passenger seating, with only the ST trim being restricted to seating six instead. Surprisingly, only the two lowest 2025 Sorento trims have seven-passenger seating; the other six options are all limited to six passengers.

Not only do we prefer the way that Ford gives you more options for seven-passenger seating with the Explorer, but you also get significantly more cargo room. In the back, the 2025 Explorer gives you 16.3 cu.ft. of cargo volume, while the Sorento has just 12.6 cu.ft. Behind the second row, the Explorer offers 46 cu.ft. of cargo space, and the Sorento comes with 45 cu.ft. Finally, behind the front seats, you get 85.8 cu.ft. of total cargo volume in the Explorer compared to just 75.5 cu.ft. in the Sorento. That makes a huge difference overall, and it’s easier to fit everything you need each day into Ford’s three-row SUV.

Thing #4 – Bigger Displays and Enhanced Sound Systems

As you shop for a three-row SUV that you’ll enjoy for many years, it’s important to consider technology that will help you make the most of your time on the road. The 2025 Kia Sorento features a standard 12.3-inch infotainment display, which is quite good compared to a lot of other models out there. Unfortunately, the standard four-inch instrument display is on the smaller side, and the base six-speaker sound system is adequate at best. Fortunately, Kia offers a 12-speaker sound system on the two highest trim levels that improves its overall audio experience.

You get quite a bit more inside the 2025 Ford Explorer, starting with a gorgeous 13.2-inch infotainment display with the new Ford Digital Experience, which makes your apps and other systems easy to use. This is paired with a standard 12.3-inch productivity screen for the instrument panel, which is far superior to the small display the Sorento starts with. The standard six-speaker sound system in the Explorer provides you with solid audio, and you can take things further with a fantastic 10-speaker sound system. If you want to go to the next level, then an available 14-speaker B&O sound system with 980 watts of output and a subwoofer creates rich, indulgent audio that few other vehicles out there can match.

Thing #5 – Superior Climate and Comfort Features

Few things are as important as your comfort when you’re on the road each day, which Ford understands well—Kia, unfortunately, falls behind in this area. The 2025 Sorento features a standard six-way manual driver’s seat and a four-way front passenger seat. Dual-zone auto climate control is available, but not on the base trim. Looking at the Explorer, however, Ford gives you a standard 10-way power driver’s seat and tri-zone automatic temperature control to keep everyone inside your SUV quite comfortable. Of course, you can take things even further with available options like leather seating with tri-diamond micro-perforated inserts, heated and ventilated front seats, and much more.

Ready to Explore a New Horizon?

All it takes is one good look at the 2025 Explorer and everything it offers to see why so many people prefer this Ford SUV over its competitors. Models like the Sorento are fine options in their own right, but they fall short of what the Explorer brings to the road. Whether you’re looking for sophisticated performance and advanced power that can help you tackle some big towing or want the most comfortable interior available, Ford has you covered with a stunning array of standard features and available options. This makes it easy to get everything you want in your SUV, along with a spacious interior that gives you plenty of seating and room for all the stuff you need to bring along with you. Don’t you think it’s time to visit us at DePaula Ford and see the Explorer for yourself?