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Tester’s notes
While diesel power finds favour with fewer and fewer buyers, in many ways it’s the best option in the Sorento range. The 2.2-litre CRDi – complete with an aluminium block that saves 19.5kg compared with the cast-iron item in the Mk3 Sorento range – makes 190bhp, which is slightly down on the hybrid’s output, but it’s much more torquey, with 440Nm.
This makes it the pick for towing; with a 2,500kg limit, it can haul more than twice as much as the HEV or PHEV powertrains. A 9.7-second 0-62mph time is a match for the hybrid, too.
Of all its rivals, the Sorento’s closest match comes from its own parent company. The Hyundai Santa Fe is mechanically similar to the Sorento, but unlike its Kia cousin, the Santa Fe no longer offers diesel power. This puts the model at a disadvantage for buyers who like to tow trailers or caravans.
That aside, the Santa Fe is the marginally more luxurious option; it has a little more headroom in the third row, plus there’s the option of a posher six-seat layout which replaces the second-row bench with a pair of captain’s chairs.
Head to head
On the road
The Peugeot feels significantly lighter and more agile than the Sorento, yet also it rides a little more smoothly than the Kia. The 5008’s brake pedal is soft at the top of its travel, but once the brakes fully bite, they offer more stopping power than the Sorento’s. Power is the one thing that the 5008 is short on, though; the Kia’s hybrid unit feels more muscular under load, and it can run in fully electric mode for much longer.
Tech highlights
Both cars aren’t short on choice when it comes to powertrains, with the 5008 offered with Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and fully electric variants. The Sorento doesn’t come as a full EV (that’s reserved for the EV9), but there are two hybrid and one diesel options. Unlike its French rival, the Kia has four-wheel drive as standard on every model. Aside from the most potent electric versions, the 5008 is front-wheel drive only.
Price and running
The 5008 was the more frugal car during our test, averaging more than 40mpg in mixed use – significantly up on the Kia. The Sorento is more expensive to buy, too, with top-spec 4 trims climbing as high as £52,385. The least expensive 5008 Allure dips below the ‘luxury-car’ levy on VED rates due to its £39,980 price. That means it will cost £425 a year less to tax from years two to six than editions priced above £40,000.
Practicality
If you plan to use all seven seats regularly, the Sorento is the car to have of this pair. While its third-row seats are still a little tight for adults, they offer more space, especially knee room, than the 5008’s, which are only suitable for children. But if the sixth and seventh seats are only going to be used occasionally, the Peugeot is the better bet. Its second row is more comfy than the Kia’s – especially in the middle seat.
Safety
Euro NCAP tested the 5008’s smaller rangemate, the 3008, in 2025, and later applied the four-star rating to the seven-seater, too. It was mainly let down by its driver-assist score, in particular the lack of an occupant-monitoring system for the second and third rows of passengers. The Sorento was awarded five stars by NCAP, but that was back in 2020, to less stringent standards than the latest tests.
Ownership
In the 2025 Driver Power Customer Satisfaction survey, Peugeot finished seventh overall out of 31 brands. The 5008 was too new to feature as part of those findings, but it’s a promising result overall. In contrast, Kia took a surprising slip in 2025, falling from its third-place finish the previous year to a result of 18th overall this time around. However, Kia’s seven-year warranty should put many buyers at ease.
Verdict
Winner: Peugeot 5008
Victory here shows that Peugeot has built on the appeal of the second-generation 5008, and addressed some of its weaker points. The hybrid powertrain in particular is a big step up over the previous non-electrified system, while the combination of ride and handling is as good as anything in the class.
