Kia Sorento vs Nissan Pathfinder
Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.
// VERDICT
Our verdict
Buy the Kia Sorento — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.
Buy the Nissan Pathfinder if its specific features or size suit your needs better.
// COST HEAD TO HEAD
Maintenance and ownership cost
| Kia Sorento | Nissan Pathfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual repairs | $533winner | $542 |
| 5-year repair cost | $2,665winner | $2,710 |
| Scheduled service (to 150k mi) | $15,801winner | $17,564 |
| Reliability score | 8 / 10winner | 7 / 10 |
| Major repair risk (5yr) | 11%winner | 15% |
| Cargo space | 75.5 cu ft | 80.5 cu ftwinner |
| Starting price (new) | $33,400winner | $40,800 |
// RELIABILITY
Which is more reliable?
| Kia Sorento | Nissan Pathfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| RepairPal score | 8 / 10winner | 7 / 10 |
| NHTSA complaints / 100k | 546.1 | 269.4winner |
| Strongest years | 2018, 2020, 2023 | 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Weakest years | 2011, 2013, 2014 | 2013, 2014, 2022 |
| Value retained · 3 yr | 75.6%winner | 69.2% |
| Value retained · 5 yr | 51.6%winner | 47.1% |
| Value retained · 7 yr | 39.8%winner | 35% |
// COMMON PROBLEMS
What breaks — and what it costs
| Kia Sorento | Nissan Pathfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 45.8% | 34.7%winner |
| Electrical | 7.2% | 4.6%winner |
| ADAS | 5.2%winner | 7.9% |
| Brakes | 4.8%winner | 7.5% |
| Suspension | —winner | 1.8% |
| Steering | 3.5% | 1.3%winner |
| Fuel system | 1.2%winner | 1.7% |
| Glass/Windows | 2.1%winner | 5.5% |
| Airbags | 5.3%winner | 14.2% |
| Lighting | 5.2% | —winner |
One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.
// INSURANCE
Which is cheaper to insure?
| Kia Sorento | Nissan Pathfinder | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg annual premium | $2,005winner | $2,477 |
// FULL MODEL PAGES
// FAQ
Common questions
The Sorento costs $533/year to maintain — $40 below the three-row segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 29% is well below the class average of 40%. Reliability score of 8 is above the segment average of 7, and major repair probability of 11% is well below the 13% norm. One of the strongest ownership-cost profiles in the three-row class.
How we calculated this. Repair costs, reliability scores, and maintenance schedules from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA and fuel prices from the EIA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →