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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 01:08 AM
  #31  
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but price is closer to rav4 than highlander. highlander is 26k-40k. sorento is 20k-34k.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 01:11 AM
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Originally Posted by joe80
sorento is bigger than RAV4. Sportage competes with Rav4.

Sorento's competes with highlander & pilot size wise. and it destroyed highlander in sales.
I would hope so. Toyota has several other midsize SUV choices beside the Highlander. I would bank on the fact that most of the Sorrento sales went to fleet sales...rental car agencies predominately Hertz & Enterprise. The Sorrento is a relatively cheaper car to retain in a long term fleet.

More power to Kia, but i'd take a Highlander over the Sorrento.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 01:53 AM
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Originally Posted by joe80
sorento is bigger than RAV4. Sportage competes with Rav4.

Sorento's competes with highlander & pilot size wise. and it destroyed highlander in sales.
No need to post this. There have already been arguments and debates that the Sorento does NOT directly compete with the Highlander or Pilot.

Size-wise the Sorento is NOT the same as a Pilot or Highlander; it is several inches shorter, and is a smaller overall vehicle. The Sorento is closer in size to a Rav4 than a Highlander or Pilot. Overall it is only slightly bigger than a Rav4, but noticeably smaller than a Highlander.

I hope you're not serious about actually comparing Sorento sales with the Highlander and Rav4 at this point in time? Toyota is going through a rough period right now with the whole recall situation and witch hunt against it. Obviously Highlander and Rav4 sales will be low for a while because of this.

The Sorento is a BRAND NEW model that JUST came out, the Highlander and Rav4 are both several years old. The Rav4 will soon get a redesign, and the Highlander should be getting one in the next two years.

As Flip mentioned, there is also the issue of fleet sales. It is a known fact right now that fleet companies in the US right now have gotten rid of their Toyota inventory. This is also contributing to lower sales for some Toyota models. It is also a fact that traditionally Hyundai and Kia have had heavy fleet sales, and this continues to be the case with the Sorento.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 05:53 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
wow, i think the sorrento is HEAD AND SHOULDERS better looking inside and out!
compared to that 20k interior of Rav, that 34k interior of Kia is at least 14k better ;-). But fully equipped Rav4 is nice too. Very nice.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:34 AM
  #35  
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sure it doesn't directly compare with highlander because it's 5k cheaper. but size wise it's bigger than my Santa Fe.

it basically competes with every midsized CUV. and it also competes with CRV and RAV4 because of Kia's aggressive pricing. size wise sorento is right in the middle. not too small, not too big.

Last edited by joe80; Mar 9, 2010 at 11:40 AM.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:38 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by flipside909
I would hope so. Toyota has several other midsize SUV choices beside the Highlander. I would bank on the fact that most of the Sorrento sales went to fleet sales...rental car agencies predominately Hertz & Enterprise. The Sorrento is a relatively cheaper car to retain in a long term fleet.

More power to Kia, but i'd take a Highlander over the Sorrento.

out sold Rav4 too.

if you want a bigger cargo, highlander is a better choice. if you want a better MPG, i would go with sorento.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by spwolf
compared to that 20k interior of Rav, that 34k interior of Kia is at least 14k better ;-). But fully equipped Rav4 is nice too. Very nice.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:55 AM
  #38  
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I'll take sorento over rav4 anyday! Dad's 08 sorento was a solid suv and I expect no less with new sorento.
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Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:57 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by joe80
out sold Rav4 too.

if you want a bigger cargo, highlander is a better choice. if you want a better MPG, i would go with sorento.
Indeed it did due to fleet sales aka rental car agencies.

Kia Sorrento's mileage is only better by 1 mpg CITY & HWY per EPA guidelines. That's not really much in a large scale. The Toyota has more HP and torque and generally has the same mileage as the Sorrento's 4cyl. The comparable V6 models get generally the same mileage and performance numbers. Both are very good choices for those in that market.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 11:58 AM
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Rav4 is probably closer to midsize than compact. it's definitely bigger than CRV from my car buying experience. it's been a while i've sat on highlander and pilot, but those 2 definitely definitely has more cargo area than a typical midsize, but not big enough to be considered as large IMO. maybe i'm wrong, but this was how i always broke down the CUV segment


compact CUVs - tucson, sportage, CRV

tweener - equinox, rav4

midsized CUVs - edge, CX-7, outlander, sorento, santa fe

mid to large - traverse, pilot, veracruz, cx-9, highlander

Last edited by joe80; Mar 9, 2010 at 12:14 PM.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 12:12 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by flipside909
Indeed it did due to fleet sales aka rental car agencies.

Kia Sorrento's mileage is only better by 1 mpg CITY & HWY per EPA guidelines. That's not really much in a large scale. The Toyota has more HP and torque and generally has the same mileage as the Sorrento's 4cyl. The comparable V6 models get generally the same mileage and performance numbers. Both are very good choices for those in that market.

both are very nice. my sis has a highlander. she loves it.


toyota highlander i4 20/27 208hp/212lb.ft
kia sorento i4 21/29 175hp/169lf.ft


toyota highlander v6 2wd v6 18/24 270hp/248lb.ft
kia sorento v6 2wd 20/26 276hp/248lb.ft
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 12:25 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by joe80
both are very nice. my sis has a highlander. she loves it.


toyota highlander i4 20/27 208hp/212lb.ft
kia sorento i4 21/29 175hp/169lf.ft


toyota highlander v6 2wd v6 18/24 270hp/248lb.ft
kia sorento v6 2wd 20/26 276hp/248lb.ft
My comparison was with a RAV4 to Sorrento just like the test article was making references to. You're the only one that is rallying the Sorrento to Highlander comparo. Both are classified in 2 different categories whether you agree or not.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 12:27 PM
  #43  
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i thought you were talkin about highlander.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by joe80
i thought you were talkin about highlander.
Ooops forgot to mention RAV4 in the "comparable" references.
Old Mar 9, 2010 | 07:36 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by flipside909
Kia Sorrento's mileage is only better by 1 mpg CITY & HWY per EPA guidelines. That's not really much in a large scale. The Toyota has more HP and torque and generally has the same mileage as the Sorrento's 4cyl. The comparable V6 models get generally the same mileage and performance numbers. Both are very good choices for those in that market.
but the rav4 for is fugly and cheap looking compared to the sorrento and the rav4 has that absurd full size spare stuck on the back door.

sorrento reminds me of an rx350!



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