The 2022 Kia Sorento, a popular SUV in the market, has undergone rigorous testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to evaluate its safety performance. This detailed analysis provides an in-depth look at the 2022 Sorento’s crashworthiness and safety features, helping potential buyers make informed decisions. The Kia Sorento was redesigned for the 2021 model year, and these ratings apply to models from 2021 through 2025.
Crashworthiness: Protecting Occupants in a Collision
The IIHS evaluates crashworthiness through several tests simulating different types of real-world collisions. The 2022 Kia Sorento demonstrated robust performance across these evaluations.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test
This test assesses how well a vehicle protects occupants in a collision involving a small portion of the vehicle’s front corner. The 2022 Kia Sorento earned a “Good” rating in both driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front crash tests.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Front
In the driver-side small overlap test, the 2022 Kia Sorento maintained its structural integrity well. Key measurements from the test indicate minimal intrusion into the occupant compartment, contributing to the “Good” rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver Restraints and Kinematics | G |
Technical measurements from the driver-side test further illustrate the Sorento’s performance:
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower Hinge Pillar Max Intrusion | 11 |
| Footrest Intrusion | 7 |
| Left Toepan Intrusion | 6 |
| Brake Pedal Intrusion | 2 |
| Parking Brake Intrusion | 9 |
| Rocker Panel Lateral Average Intrusion | 5 |
| Steering Column Intrusion | 1 |
| Upper Hinge Pillar Max Intrusion | 4 |
| Upper Dash Intrusion | 6 |
| Lower Instrument Panel Intrusion | 8 |
These measurements reflect the limited deformation of the occupant space, contributing to the low risk of injury to the driver. Injury measures recorded on the test dummy were also all rated “Good,” indicating excellent protection for the head, neck, chest, hip, thigh, and lower leg/foot.
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front
The passenger-side small overlap test is crucial as it evaluates protection for the front passenger. Like the driver-side, the 2022 Kia Sorento achieved a “Good” rating in this test.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Passenger Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Passenger Restraints and Kinematics | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/Thigh | G |
| Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver Restraints and Kinematics | G |
Measurements from the passenger-side test show similar minimal intrusion levels, ensuring good protection for the passenger as well.
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower Hinge Pillar Max Intrusion | 12 |
| Footrest Intrusion | 7 |
| Right Toepan Intrusion | 4 |
| Center Toepan Intrusion | 3 |
| Rocker Panel Lateral Average Intrusion | 5 |
| Center Dash Intrusion | 5 |
| Upper Hinge Pillar Max Intrusion | 6 |
| Upper Dash Intrusion | 7 |
| Right Lower Dash Intrusion | 6 |
Again, injury measures for both passenger and driver dummies in this test were “Good,” confirming comprehensive protection in a passenger-side small overlap frontal crash.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test
The moderate overlap front test simulates a more traditional frontal collision. The 2022 Kia Sorento continued its strong performance, earning a “Good” rating.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/Foot, Left | G |
| Leg/Foot, Right | G |
| Driver Restraints and Kinematics | G |
Technical data from this test indicates minimal occupant compartment intrusion and low risk of injury.
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| Footrest Intrusion | 4 |
| Left Footwell Intrusion | 7 |
| Center Footwell Intrusion | 5 |
| Right Footwell Intrusion | 7 |
| Brake Pedal Intrusion | 5 |
| Instrument Panel Rearward Movement (Left) | 0 |
| Instrument Panel Rearward Movement (Right) | 1 |
| Steering Column Upward Movement | -1 |
| Steering Column Rearward Movement | -2 |
| A-Pillar Rearward Movement | 0 |
Driver injury measures remained “Good” across all body regions assessed in the moderate overlap test.
Side Impact Test
Side impacts are a significant concern in collisions. The 2022 Kia Sorento achieved a “Good” rating in the side impact test, demonstrating its ability to protect both front and rear occupants.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Structure and Safety Cage | G |
| Driver Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Driver Head Protection | G |
| Rear Passenger Injury Measures: | |
| Head/Neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Rear Passenger Head Protection | G |
Measurements of occupant compartment intrusion in the side test are also important.
| Measurement | Value (cm) |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat | -20.0 |
Negative value indicates crush stopped short of the seat centerline, showing good structural resistance. Injury measures for both driver and rear passenger dummies were “Good” across all relevant body regions, highlighting excellent side impact protection.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is critical for rollover accidents. The 2022 Kia Sorento earned a “Good” rating, indicating a strong roof capable of withstanding significant force.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Curb Weight | 3,829 lbs |
| Peak Force | 19,106 lbs |
| Strength-to-Weight Ratio | 4.99 |
A strength-to-weight ratio of 4.99 significantly exceeds the IIHS requirement, confirming the robust roof structure of the 2022 Sorento.
Head Restraints and Seats
Whiplash protection in rear-end collisions is evaluated through head restraint and seat testing. The 2022 Kia Sorento’s head restraints and seats earned a “Good” rating for dynamic performance and geometry.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | G |
| Dynamic Rating | G |
| Seat/Head Restraint Geometry | G |
This “Good” rating indicates effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Crash Avoidance and Mitigation: Preventing Accidents
Beyond crashworthiness, the 2022 Kia Sorento also excels in crash avoidance and mitigation technologies.
Headlights
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime safety. The IIHS tested two different headlight configurations available on the 2022 Kia Sorento.
For SX and SX-Prestige trims, equipped with LED projector headlights, the overall rating is “Good”.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | G |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
These headlights provide good visibility on straightaways and curves with minimal glare.
However, for LX, S, and EX trims, which feature LED reflector headlights, the overall rating is “Poor”.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | P |
| Low-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | LED reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | Yes |
These headlights were found to provide inadequate visibility in various driving scenarios, highlighting a significant difference in headlight performance across different trim levels.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Pedestrian
The 2022 Kia Sorento offers advanced front crash prevention systems. The standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist system earned a “Superior” rating in vehicle-to-vehicle tests.
| Overall Evaluation (Standard System) | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests and meets forward collision warning requirements.
An optional Forward Collision Avoidance-Assist system, available on EX, SX, and SX-Prestige trims, also earned a “Superior” rating.
| Overall Evaluation (Optional System) | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
Both systems demonstrate excellent capability in preventing or mitigating vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crashes.
In pedestrian front crash prevention (daytime), the optional Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist-Junction Turning system achieved a “Superior” rating.
| Overall Evaluation (Pedestrian Prevention – Optional System) | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Superior |
This system avoided collisions or significantly reduced impact speed in tests involving crossing children and adults, and parallel adults.
The standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist-Ped system earned an “Advanced” rating in pedestrian front crash prevention.
| Overall Evaluation (Pedestrian Prevention – Standard System) | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | Advanced |
While rated “Advanced,” the standard system still demonstrated significant impact speed reduction and collision avoidance in pedestrian tests.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families, child seat safety is paramount. The 2022 Kia Sorento received an “Acceptable” rating for its LATCH system ease of use.
| Evaluation Criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Evaluation | A |
While rated “Acceptable,” the Sorento offers LATCH hardware in four rear seating positions. The lower anchors were noted as being deep in the seat, requiring some force to attach child seats.
Conclusion: A Safe Choice in the 2022 SUV Market
Overall, the 2022 Kia Sorento demonstrates strong safety performance in IIHS crash tests, earning “Good” ratings across all crashworthiness evaluations. Its front crash prevention systems are rated “Superior” or “Advanced,” offering excellent technology to avoid accidents. However, headlight performance varies significantly by trim level, with higher trims offering “Good” rated LED projector headlights, while lower trims have “Poor” rated LED reflector headlights. The child seat LATCH system is rated “Acceptable.”
For buyers prioritizing safety, the 2022 Kia Sorento is a compelling choice, particularly when equipped with the SX or SX-Prestige trim for optimal headlight performance and the optional advanced safety features. Its robust crashworthiness and advanced safety technologies make it a strong contender in the 2022 SUV segment.
