2022 Honda Odyssey vs 2022 Kia Sorento

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that we often recommended to families due to its practical design and features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load toddlers into rear-facing child safety seats, and its comfortable third-row seat accommodated additional passengers like grandparents or carpool kids without hassle. The Odyssey also offered substantial cargo space, rivaling that of a Chevrolet Suburban when the third-row seat was folded down and the second-row seats were removed. Despite its practical design, the Odyssey had a sense of style, especially in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels and quality materials throughout the interior.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Sorento, especially with the X-Line package, exuded a rugged and stylish presence. The X-Line treatment added rugged bumpers, matte-finish wheels, black lower body cladding, a lifted suspension, and robust roof rails, enhancing its already attractive design. The interior of the Sorento, particularly in the SX Prestige trim, felt luxurious with Rust-colored leather, a 14-way power driver’s seat, and a 10-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. The second-row captain’s chairs were designed with kids in mind, offering comfort and convenience features like USB charging ports and rear air conditioning vents. However, the third-row seat was less accommodating for adults, making it more suitable for occasional use.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It offered a front-wheel-drive configuration and had an EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. During our test drive in Southern California, the Odyssey averaged 22.6 mpg. While the Odyssey was enjoyable to drive with quick acceleration and responsive handling, its brakes tended to heat up and produce pedal vibration and audible grumble during repeated use, especially on downhill grades.

The 2022 Kia Sorento offered multiple powertrain options, with the base engine being a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder. However, we recommended the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which generated 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission and offered a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. The turbocharged Sorento felt energetic and handled like a sports sedan, with excellent body motion control and communication. Despite the X-Line’s raised suspension, it maintained a sporty driving experience. However, the Sorento’s fuel economy was lower than expected, averaging 20.7 mpg during our week-long test.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey provided easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The Magic Slide second-row seats allowed for flexible seating arrangements, and the third-row seat was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey offered 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 88.8 cubic feet with the third row folded and 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed.

The 2022 Kia Sorento’s interior, particularly in the SX Prestige trim, felt luxurious with Rust-colored leather and power-adjustable front seats. The second-row captain’s chairs were comfortable and designed with kids in mind, offering various convenience features. However, the third-row seat was less comfortable for adults, with limited legroom and headroom. The Sorento offered 12.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 38.5 cubic feet with the third row folded and 75.5 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded. The smart power tailgate made loading easier when your hands were full.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring trim added navigation and HondaLink connected services, including WiFi hotspot access. The Odyssey also featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, a rear-seat entertainment system with a 10.2-inch display, and an 11-speaker premium audio system in the Elite trim. However, the infotainment system felt outdated, and the voice recognition system was less intuitive compared to smartphone assistants.

The 2022 Kia Sorento, starting with the EX trim, featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with navigation, satellite radio, Kia Connect services, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SX Prestige X-Line trim included a 12-speaker Bose premium surround-sound system and wireless smartphone charging. The infotainment system was intuitive, but the font style, graphics, and colors might not appeal to everyone. The voice recognition system in the Sorento was less effective compared to Hyundai’s Blue Link system.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Odyssey also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, the safety features lacked refinement, and the blind-spot monitoring system’s warning light was not ideally placed. The Odyssey earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Kia Sorento featured Kia Drive Wise, with varying contents depending on the trim level. Our test vehicle included a rear-seat reminder system with ultrasonic sensors, Junction Assist, Blind View Monitor, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, and Highway Driving Assist. The Sorento’s Highway Driving Assist was a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system that worked exceptionally well. The Sorento earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a four-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA.