2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Kia Sorento
As far as three-row midsize SUVs are concerned, it doesn’t get much better than the Ford Explorer, a staple in the automotive industry since 1990. This do-it-all travel companion is a dedicated family hauler, ideal everyday driver, and fearless adventure mate, making it the perfect choice for drivers of all types. Over the decades, more three-row SUVs have emerged onto the scene, attempting to rival the Explorer, and one of these is the Kia Sorento, which made its grand debut in 2003. The Explorer had the jump on the Sorento for quite some time, allowing it to further perfect itself and be able to offer even more to its loyal following. From its unmistakable exterior styling to its cavernous cabin, impressive engine capabilities to its mastered cargo hauling tendencies, the Explorer is a lifelong favorite for drivers, and the newest models to hit the scene are no different.
New for 2025, the Explorer’s trim lineup has been streamlined to feature a selection of offerings that will take your breath away. You’ll also get to enjoy the top-ranked hands-free driving system in the industry, BlueCruise, for the first time ever in this model, as well as the debut of the Ford Digital Experience. Unfortunately, the Sorento is already proving to be disappointing for 2025, as it showcases no changes for its latest year on the streets. When it comes to the 2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Kia Sorento, in the areas of performance, cargo and seating, innovation, and design, it’ll be quickly apparent that one SUV outperforms the other in all areas. Here at DePaula Ford, we want to help you get into the best SUV for your lifestyle, so let’s take a look at what each of these industry mainstays has to offer.
| 2025 Ford Explorer | VS | 2025 Kia Sorento |
|---|---|---|
| $39,785 [a] | MSRP | $31,990 |
| 400 | Horsepower | 281 |
| 415 lb-ft | Torque | 311 lb-ft |
| 85.8 cu.ft. | Cargo Space | 75.5 cu.ft. |
Performance
Just because many families are drawn to three-row midsize SUVs, it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be able to enjoy a heightened ride, with plenty of excitement radiating from their vehicles. Thankfully, this can be expected in the 2025 Ford Explorer, as it showcases an arsenal of high-performing engines that allow for one feisty ride around town. The Explorer comes standard with a 2.3L EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder, which makes 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, while the 2025 Kia Sorento’s entry-level engine is a 2.5L four-cylinder, making a mere 191 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. As you can clearly see, this is quite a big difference when it comes to the power and thrill you get in your ride. What’s even more exciting is that the Explorer offers a 3.0L EcoBoost turbocharged V6, which makes 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque, compared to the Sorento’s available 2.5L turbocharged four-cylinder that tops out at 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque.
Not only do you get more power out of both of the Explorer’s engine options, but you also get to take advantage of a fabulous ride quality. With a 10-speed automatic transmission at your service, you can expect a smooth and agile ride, and with SelectShift capabilities, you’re able to transform your automatic transmission into a manual, via paddle shifters, for enhanced control over your ride. The Sorento offers an eight-speed automatic transmission, which makes for a smooth ride, although it’s been reported that even the turbocharged engine lags a little off the line. If you want premium performance and unmatched responsiveness, the Explorer will deliver.
Another area where the Explorer outperforms the Sorento is with towing capacity, as this Ford favorite is able to handle a maximum of 5,000 lbs. This makes it easy to pull your camper out to the woods or haul materials home to finally build that treehouse in the backyard. Unfortunately, the Sorento lags behind its competitors in this respect, only offering a maximum 4,500-lb towing capacity when you upgrade to its turbocharged powertrain.
Cargo and Seating
Three-row SUVs make it effortless to load up and hit the highway, especially with all the space offered inside. This is why so many families are drawn to these particular models, especially since kids tend to travel with a lot of stuff. Fortunately, the 2025 Explorer is up to the task, with a configurable cabin that’s meant to accommodate more, offering up to 85.8 cu.ft. in its cargo hold for all of the must-have items that are accompanying you on the journey. A PowerFold third-row seat ensures a seamless transition from people shuttler to cargo hauler, and with a standard Power Liftgate, you can easily load and unload your vehicle, even when your hands are full. This is another area where the Sorento lags behind, as it’s only able to accommodate up to 75.5 cu.ft. with its rear seats folded, making it a little less capable of handling you and the needs of your youngsters out on the open road.
Both the Ford Explorer and Kia Sorento can seat up to seven, offering three rows of space to help make everyone on board feel more comfortable during the journey. The Sorento doesn’t offer as much space as rivals in its third row, though, so if you’re going to be utilizing it frequently, make sure you reserve this row for kid-sized passengers only. The Explorer, on the other hand, offers fabulous space throughout its cabin, and with a handy second-row sliding feature to effortlessly move the second-row seats and access the third row, entering and exiting the vehicle will be as easy as ever. When you need more space for people and gear, not all three-row SUVs are created equally, and this is especially true when comparing the Explorer and Sorento.
Innovation
Not only does the Explorer offer a larger touchscreen display than the Sorento, a 13.2-inch standard touchscreen compared to the 12.3-inch display found in the Sorento, but the Explorer also offers a highly intuitive software experience that immerses you in the drive like never before. As the first Ford model to showcase the Ford Digital Experience, the Explorer brings a level of innovation and connectivity to the ride like no other. With the ability to personalize your infotainment experience, the Ford Digital Experience allows you to download all of your must-have apps and have them easily within reach, as well as add personalization elements to enhance the experience behind the wheel. From setting your seat position to linking your smartphone, from the moment you take your place inside, your Explorer will tune itself to suit your needs.
You’ll also get to take advantage of 5G capabilities, voice assistance, and loads of Google tech to ensure maximum enjoyment and convenience on the road ahead. This is something that you just can’t find in many competitors. Even though the Sorento offers an easy-to-use software interface, wireless smartphone integration, and a wireless charger, it’s not enough to properly compete with the personalization options found in the Explorer.
Another feature that you won’t find in other three-row SUVs is the top-rated active driving assistance system, otherwise known as Ford BlueCruise. The 2025 Explorer now offers the ability to take over the tedious tasks of steering, braking, and navigating traffic for you on 97% of controlled access highways across the continent. This makes it easier to remain focused on the road ahead, especially when you’re entertaining rambunctious littles on the way to the zoo, park, or anywhere else you’re heading during the weekends. Despite the fact that the Sorento has numerous driver assistance aids on board, nothing is quite like BlueCruise, making this the system to choose when you want to enjoy a ride quality like no other.
Design
The 2025 Ford Explorer and 2025 Kia Sorento prove to be very different in many aspects, and one more to add to the list is exterior design. The Explorer emits more rugged, confident vibes, while the Sorento is a bit more futuristic with sleek body work from front to back. For 2025, though, the Explorer showcases a revitalized style, with a new grille and lighting elements to really make it stand out from the rest. A black-painted roof, premium wheel designs, and red brake calipers can be enjoyed on the ST and ST-Line trims to really make a statement as you travel. Those who want a bit more ruggedness in their SUV will automatically be drawn to the Explorer; however, the Sorento does offer more rugged aspects in its more expensive X-Pro models, which feature high ground clearance, roof rails, and exclusive badging for a bolder appeal.
Inside its comfortable and practical cabin, the 2025 Explorer sees enhancements to its overall styling, in the form of updated color palettes, soft-touch materials throughout, and a redesigned dashboard. Opting for a higher-level trim will unlock access to premium features like a heated steering wheel, an eight-way power driver’s seat, multicontour front seats, and more engaging elements to heighten the quality of the ride. The Sorento offers a pleasant experience inside as well, with heated second-row captain’s chairs, wood-grain inlays throughout, and a cozy atmosphere inside. In the end, your choice will be about personal preference, as well as budget, as these top-of-the-line features will be found in more expensive Sorento models, which may be out of your price range.
Visit Us Today and Check Out the 2025 Ford Explorer
When you have a three-row SUV on your mind, DePaula Ford has just what you need to impact your ride in all the right ways. If the vehicle you’re interested in happens to be the 2025 Ford Explorer, you’ll find that we have a superb selection of these models, just waiting to wow you anywhere you wish to travel. From the moment you pull up to our dealership, you’ll be able to tell that we provide a different approach to the car buying process, with transparent pricing, knowledgeable professionals, and a selection that’s beyond impressive. We invite you to stop by today and take the 2025 Explorer for a test drive to see what it has to offer to make your ride better than you ever thought possible.
