Volvo XC60 vs Kia Sorento

What's the difference?

The Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright is a fine example of a family car that actually caters to families. There are plenty of practical features inside to help everyday living and it has a good amount of occupant and boot space for the class. I like how it handles on the road and its running costs are reasonable for a luxury SUV. It's not as flashy as its rivals but it's still stylish.

My husband and son spent a lot of time in the XC60 and they have enjoyed a high-level of comfort on our journeys together. We all love the built-in booster seats in the back row because of the independence they offer.

The Kia Sorento GT-Line diesel has the space, the features and the looks. My son loves all of the amenities in the middle row and has enjoyed touching every single button he can in this SUV!

If you're after a seven-seater and want the luxury factor too, this is one to consider.

If you're desperate for both people and luggage stowage, the Carnival might be a better fit but my family of three really like what the GT-Line has on offer and it gets an 8.5 from us.

The XC60 looks mature and graceful with its wide stance and well-proportioned body. The pronounced bonnet and stylish grille confirm its luxury SUV credentials.

The LED headlight design has been inspired by ‘Thor's Hammer’ (gotta love that Scandi heritage!) and the chrome accents around the windows accentuate the optioned darker tint.

Despite having a stately kerb-side presence, it’s not a boring looking car. The 20-inch dual-coloured alloy wheels and sleek body panelling help the XC60 appear almost sporty. Overall, its exterior design looks like it will age well.

The interior style of the XC60 can be summed up in two words - understated elegance.

The cabin isn't as flashy or wowing as some of its rivals and that might be because it lacks the visual impact of customisable ambient lighting, or because the chunkier dashboard looks more solid and dependable than sleek and fancy.

Regardless, the high-quality leather-accented upholstery and trim options elevate the space to earn the 'luxury' tag.

There is a plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout the car and visual highlights like chrome accents, an illuminated crystal shifter by Orrefors and a solid-feeling steering wheel.

The Sorento has been beefed up to compete against its heavier-set rivals, like the Kluger and Everest. The chunky design works in this format because it's body is well proportioned and features lovely highlights like a full suite of LED lights and satin-metallic accents.

The black grille is wide-set and complements the tall nose, while the two-tone 20-inch alloy wheels gives it some cool cred.

Hop into the cabin and you can't mistake this as anything other than the top grade with an interior that looks well-made, featuring a nice mix of materials with the Nappa leather upholstery, black suede headliner and soft touchpoints throughout.

The dashboard sits a bit lower than expected and thus you don't feel like you're in a big monster when you drive. The dashboard is headlined by the beautiful curved panel that houses those dual 12.3-inch digital screens.

Everything about this SUV shouts 'look at me, aren't I gorgeous?'

Families will appreciate the XC60's cabin. Both rows of seating are roomy for the class and the front seats are supportive and comfortable with multiple adjustments available.

However, there is an electric toggle dial that controls the lumbar-, side-, and under-thigh supports as well as the massage function, but flipping between modes can be a bit confusing at first.

I enjoy having the practical two-position memory function on both front seats, as I’ve been travelling a lot with my husband and the heat/ventilation features on the front seats have been great during a recent run of strange weather.

The back seats are well-cushioned and the bench is wide with three adults being able to sit without too many grumbles. 

I have plenty of room for my 168cm height and my seven-year old is able to get in and out without any trouble thanks to the higher ground clearance.

Our absolute favourite feature is built-in child booster cushions in the outboard seats. They have two height positions to accommodate different heights/weights and it’s been wonderful for my son to have the autonomy of buckling himself in. But also just awesome for my husband and I because it’s one less thing to think about! 

Storage throughout the car is good for the class with the front enjoying a mid-sized middle console, large glove box, two cupholders and two large drink bottle holders. The extra-large storage bins in the front doors are also very handy. 

In the rear, you have two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, two map pockets and two drink bottle holders in each door.

The other amenities are great with the individual climate control and four sets of directional air vents – ideally located on the back of the centre console and on the B-pillars. 

Charging options are solid with both rows enjoying two USB-C ports and the front also getting a 12-volt outlet and wireless charging pad. The boot has a 12-volt socket, too.

Onto the other technology, the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is responsive and relatively easy to get around once you spend some time with it. Along with the Google subscription, you also get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows the navigation map and the head-up display incorporates directions, which is great.

The cluster itself isn’t customisable, though, and I like fiddling with things like that to personalise the driving experience.

Another practical feature is a secondary key fob which can be programmed to control the maximum speed the car can travel and the audio volume.

I'm sure this would be handy for parents of any P-platers out there who often borrow the family car.

The key fobs are easily distinguishable. too. The spare for our test vehicle is a bright orange colour, so there are no 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' arguments, either.

The boot space is a great size at 483L offering plenty of room for holiday luggage. The back seat has a 60/40 split and a ski-port to open up storage options.

The loading space is level and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. You can adjust the height of the car using the air suspension and I love a powered tailgate.

The Sorento offers a cabin that is not short on space and up front you never feel like you're on top of your passengers, no matter who or what you're carrying.

However, the leg- and headroom is the best in the front and middle rows. The panoramic sunroof and stadium positioning of the seats of the middle row cuts into the headspace a little bit but a taller adult will still find comfort.

The legroom in the third row is more suited for kid-sized occupants but an adult could squeeze back there for a (very) short trip.

Individual storage and amenities throughout the car are excellent for the class. Front passengers get a drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders and a large middle console and glove box. There are also some handy storage nooks and a utility tray on the topside of the centre console for items like keys, wallet and your phone.

The electric front seats are super comfortable and have those lux heat and ventilation functions.

The middle row gets a skinny drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and another cupholder in each door. These are the favourites for my son because they are easier to access for him.

On the back of the front seats you get map pockets and two netted device holders. There are also reading lights, directional air vents, retractable sun blinds and heated outboard seats.

Third rowers aren't forgotten either with two cupholders, two snack trays and directional air vents, as well as an electric fan controller and reading lights.

In terms of other storage, the back seat has a 60/40 split and the third row has 50/50 split. With the third row stowed, you get a decent 608L of storage capacity in the boot.

There is a small under-floor compartment where you can hide the cargo cover and the full-size spare wheel is located underneath the car. This grade also comes with a handsfree-powered tailgate.

The technology on a whole is up to date and easy to use, however, the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has a different layout ushered in as part of the update and it took a while to get used to. Kia has thankfully fixed the strange quirk of some higher model grades not having wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so that's now standard. This grade also gets built-in satellite navigation with map updates for 10 years.

The instrument cluster is semi-customisable and you get a head-up display too. I like that there are handy controls within easy reach of the driver, like the remote boot opening button. It's good on a school or sport run!

Charging options are really good throughout the car with each row getting two USB-C ports but the front also gets a wireless charging pad too. Both the middle and third rows get a 12-volt port, so basically charging will not be an issue in this car.

There are four grades available for the Sorento with a choice of a petrol or the diesel engine for each grade level.

On test this week is the top-spec GT-Line with the turbo-diesel engine.  This particular combination is priced at $68,590 before on road costs and sits more towards the middle of its rivals. The Hyundai Sante Fe Highlander slides in as most affordable at $66,500 and the petrol-powered Toyota Kluger Grande eclipses the Sorento at $75,650.

You would be right in expecting the flagship model to come jammed-packed with features and the GT-Line doesn't disappoint.

The luxury appointments include quilted Nappa leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof and heated rear outboard seats in the middle row.

The driver's seat features 14-way powered adjustments with lumbar support and extendable under-thigh bolster. The front passenger seat has 10-way powered adjustment with lumbar support and both seats feature heating and ventilation functions.

The top dog also gets a heated steering wheel, digital rearview mirror and a whole bunch of updated technology. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be connected via wire or wireless and the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has had its layout updated and exclusive to this grade is the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

The family-friendly and practical features include keyless entry/ start, powered tailgate, remote start and remote parking function (key fob activated), retractable sun-blinds  (middle row), extendable sun visors and a full-size spare wheel.

There is a niggling thought though that if the people and storage stowage were the deciding factors, you might be better suited for the Kia Carnival which is more fit-for-purpose, more affordable (by a hair) and features a similar specs list.

Volvo is aiming to offer only fully-electric powertrains from 2026 and the new XC60 B5 petrol variants feature a mild-hybrid element designed to improve fuel economy, especially in stop-start traffic.

Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum power output of 183kW and 350Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission.

Our GT-Line on test has a the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces a maximum power output of 148kW and 440Nm of torque. This combination ensures that you have plenty of grunt, even with a full boot load, but can feel sluggish off the mark. It's a beautiful cruiser once you're up to speed though.

The GT-Line is an AWD with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

You can select an additional three terrain modes, Snow, Mud or Sand and it has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked) for any adventure pursuits.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 7.6L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.1L/100km.

That’s pretty economical given that I cover a good mix of open road and urban driving and am not precious with the power.

Based on the combined cycle number and the large 71L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 934km. To give you an idea of time between fills, I drove it for 14 days before having to fill up.

You can’t sneak in any blends or lower grade fuel though as Volvo recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded be used.

You'd expect the  diesel engine to be relatively frugal for efficiency and the Sorento claims an official combined fuel cycle figure of 6.0L/100km and after mostly urban driving, my real-world usage came out at 7.9L which is very good.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and the 67L fuel tank, you should see a driving range of 1116km, which makes the GT-Line diesel an excellent road-tripper.

The XC60 is a relaxing car to drive, it does what you expect it to do most of the time. It has enough power to handle open-road touring with ease and while the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride feels well-cushioned.

The only time it skips a beat for me is when you're easing off the accelerator, slowing down, but then need to pick up speed again.

Say, when you find a gap in traffic and begin to merge. There can be a short delay before acceleration happens and it feels somewhat clumsy. But these moments are few and far between.

The cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Our family had no issues chatting. It only gets loud inside when heavy rain hits that big panoramic sunroof.

Adaptive steering makes the XC60 feels nimble and horribly tight city streets less daunting. It’s easy to manoeuvre in a small car park, as well.

The clear 360-degree camera system and sensitive front and rear parking sensors also help to make light work of a parking. 

The diesel GT-Line can initially feel sluggish when you're accelerating from a stand-still but once you get going, it is a lovely open roader. The Sorento feels well balanced in corners and has enough grunt to tackle hills without fighting to keep up your speed.

The steering feels nimble but not light and the on-road feeling is on the right side of heavy, meaning the car doesn't shift around, even in heavy winds on the highway.

Strangely, when you pull your foot off the accelerator there's a slump as the car slows down, similar to an EV when the regenerative braking kicks in, which takes a while to get used to.

Comfort is ensured by how quiet the cabin is and the driving experience on a long journey feels very refined because of it. Suspension feels cushioned and a smidge spongier than I like, but all my passengers rave about the ride comfort, so there's that.

Despite its 4815mm length and 1900mm width, the Sorento is surprisingly agile to park because of its superb 11.6m turning circle.  The super clear 360-degree view camera system, as well as the front, rear and side parking sensors means you shouldn't struggle parking it.

It’s not often common to associate a luxury brand with reasonable on-going costs but the Volvo XC60 is offered with very competitive pricing and terms.

The five-year/unlimited km warranty is normal for the class but you can pre-purchase a three-year/45,000km or a five-year/75,000km servicing plan.

The three-year plan is priced at $1750 (averaging $583 per service) and the five-year plan is priced at $3000 (or an average of $600 per service). Both plans are cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option and are inexpensive compared to some rivals.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Sorento comes with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is excellent for the class.

It also comes with a seven-year, or up to 105,000km capped-price servicing program and services average $541 per service, which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.