The 2022 Kia Sorento, a popular SUV known for its versatility and family-friendly features, underwent rigorous testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This detailed analysis breaks down the 2022 Kia Sorento’s safety performance across various crash scenarios and safety system evaluations, providing a comprehensive overview for potential buyers. Understanding these ratings is crucial for making informed decisions about vehicle safety.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end (driver-side in this case) impacts a barrier. This is a particularly challenging test as it bypasses the main energy-absorbing structures of the car.
The 2022 Kia Sorento achieved a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test, the highest possible rating. Key evaluation points and measurements from the test include:
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good”, indicating the structural integrity of the Sorento held up well in this severe crash scenario, maintaining the occupant compartment space.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the driver were rated “Good”, meaning low risk of significant injuries to the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot in a real-world crash of this type.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Also rated “Good”, showing the Sorento’s airbags and seatbelts effectively controlled the dummy’s movement, contributing to occupant protection.
Technical Measurements – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Metric | Value (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment Intrusion | ||
| Lower Hinge Pillar Max | Maximum Intrusion | 11 |
| Footrest | Intrusion | 7 |
| Left Toepan | Intrusion | 6 |
| Brake Pedal | Intrusion | 2 |
| Parking Brake | Intrusion | 9 |
| Rocker Panel Lateral Average | Average Lateral Intrusion | 5 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment Intrusion | ||
| Steering Column | Intrusion | 1 |
| Upper Hinge Pillar Max | Maximum Intrusion | 4 |
| Upper Dash | Intrusion | 6 |
| Lower Instrument Panel | Intrusion | 8 |
These measurements indicate the degree of intrusion into the driver’s side occupant space. Lower numbers are better, reflecting less deformation of the safety cage.
Driver Injury Measures – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Injury Measure | Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Head | HIC-15 | 83 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | No Contact | |
| Neck | Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Extension Bending Moment (Nm) | 10 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.18 | |
| Chest | Maximum Compression (mm) | 24 |
| Femur (Left) | Force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Femur (Right) | Force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Knee Displacement (Left) | Displacement (mm) | 3 |
| Knee Displacement (Right) | Displacement (mm) | 2 |
| Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left) | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Right) | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Tibia Index (Left) | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.56 |
| Tibia Index (Right) | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.53 |
| Tibia Axial Force (Left) | Force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Tibia Axial Force (Right) | Force (kN) | 0.7 |
| Foot Acceleration (Left) | Acceleration (g) | 35 |
| Foot Acceleration (Right) | Acceleration (g) | 38 |
These injury measurements are crucial for understanding the forces and potential injury risks in different body regions during the crash. Lower values generally indicate better performance and lower injury risk.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
The passenger-side small overlap test is the counterpart to the driver-side test, evaluating safety performance when the passenger side of the vehicle’s front impacts a barrier.
Similar to the driver-side, the 2022 Kia Sorento earned a “Good” rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. This demonstrates consistent structural integrity and occupant protection across both sides of the vehicle in this challenging crash scenario.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Passenger Injury Measures: All injury measures for the passenger were rated “Good”.
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures: Notably, driver injury measures are also assessed in the passenger-side test to evaluate the overall impact dynamics, and these were also rated “Good”.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good” (for driver in passenger-side test).
Technical Measurements – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Metric | Value (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Occupant Compartment Intrusion | ||
| Lower Hinge Pillar Max | Maximum Intrusion | 12 |
| Footrest | Intrusion | 7 |
| Right Toepan | Intrusion | 4 |
| Center Toepan | Intrusion | 3 |
| Rocker Panel Lateral Average | Average Lateral Intrusion | 5 |
| Upper Occupant Compartment Intrusion | ||
| Center Dash | Intrusion | 5 |
| Upper Hinge Pillar Max | Maximum Intrusion | 6 |
| Upper Dash | Intrusion | 7 |
| Right Lower Dash | Intrusion | 6 |
Passenger and Driver Injury Measures – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Injury Measure | Role | Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger Head | Passenger | HIC-15 | 79 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | No Contact | ||
| Passenger Neck | Passenger | Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension Bending Moment (Nm) | 13 | ||
| Maximum Nij | 0.17 | ||
| Passenger Chest | Passenger | Maximum Compression (mm) | 25 |
| Passenger Femur (Left) | Passenger | Force (kN) | 0.1 |
| Passenger Femur (Right) | Passenger | Force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Passenger Knee Displacement (Left) | Passenger | Displacement (mm) | 0 |
| Passenger Knee Displacement (Right) | Passenger | Displacement (mm) | 1 |
| Passenger Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left) | Passenger | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Passenger Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Right) | Passenger | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Passenger Tibia Index (Left) | Passenger | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.39 |
| Passenger Tibia Index (Right) | Passenger | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.65 |
| Passenger Tibia Axial Force (Left) | Passenger | Force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Passenger Tibia Axial Force (Right) | Passenger | Force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Passenger Foot Acceleration (Left) | Passenger | Acceleration (g) | 29 |
| Passenger Foot Acceleration (Right) | Passenger | Acceleration (g) | 54 |
| Driver Head | Driver | HIC-15 | 84 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | No Contact | ||
| Driver Neck | Driver | Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Extension Bending Moment (Nm) | 13 | ||
| Maximum Nij | 0.20 | ||
| Driver Chest | Driver | Maximum Compression (mm) | 24 |
| Driver Femur (Left) | Driver | Force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Driver Femur (Right) | Driver | Force (kN) | 0.9 |
| Driver Knee Displacement (Left) | Driver | Displacement (mm) | 1 |
| Driver Knee Displacement (Right) | Driver | Displacement (mm) | 2 |
| Driver Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Left) | Driver | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Driver Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Risk (Right) | Driver | Risk (%) | 0 |
| Driver Tibia Index (Left) | Driver | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.32 |
| Driver Tibia Index (Right) | Driver | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.43 |
| Driver Tibia Axial Force (Left) | Driver | Force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Driver Tibia Axial Force (Right) | Driver | Force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Driver Foot Acceleration (Left) | Driver | Acceleration (g) | 38 |
| Driver Foot Acceleration (Right) | Driver | Acceleration (g) | 56 |
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test simulates a frontal collision where a significant portion of the vehicle’s front width impacts a barrier. This test is designed to evaluate how well the vehicle’s structure and restraint systems protect occupants in a more common type of frontal crash.
The 2022 Kia Sorento again demonstrated excellent performance, achieving a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures were rated “Good”.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good”
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Measurement Category | Metric | Value (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Footwell Intrusion | ||
| Footrest | Intrusion | 4 |
| Left Footwell | Intrusion | 7 |
| Center Footwell | Intrusion | 5 |
| Right Footwell | Intrusion | 7 |
| Brake Pedal | Intrusion | 5 |
| Instrument Panel Rearward Movement | ||
| Left Side | Rearward Movement | 0 |
| Right Side | Rearward Movement | 1 |
| Steering Column Movement | ||
| Upward | Upward Movement | -1 |
| Rearward | Rearward Movement | -2 |
| A-Pillar Rearward Movement | Rearward Movement | 0 |
Driver Injury Measures – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Injury Measure | Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Head | HIC-15 | 237 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | No Contact | |
| Neck | Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Extension Bending Moment (Nm) | 8 | |
| Maximum Nij | 0.26 | |
| Chest | Maximum Compression (mm) | 31 |
| Femur (Left) | Force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Femur (Right) | Force (kN) | 1.8 |
| Knee Displacement (Left) | Displacement (mm) | 2 |
| Knee Displacement (Right) | Displacement (mm) | 2 |
| Tibia Index (Left) | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.44 |
| Tibia Index (Right) | Maximum Tibia Index | 0.41 |
| Tibia Axial Force (Left) | Force (kN) | 2.3 |
| Tibia Axial Force (Right) | Force (kN) | 2.2 |
| Foot Acceleration (Left) | Acceleration (g) | 46 |
| Foot Acceleration (Right) | Acceleration (g) | 42 |
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Test
The side impact test evaluates how well a vehicle protects occupants in a side collision, a particularly dangerous type of crash.
The 2022 Kia Sorento once again achieved the highest rating of “Good” in the side impact test.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures: All driver injury measures were rated “Good”.
- Driver Head Protection: “Good”
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures: All rear passenger injury measures were rated “Good”.
- Rear Passenger Head Protection: “Good”
Technical Measurements – Side Impact Test
| Measurement Category | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -20.0 |
A negative value indicates that the crush stopped short of the driver’s seat centerline, showing good structural performance in limiting occupant compartment intrusion.
Driver and Passenger Injury Measures – Side Impact Test
| Injury Measure | Role | Metric | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Driver | HIC-15 | 116 |
| Neck Tension | Driver | Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Neck Compression | Driver | Compression (kN) | -0.6 |
| Shoulder Lateral Deflection | Driver | Deflection (mm) | 40 |
| Shoulder Lateral Force | Driver | Force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection | Driver | Deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Torso Average Deflection | Driver | Deflection (mm) | 31 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection Rate | Driver | Rate (m/s) | 4.42 |
| Torso Maximum Viscous Criterion | Driver | Criterion (m/s) | 0.48 |
| Pelvis Iliac Force | Driver | Force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum Force | Driver | Force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Pelvis Combined Force | Driver | Force (kN) | 2.7 |
| Left Femur L-M Force | Driver | Force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Left Femur L-M Moment | Driver | Moment (Nm) | 53 |
| Left Femur A-P Moment | Driver | Moment (Nm) | 35 |
| Head | Passenger | HIC-15 | 113 |
| Neck Tension | Passenger | Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Neck Compression | Passenger | Compression (kN) | -0.4 |
| Shoulder Lateral Deflection | Passenger | Deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Shoulder Lateral Force | Passenger | Force (kN) | 1.9 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection | Passenger | Deflection (mm) | 43 |
| Torso Average Deflection | Passenger | Deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Torso Maximum Deflection Rate | Passenger | Rate (m/s) | 3.23 |
| Torso Maximum Viscous Criterion | Passenger | Criterion (m/s) | 0.57 |
| Pelvis Iliac Force | Passenger | Force (kN) | 0.5 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum Force | Passenger | Force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Pelvis Combined Force | Passenger | Force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Left Femur L-M Force | Passenger | Force (kN) | 0.4 |
| Left Femur L-M Moment | Passenger | Moment (Nm) | 75 |
| Left Femur A-P Moment | Passenger | Moment (Nm) | -20 |
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. A strong roof can prevent roof crush and reduce the risk of serious injury.
The 2022 Kia Sorento achieved a “Good” rating in roof strength.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Strength-to-weight ratio: 4.99. This ratio indicates the roof can withstand nearly 5 times the vehicle’s weight before crushing, a very strong performance.
Technical Measurements – Roof Strength Test
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Curb Weight | 3,829 lbs |
| Peak Force | 19,106 lbs |
| Strength-to-Weight Ratio | 4.99 |
Head Restraints & Seats
Evaluations of head restraints and seats focus on their ability to protect against neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
The 2022 Kia Sorento received a “Good” rating for head restraints & seats.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Dynamic Rating: “Good” (based on simulated rear-impact).
- Seat/Head Restraint Geometry: “Good” (based on measurements of seat and headrest positioning).
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Measurement Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Geometry – Backset | 8 mm |
| Geometry – Distance below top of head | -2 mm |
| Seat Design Parameters – Max T1 acceleration | 12.6 g |
| Seat Design Parameters – Head contact time | 51 ms |
| Seat Design Parameters – Force rating | 1 |
| Neck Forces – Max neck shear force | 0 N |
| Neck Forces – Max neck tension | 277 N |
Headlight Performance
Headlight performance is critical for nighttime driving safety. IIHS evaluates headlights based on visibility and glare. The 2022 Kia Sorento has different headlight options depending on the trim level.
SX and SX-Prestige Trims (LED Projector Headlights):
- Overall Rating: “Good”
These trims feature LED projector headlights and achieved a “Good” rating, indicating excellent visibility and acceptable glare levels.
LX, S, and EX Trims (LED Reflector Headlights):
- Overall Rating: “Poor”
Unfortunately, lower trims with LED reflector headlights received a “Poor” rating. Low beam visibility was found to be inadequate in straightaways and curves. While high beam assist is available, the base headlights’ performance is a significant drawback.
Headlight Technical Measurements (SX, SX-Prestige Trims – Good Rating):
| LOW BEAMS | Measurement | Glare |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 94.9 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 68.8 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 80.7 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 66.6 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 73.5 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 60.1 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Measurement | |
| Straightaway right edge | 153.3 m | |
| Straightaway left edge | 134.3 m | |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 87.4 m | |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 73.1 m | |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 74.3 m | |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 61.2 m |
Headlight Technical Measurements (LX, S, EX Trims – Poor Rating):
| LOW BEAMS | Measurement | Glare |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 64.0 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 18.6 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 43.2 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 30.9 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 33.8 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 26.9 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Measurement | |
| Straightaway right edge | 119.2 m | |
| Straightaway left edge | 94.3 m | |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 61.8 m | |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 59.4 m | |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 44.7 m | |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 42.7 m |
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems aim to mitigate or avoid frontal collisions with other vehicles. IIHS tests two types of systems for the 2022 Kia Sorento.
Standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection:
- Overall Evaluation: “Superior”
The standard system performed excellently in tests, avoiding collisions at both 12 mph and 25 mph. It also meets forward collision warning requirements.
Optional Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist (FCA) with Cyclist Detection and Junction Turning (Available on EX, SX, and SX-Prestige trims):
- Overall Evaluation: “Superior” with optional equipment
The optional, more advanced system also earned a “Superior” rating, demonstrating collision avoidance at both test speeds and meeting forward collision warning standards.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
Pedestrian front crash prevention systems are designed to detect and react to pedestrians in the vehicle’s path. IIHS tests two pedestrian detection systems for the 2022 Kia Sorento.
Optional Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist-Junction Turning (FCA-JT) (SX, SX-Prestige, EX trims):
- Overall Evaluation: “Superior” with optional equipment
This system demonstrated “Superior” performance, avoiding collisions or significantly reducing impact speed in various pedestrian scenarios (crossing child, crossing adult, parallel adult) at different speeds.
Standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist-Ped (FCA-Ped) (All trims):
- Overall Evaluation: “Advanced”
The standard system received an “Advanced” rating. While it avoided collisions in some scenarios (crossing adult at 12 mph, parallel adult at 25 and 37 mph), it only reduced impact speed in others (crossing child and crossing adult at 25 mph).
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
The LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) makes installing child safety seats easier and more secure. IIHS evaluates the usability of LATCH systems.
The 2022 Kia Sorento’s LATCH system was rated “Acceptable”.
- Overall Evaluation: “Acceptable”
- Number of rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware: 4
While the Sorento has a good number of LATCH positions, the “Acceptable” rating suggests some usability issues, such as anchors being located too deep in the seat.
LATCH Details by Seating Position
The Sorento has LATCH anchors in positions 1, 3, 4, and 6 (referring to the seating diagram in the original article). While all positions have tether anchors and lower anchors, details indicate that lower anchors are “too deep in seat” for all positions.
LATCH Technical Measurements (Examples for Seat Positions 21, 23, 31, 33)
Technical measurements are provided for each LATCH position, detailing anchor depth, force required to attach, and clearance angles. These measurements provide a deeper understanding of the usability challenges contributing to the “Acceptable” rating.
Conclusion
The 2022 Kia Sorento demonstrates strong safety performance in IIHS crash tests, consistently achieving “Good” ratings in most evaluations. Its structural integrity and occupant protection are commendable in demanding crash scenarios. Front crash prevention systems also earned “Superior” and “Advanced” ratings, highlighting Kia’s commitment to active safety technologies.
However, potential buyers should be aware of the “Poor” headlight rating for LX, S, and EX trims and the “Acceptable” rating for LATCH system usability. Choosing higher trims like SX or SX-Prestige will ensure “Good” rated headlights. Overall, the 2022 Kia Sorento is a safe vehicle choice, particularly when equipped with the better headlight options and considering its strong crash test performance.
