Verdict
The Volkswagen Tayron costs RM20,838 less at RM190,660, yet brings 250 Nm from 1,500 rpm, a 7-speed wet DSG and 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance; its RM120 annual road tax is far below the Sorento’s RM838. It also has 345 litres of boot space versus 187 litres and nine airbags to the Kia’s six. The RM211,498 Sorento answers with a larger 67-litre tank, 20 mm more wheelbase and a five-year/100,000 km warranty. For a Malaysian family, the Tayron is the stronger equipment-and-running-cost case; the Kia’s warranty and third-row blower control still matter.
Pick the Kia Sorento if you want the longer five-year/100,000 km warranty, 67-litre tank and dedicated third-row air-con blower control.
Pick the Volkswagen Tayron if you want to save RM20,838, pay RM718 less annual road tax and get more boot space, airbags and front-seat features.
Key differences
- Price: Kia Sorento RM211,498; Volkswagen Tayron RM190,660.
- Road tax: Kia Sorento RM838/year; Volkswagen Tayron RM120/year.
- Torque: Kia Sorento 232 Nm at 4,000 rpm; Volkswagen Tayron 250 Nm at 1,500 rpm.
- Boot space: Kia Sorento 187 litres; Volkswagen Tayron 345 litres.
- Airbags: Kia Sorento 6; Volkswagen Tayron 9.
- Warranty: Kia Sorento 5 years/100,000 km; Volkswagen Tayron 2 years/unlimited mileage.
Sorento
- Five-year/100,000 km manufacturer warranty.
- 67-litre fuel tank versus 55 litres.
- Third-row air-con vents with blower control.
- Costs RM20,838 more and incurs RM838 annual road tax versus RM120.
- 187-litre boot is 158 litres smaller.
- Has six airbags to the Tayron’s nine.
Tayron
- RM20,838 lower purchase price and RM120 annual road tax.
- 345-litre boot and nine airbags.
- 12-way front seats with memory, ventilation and massage.
- Two-year warranty is three years shorter than the Sorento’s five-year cover.
- 55-litre fuel tank is 12 litres smaller.
- No front foglamps, while the Sorento has them.
| 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 at 6,000 rpm✓ | 148 hp |
| Torque | 232 Nm at 4,000 rpm | 250 Nm at 1,500 rpm✓ |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline 4 | Inline 4 |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore × Stroke | 88.5 mm × 101.5 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 | 6 (Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain) | 9 (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 Volkswagen Tayron is the sharper buy on price, road tax, boot capacity and safety count. Choose the Kia Sorento instead for its five-year/100,000 km warranty, larger 67-litre tank and third-row blower control.
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 and longer warranty?
The Tayron has the larger boot at 345 litres, against 187 litres in the Sorento. The Sorento has the longer warranty at five years or 100,000 km; the Tayron gets two years with unlimited mileage.
