Which is the best three-row SUV for family road trips near Central City, NE — 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe or 2026 Kia Sorento?

Jan 10, 2026

Hyundai of Grand Island – Which is the best three-row SUV for family road trips near Central City, NE — 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe or 2026 Kia Sorento?

Planning long weekends and road trips starts with a smart cabin and confidence-boosting tech. Families often ask which three-row SUV handles the essentials better—cargo flexibility, device charging, and stress-free parking. In a head-to-head look at feature execution, Hyundai’s SANTA FE focuses on seamless utility: an available Full-Display Digital Rearview Mirror that maintains rear visibility when cargo is stacked high, available dual wireless device charging so two phones can power up side by side, and available Remote Smart Parking Assist that can pull into or out of a tight spot with a button press. Kia Sorento answers with strong basics—available 24-inch total combined Panoramic Displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and an available Smart Power Liftgate—but its parking and charging solutions are less specialized than Hyundai’s most helpful upgrades.

Driver-assistance also shapes the road-trip experience. Hyundai equips the 2026 Hyundai SANTA FE with a deep roster of SmartSense features, including Lane Following Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, and available Highway Driving Assist or Highway Driving Assist 2 on upper trims. Add the Surround View Monitor and Blind-Spot View Monitor, and it is easier to load, park, and navigate unfamiliar towns. Sorento offers comparable pillars like Auto Emergency Braking, available Blind-Spot View Monitor, available 360 Surround View Monitor, and available Highway Driving Assist 2. The difference comes down to breadth and integration—SANTA FE’s available Remote Smart Parking Assist and Advanced Rear Occupant Alert with Bluelink+ notifications add unique layers of convenience and reassurance that are especially valuable when kids, pets, and luggage are part of the plan.

To help you evaluate priorities, here is a quick decision framework our shoppers use for family trips:

Parking constraints at home or venues: If garage clearances or busy event lots are part of your life, available Remote Smart Parking Assist on SANTA FE can make daily parking less stressful.
Devices and downtime: On multi-hour drives, two simultaneous wireless chargers reduce cord clutter and keep navigation and entertainment running for both driver and co-pilot.
Rear visibility with cargo: A Full-Display Digital Rearview Mirror preserves a clear view even when the third row is folded and the cargo area is loaded to the roof.

For families who want space that works hard, confidence on highways and gravel roads, and technology that genuinely lightens the load, SANTA FE’s feature set checks critical road-trip boxes. Kia Sorento remains a capable option with strong infotainment and driver assistance, but Hyundai’s execution of charging, visibility, and parking help can tilt the scales for those who pack heavy and travel often. If you are mapping out your next route, our product specialists can demonstrate these differences and help tailor an SUV to your family’s rhythm.

Hyundai of Grand Island, serving St. Paul, Central City, and Ord, offers approachable guidance and real-world demos so you can compare features in minutes, not hours, with a straightforward, family-first process that puts your needs front and center.