Compare the2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In HybridVS 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Grand Cherokee 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 Grand Cherokee’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.

With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Grand Cherokee.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and Grand Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Grand Cherokee’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid and the Grand Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and available around view monitors.

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 Grand Cherokee’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 Jeep covers the Grand Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Grand Cherokee ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 16 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 257) than the Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 30 miles. The Grand Cherokee 4xe has to start its internal combustion engine after only 26 miles.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Grand Cherokee 4xe requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Grand Cherokee. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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 Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Grand Cherokee Laredo.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 3.9 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee, making the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has standard seating for 6 passengers; the Grand Cherokee can only carry 5.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid has .4 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee.

The front step up height for the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid is 1.2 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee (19” vs. 20.2”). The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s rear step up height is 2.5 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee’s (19” vs. 21.5”).

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

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Sorento Plug-In Hybrid easier. The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.7 inches, while the Grand Cherokee’s liftover is 33 inches.

The Sorento Plug-In Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Grand Cherokee’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 Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding 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. Homelink® is only available on the Grand Cherokee Limited/4xe/Overland/Summit.

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 Grand Cherokee and isn’t available on the Grand Cherokee Laredo A.