Compare the2026 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2026 Ford Escape PHEV

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Escape PHEV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Escape PHEV’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Escape PHEV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid weighs 772 pounds more than the Ford Escape PHEV. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is much safer than the Escape PHEV:

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Escape PHEV’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Escape PHEV. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Escape PHEV ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 4 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 51 more horsepower (261 vs. 210) than the Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape PHEV (12.4 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has larger tires than the Escape PHEV (235/55R19 vs. 225/60R18).

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape PHEV’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Escape PHEV.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Escape PHEV (110.8 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape PHEV.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Escape PHEV can only carry 5.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has 3.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape PHEV (105.3 vs. 102.2).

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has .3 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Escape PHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s middle row seats recline. The Escape PHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area provides more volume than the Escape PHEV.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Escape PHEV’s in almost every dimension:

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escape PHEV’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

On a hot day the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Escape PHEV can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape PHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Ford Escape PHEV offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Escape PHEV’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Escape PHEV have standard heated front seats. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape PHEV.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Ford charges extra for Homelink® on the Escape PHEV.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Escape PHEV.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid X-Line SX Prestige has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.