Verdict
The Volkswagen Tayron is the sharper value call at RM190,660, undercutting the RM211,498 Kia Sorento by RM20,838 while bringing a 12.9-inch screen, 360-degree camera, auto parking and ventilated, massaging memory front seats. Its 1.5-litre 48V mild-hybrid turbo also cuts annual road tax to RM120 against the Sorento’s RM838. The Kia fights back with 177 hp, a 67-litre tank, third-row USB ports and a five-year/100,000-km warranty. Choose based on equipment and ownership cover, not seat count: both are seven-seat CKD D-segment SUVs.
Pick the Kia Sorento if you want 177 hp, a larger 67-litre fuel tank, third-row air vents and USB ports, plus five years/100,000 km of manufacturer warranty.
Pick the Volkswagen Tayron if you want to save RM20,838, pay RM718 less annual road tax and get a 345-litre boot, 360-degree camera and richer front-seat specification.
Key differences
- Price: Kia Sorento RM211,498; Volkswagen Tayron RM190,660.
- Road tax per year: Kia Sorento RM838; Volkswagen Tayron RM120.
- Power and torque: Kia Sorento 177 hp and 232 Nm; Volkswagen Tayron 148 hp and 250 Nm.
- Boot space: Kia Sorento 187 litres; Volkswagen Tayron 345 litres.
- Fuel tank: Kia Sorento 67 litres; Volkswagen Tayron 55 litres.
- Warranty: Kia Sorento five years/100,000 km; Volkswagen Tayron two years/unlimited mileage.
Sorento
- 177 hp from a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine.
- 67-litre fuel tank and third-row blower-controlled air vents.
- Five-year/100,000-km manufacturer warranty.
- Costs RM20,838 more and attracts RM838 annual road tax versus RM120.
- 187-litre boot is 158 litres smaller than the Tayron’s.
- Lacks the Tayron’s 360-degree camera, auto parking and ventilated massaging memory front seats.
Tayron
- RM20,838 lower purchase price and RM120 annual road tax.
- 345-litre boot, 158 litres larger than the Sorento’s.
- 12.9-inch touchscreen, 360-degree camera and auto parking.
- 148 hp is 29 hp down on the Sorento.
- 55-litre fuel tank is 12 litres smaller.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty is shorter than the Sorento’s five-year/100,000-km cover.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM211,498 | RM190,660✓ |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CKD | CKD |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM838 | RM120✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve DOHC, Naturally Aspirated with Variable Valve Timing | 16-valve DOHC with direct fuel injection, turbocharger and variable intake valve timing with 48-volt MHEV assistance |
| Capacity | 2,497 cc | 1,498 cc |
| Horsepower | 177 hp✓ | 148 hp |
| Torque | 232 Nm | 250 Nm✓ |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore | 88.5 mm | — |
| Compression Ratio | 10.5 | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) |
| Transmission Name | 6-Speed Automatic | 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) |
| Gears | 6 | 7 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Kia | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | — | 9.6 seconds |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,810 mm | 4,792 mm |
| Width | 1,900 mm | 1,852 mm |
| Height | 1,695 mm | 1,660 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,815 mm | 2,790 mm |
| Weight | 1,719 kg | — |
| Fuel Tank | 67 litres | 55 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 7 | 7 |
| Boot Space | 187 litres | 345 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 235/60R18 | 235/55R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 235/60R18 | 235/55R18 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Goodyear EfficientGrip SUV | Hankook Ventus evoSUV |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Malaysia (CKD) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-links |
| Front Wheels | 18" Alloy | 18" Napoli Alloys |
| Rear Wheels | 18" Alloy | 18" Napoli Alloys |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | — | Dynamic Chassis Control Pro |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Front Passenger, Front & Rear Side Bags, Curtain Airbags & Front Centre Airbag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 7 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for Two Outer Rear Passenger Seats in Second and Third Row | Available on Front Passenger Seat and 2 Outer Middle Row Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Automatic High Beam | LED Projectors |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | 8-way Power Adjustable Front Seats | 12-Way Power-Adjustable Front Seats with Memory Function, Ventilation and Massaging |
| Rear Seats | 60:40 Split-folding Second Row, 50:50 Split-folding Third Row | 40:20:40 Split-Folding and Sliding 2nd Row, 50:50 Split-Folding 3rd Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Second Row Vents, Third Row Vents with Blower Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 1 Second Row, 1 Boot, 3 Front USB, 1 Second Row USB, 2 Third Row USB | 1 Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB Front, 2 USB Rear |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Second Row, 2 Third Row | 2 Front, 2 Middle Row, 2 Back Row |
| Sun Shade | — | Manual Rear Window Blinds |
| Audio | 10.25" Touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, 6 Speakers | 12.9" Discover Touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 8-speaker Volkswagen Sound System |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | — | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go | Adaptive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | — | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | — | Yes |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | — | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Digital/Analogue | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | Qi Wireless Charger | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 5 years✓ | 2 years |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Used Sorento & Tayron for sale
Sorento vs Tayron FAQ
Is the Kia Sorento or Volkswagen Tayron better?
The Tayron is better equipped for RM20,838 less, with a larger boot, 360-degree camera and auto parking. The Sorento is the better choice for higher power, a larger fuel tank, third-row air vents and longer warranty coverage.
What is the price difference?
The Kia Sorento costs RM211,498 and the Volkswagen Tayron costs RM190,660, so the Sorento is RM20,838 more expensive.
Which has the larger boot?
The Volkswagen Tayron has the larger boot at 345 litres, compared with 187 litres in the Kia Sorento. That is a 158-litre advantage for the Tayron.