Great point about the title. Sometimes I leave the year out of the title if it's a long title, but it will still show up as a 2021 vehicle in the KZfaq search (whether it's a top listing or not is a whole other discussion) but I'll have these vehicles back on video many times this year, so this won't be the only video. That gives me some freedom to title them a little differently along the way.

Happy to help! Today we'll look at the Sorento that is just above this trim line as it shares the same engine and transmission but has a few more features that we didn't get into yesterday.

@@BrantfordKia I will look forward to it. Don't need third row accommodations of Kia, and like the limited number of features. Hyundai looks better to me in dark version of grille. Much appreciate your details. One of them is on my near future!

Yeah, we'll get upper-level trims on video as well. We do these live videos daily, so we'll end up with all kinds of comparisons.

Great question... without a simple answer. (sorry in advance for the length of this reply!) I have two theories, and these are my guesses. First of all, we know that the platform arrived to market with the Santa Fe first. Kia doesn't just sit on that platform for months or years, they actively look for ways to improve it. Although they start with the same platform, they do continue to engineer everything out, until production. So it's entirely possible that some extra welding, or different high-strength steel has been put into relevant sections of the Sorento, that weren't in the Santa Fe. In the past, when a vehicle has been introduced to the Kia world, that has existed in the Hyundai world, I've often asked if there are any improvements to the platform, and Kia executives have provided me with documents showing exactly what they've done, and where those improvements have been made. The documents also explain why they've done it (improvement in torsional stability, better Noise, Vibration, and Harshness is measured tests etc) So that's the one possibility. The other possibility is marketing. The engineers signed off on these cars being able to tow a certain amount, and Kia decided to advertise the higher number. Every vehicle has a towing capacity that will destroy the frame, and they base the tow capacity with that number in mind, and make sure it's nowhere near that number. It's possible that the frame can handle 3500 lbs, but Hyundai wanted to be conservative (or traditional) and they rated it lower, while the Kia decided to offer more. Personally, I would guess it's engineering, but 800 lbs really isn't a tonne of engineering difference. It's an extra 80 lbs of tongue weight by traditional measures. That's the long answer!

@@BrantfordKia I didnt realize the Santa Fe was on the market before the Kia with this platform. I figured they would have released at the same time. Engineering makes perfect sense. Thank you for the response. Very interested in both of these as well as the Seltos. I like the price points of these compared to the Carnival, Telluride and Pallisade, but I am 6'6" and 275 lbs, so size is somewhat important. Need to do some test drives. lol

@@gooberman50 Yeah, test drives are the key for someone as tall as you! Whatever I say about size, space, and comfort, are going to be different for you! Thanks for watching!!

Haha. Or they decided to keep the cost of the vehicle in line and this was the less expensive option. Your answer does sound closer to the real reason though. North Americans don't always like new things when it comes to those types of features.

Unless you want a third row of seats.