In-depth reviews

Kia Sorento SUV (2015-2020): owner reviews

"If you need a large SUV, the Kia Sorento is a good choice, with seven seats, a huge boot, an impressive diesel engine and classy interior"

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13 Jul 2020

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Carbuyer Rating

3.6 out of 5

Owners Rating

3.5 out of 5

Reviews

Owner Reviews

5 out of 5
4 out of 5
3 out of 5
2 out of 5
1 out of 5

63%of people would recommend this car to a friend

Common Problems

Engine, Other (1 case)
Electrics, Engine (1 case)
Electrics, Other (4 cases)
Electrics (2 cases)
Other (4 cases)
Electrics, Engine, Other (1 case)

Review 1 of 24

Tell us what you think about your car?

"Carbuyer" is far too complimentary about the Sorento. It has a punchy engine but it stalls very easily, and just "stops" if you for instance go round a downhill corner at a slow speed. The visibility is awful, partly because the stylists squashed the roof down ("looks more sporty?") whilst pushing the windscreen forward and raising the waistline. In fact the old styling, which was quite good, has been ruined in this version. The handling is OK but at the expense of ferocious rocking every time the road camber changes - even on motorways this becomes tiring, and one thing the Sorento does NOT like is potholes - they will shake your teeth out! Basically the "B" team of development engineers tightened up the suspension without knowing what they were doing, or testing it. Fuel economy at 33 mpg is nowhere near Kia`s claims (up to 50 mpg) are a scandalous misrepresentation. The road noise is appallingly bad on rough surfaces. Anyone claiming this vehicle is refined is either deaf or has accepted bribes. This, on the smaller 17" wheels. Some may like the Kia Sorento - I was glad to get rid of mine and do not regret it`s passing one bit. The only car I ever had I really disliked.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Starry-eyed reviews of the PR releases will do nothing to change the fact that the 2015+ Kia Sorento is a step backwards from the previous rather good model. It`s main problem is the raised waistline combined with the lowered roofline, resulting in a dreadful barge with awful (if not dangerous) visibility. At the same time the ground-clearance is so reduced it becomes marginal for rural user. Its okay for suburbia I suppose - but even the 4x4 system is challenged if you have to put two wheels on wet grass. In their desperation to get good reviews of the handling Kia engineers stiffened up the suspension so the performance over potholes is dire - and the roll-resistance is so stiff the car follows every minor change in road contours - after an hour or so even on a motorway, you get exhausted by the constant flicking from side to side you get from a modern Kia Sorento. In addition, whatever the test reports say, this is one VERY noisy car - the road noise although subdued on very smooth surfaces becomes deafening on normal motorways and A roads - you just end up wishing it would stop! The fuel economy is nothing to shout about - expect 30 - 35mpg which is about what I get from my ancient Subaru Legacy. To be fair the Sorento has a very good mid-range power band with excellent acceleration for overtaking - but you do pay for that. The 2 1/2 tonne towing capacity is extremely dodgy - you can expect very nasty smells from the clutch even reversing on a slope with NO trailer. Best buy the auto version, you might stand a chance under the 7 year warranty - not a hope with the manual. My experience with the local Kia dealer was bad - even the slightest defect with a 12 month Sorento was down to me - damage/owner abuse/wear and tear/etc etc - forget it, these guys are not there to help you, but to interpret Kia warranty rules entirely to your disadvantage. Unless of course the engine falls out, or some other undeniable disaster takes place - then you might get some grudging help especially of you involve the media.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Excellent vehicle. Reliable, comfortable and good performance. It has had some off road use on the farm and was generally fine although hill descent control would have been useful.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Disapointed with car. Negatives Keeps stopping for no apparent reason. Stuck for hours with family in Europe. Loses power when overtaking so you have to abort. Dangerous and scary. The spare wheel not locked so was stolen. Apparently common thing known for some time but kia doesnt care, ignores it. Car checked twice dealers keep saying they cant find any problems. 40mpg normal use. Positives. Not bad to drive, 7 seats practical Fairly good value, considering 7 seats Would I buy another Kia ? No I wont !!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is my 3rd New Kia Sorento and in no way compares to the previous 2 earlier models. The car has had multiple intermittent faults from new that were reported to the dealership within a few day days of delivery. After several weeks of complaining and being ignored, the dealer agreed that the LG central Control Unit would be replaced. This was carried out with one of the 9 intermittent faults being cured but 2 new ones being introduced. These were reported to the dealer as soon as they appeared. Following numerous telephone calls to the dealer and a letter to Kia Customer Department, copied to the dealership, now 6 months after delivery, it is obvious that I am now being totally ignored having not even received an acknowledgement to my letter. Where do I go from here?

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Superb car with more features and functions than anyone might expect. Nobody is underwhelmed when given a lift or seeing the car during a trip.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Up-date From My Previous Review: My car went over to Kia first thing this morning for the specialist BSD Mechanic to see what on earth is going on with the "Blind Spot Detection System" and with "Check BSD System" firmly logged on the on-board computer system! After about an hour's thorough going over with the Kia diagnostics the verdict: The "Blind Spot Detection System" is 100% faulty & needs to be replaced with a brand new module. The part has been ordered right away and the car booked in for Friday morning the 24th November 2017. Work should take around an hour or so. I'm glad that they've acknowledged there is a fault with the "BSD System" and not just the second blown fuse. My Kia Dealership seems to be on the ball this time around I'm glad to say. Again will keep you posted as to how I get on on Friday with the problem I've encountered.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

After having the previous model we were delighted to get another demonstrator this time belong to the dealers MD. My suspicions were alerted when on the test drive the Auto cut out didn't cut in ! Since then now 6 weeks in the blind spot indicator has gone down twice which puts a nice warning right across your instrument display and the auto cut out goes down with it. Now on our 2nd courtesy car replacement and the dealer sympathises by saying "sometimes the more extras you have the more can go wrong!". Seems to be a general fault with these sophisticated electronics! Apart from that its a great car.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I upgraded from a new 3 year old mk2 KX-3 with a new mk3 KX-3 in September 2016. I feel conned with this version of the Sorento by Kia (not by the dealership but definitely by both the literature and website where I did most of my pre-purchase queries) as we have obviously lost far more equipment that we actually used and relied on than we have gained in this new version. Add up all the equipment removals and equipment additions yourselves and you tell me truthfully which comes in at the greater monetary value? I can already hazard a guess as it is so obvious. It's like the shrinking chocolate bars... same cost, less chocolate. These are products I avoid, If Kia had kept the missing equipment from the previous model and said it is £1,000 more expensive etc. I would have still bought one on the basis of what the mk2 delivered to me in terms of quality etc. Kia has taken a lot of useful equipment away and not put a lot of un-necessary rubbish in. I actually now regret purchasing this version after it promised so much and has delivered so little. It seems Kia have spent more time trying to add additional ‘visual’ 'design' features to the car instead of actually really, really improving (engineering) it. Let’s add some chrome here to make it look sporty, lets add some extra rubber here to make the doors close quieter and more smoothly and reduce cabin noise, lets add some more sound insulation here to make it quieter, lets add a few gimmicky gadgets. If I was given the choice of having the previous model or this one, the previous wins hands down on so many levels, it was a better size, it was a smoother ride, it was more responsive, it did what it said on the tin and more importantly, it was FAR, FAR better equipped. I will not be continuing our journey with Kia when the contract ends on this vehicle. Issue - Boot Space The rear boot space is now smaller in width. We have a Safedog crate that sits in the boot space (Double X Large version. 990mm width, 715mm height and a collapsible length according to whatever vehicle it is installed in) On my previous Sorento mk2, there was an additional approximately 100mm space available next to the side of the crate on the floor of the boot which we used to store a 100mm width long box containing all our dog training equipment. On the new version this 100mm space on the width has now disappeared, also on the last vehicle we had some roof space where we stored a flat tray for additional training items on top on the cage, this also now does not fit in the new vehicle either due to the camber of the roofline. Believe me I am pretty sure this rigid cage hasn’t had a growth spurt between vehicles. This is a shame as the literature supplied clearly states that the boot space was larger and taller than the previous version. Instead, we have now put this equipment into another plastic box sat on the lovely leather rear passenger seat. (Hopefully the leather will indent after some time adding to that overall feeling that the car was badly designed internally in the first place and Kia actually spent all the development money on flashy chrome, sound-proofing and extra rubber seals on the inside of the doors instead which in all fairness, I can’t fault.) I noticed that this reduction in size is actually quite clearly noticeable when you look at the roofline of the vehicle, on the last Sorento I had to slightly tip-toe to see across the roof, on this version I don’t and can even bob down a little before I see a clean roof line. Helpful that my seat lowers to stop my head brushing the ceiling, although I do now feel like a little old lady peeking up from behind the wheel with my hands at 10-to-2 slightly above me. Far less comfortable to drive. I could even wear my country hat in the last vehicle. Worse still for my poor passenger who has lost the ability to raise/lower the seat as all the electrics have magically transformed into manual back-and-forth only. Issue - Front Climate Fans The two side fans on the dashboard we always have pointed to the side windows to demist them as quickly as possible in the mornings, however because of the very level new edge along the door ridge at the bottom window frame, most of the air hits the ridge and then promptly returned back into the cabin instead without actually hitting the window. We now carry a cloth to clear the side front windows internally manually as I can't be bothered sitting there for the 8 plus minutes it takes. It's probably double this time to de-mist the front windscreen too, hence again we just wipe it. Issue - ASG System I am now really tired and wary of the ASG (Automatic Stop Go system) after only 5 days. I live on a small farm that has a 2 mile track to the road, at the end of the track is a road that has poor visibility in terms of trees etc. and you need to be quite quick off the mark pulling out. However, when starting the engine every time, the system is engaged which is forgotten about until I hit the end of the track and hope to pull away quickly only to find the car is in stop mode. I could release the brake to activate the engine but as I am already pulled out to the maximum before I hit oncoming traffic this is dangerous. If I select OFF on this system I would like to expect it to stay off until I DECIDE to turn it on again. Again, where we drive it is a useless piece of additional kit. Still annoying me after 9 months! Issue - Engine Responsiveness The engine is far more sluggish than the previous model and I feel I have to actually pre-warn the engine that I wish to accelerate by applying acceleration a perhaps a second before I actually need it to kick in. Kia has combined both the ECO feature and the ‘SPORT’ feature onto the same button, I am also assuming this ‘Sport’ feature operates much like the last Sorento and made the steering lighter? Sadly because of this I tend to leave the car in ECO mode, meaning I will actually never enjoy the experience of the lighter steering ‘Sport’ mode ever again, another pointless design element/combination. Issue - Hazard Warning Button Why oh why do you continue to put the hazard warning button directly above the climate fan controls? The amount of times when driving I have hit this damned button by mistake whilst trying to slow the fans down is amazing. Natural reaction is then to take your eyes off the road to find this damned hazard button visually as quickly as possible to make sure it is now turned off again and then also visually locate the correct fan down button to do what I wanted to do in the first place! I was hoping it would have been better placed on the new version but no. This again is just annoying and confusing for cars behind me and possibly a danger as again; eyes generally leave the road to correct it. Issue - Third Row Climate Controls I cannot understand the reasoning for putting a climate control unit in the 3rd row of seats. I am assuming that Kia anticipates passengers would rather sit in the 3rd row than the second where it ought to have been placed in the first place. The unit in the third row of this vehicle is redundant to me and will not be used due to the carriage of dogs. On the mk2 version an on/off and directional control was present which makes sense but to have a speed control here and not actually in the 2nd row where passengers are more likely to sit is beyond me? Maybe I am using the vehicle wrong and I should always be carrying passengers in the smaller 3rd row? Could you advise if this is the case and I will see if I can fit the dog crate into row 2 and get the passengers to climb in through the boot instead? Issue - Front Passenger Foot Well My partner complains that the front passenger foot well is now not as long as previously, hence their knees are now more pulled up but which also now clashes with the newly lowered glove box making the journey more uncomfortable unless they push the seat further back and therefore minimising the foot space for the rear passengers also making them uncomfortable too. I am assuming the engine compartment and what it contains is now larger and has utilised space from this foot well area to accommodate all the additional new pointless features installed? Issue - Front seat side windows On opening the windows in the morning to clear the mist/roof condensation from the external it is advisable to NOT do this whilst moving or else the water that has collected on the top of the car comes into the cabin and covers all the switches for mirrors, windows etc. Luckily I can use the cloth that I use to clear the inside of the screens to mop it all up again. Perhaps Kia could include a Kia branded window wiping cloth as part of the next model upgrade as it appears to have a multitude of wonderful functions? Or instead, logically tweak the metalwork externally to catch this and make it run off away elsewhere? Issue - LDWS The addition of the LDWS (Lane Departure Warning System) although a nice touch is useless to me on the country roads I travel the majority of the time, I would imagine that ‘most’ Sorento owners also spend a lot of time on country roads too making this a pointless addition to the vehicle. Sadly I don’t think my fingerprint will ever be found on this button. Still haven't used it after 9 months vehicle usage!!! Issue - SatNav Font The ‘space-age’ font that has been chosen for the SatNav system is poor readability wise and should have been given more thought. A MUCH clearer font should have been chosen so that you spend less time concentrating on trying to read the road name text and more time with your eyes on the actual road. Issue - Additional SatNav/screen issue Every time I start the engine, I am now presented with a screen asking me to confirm safe driving, ok click… fair enough get ready to set off… no… Navigation screen now asks do I want to do my last journey again?... erm no I do not… ok click… Ok, now set off yes?.. yes Why is the car not beeping as I try to negotiate the gate here? Oh but the front sensors now need engaging so I can traverse the gate here safely Ok click… Ok, now set off yes?.. erm Have you remembered to switch off the damned irritating ASG function due to the car suffering short term memory retention?... Ok click… Now can I go? Am I really sure? Issue - Steering The steering is noticeably much heavier than the previous version and the wheel itself appears to be misshapen when turning. Poor materials perhaps or just a really misshapen wheel press mould in the factory or even cross-eyed robot? It’s like a flattened egg. I really, really do NOT like the steering on this model, it just doesn’t feel real, its like I’m detached from the road and I find I continually need to make minute corrections. I don’t know what has been done but on the previous model there was a natural feel to the steering, this one seems to have no natural synergy between the road and the driver whatsoever. Issue - Volume Control on Steering Wheel I am amazed a free ‘rotating’ volume button was chosen, I already curse when turning the wheel and my wrist or finger brushes against this accidentally changing the volume. What was wrong with the button that was there on the previous KX-3 version? I also did the same thing on the other side of the wheel without realising and wondered what happened to the screen on the dashboard as it had changed to trip computer. Equipment that the new mk3 KX-3 Sorento has lost from the previous mk2 KX-3 Front passenger electric adjustable seat Important to my passenger when we do make long journeys, it made quite the difference. Just annoying and noticeable in its absence, particularly so with the lack of height adjustment. Missing - Front & 2nd row seat ventilation This was always used in the summer as sitting on hot black leather seats is just a major no. It was heavily used on our previous vehicle and made a lot of difference. Passenger door locking switch on front passenger door This was very useful when I have my hands full and the passenger can at least unlock the doors for me without me having to resort to putting shopping down to find the fob to open a rear door. Also recently had an issue whereby the passenger door would not open from either inside or outside, how safe is that? We fathomed after a while if you stop the engine, flick the latch a few times and switch back on again it occasionally helped. Kia did not recall my vehicle over this, I reported it and was assured it was only an issue on the previous all-singing, dancing and fulfilling mk2 KX-3. Missing - Adaptive front headlights On unlit country lanes, this was a superb addition to the vehicle which made a lot of difference when corning safely. Just poor. Missing - Automatic levelling headlights Again, because this vehicle is driven on country lanes, there is a lot of up and down hills and the previous model had this useful feature that adapted to keep the headlights as level as possible whilst driving. Missing - 19” wheels They were noticeably smoother on our track and absorbed far more road surface bumps and lumps from most road surfaces before it became noticeable in terms of ride and noise. This new Sorento, you really feel every bump and ridge on the road as you are driving. I’m also assuming the suspension has been tightened also as this feels like it is playing a part also. Highly un-impressed. I do NOT like passengers or more importantly my dogs having a rougher ride than necessary, I feel I am actually watching the road surface more now to anticipate what is ahead so I can perhaps steer slightly away from it so the dogs, which are resting on their stomachs aren’t bounced up and down like a yo-yo too much. I can see the cage now vibrating far too much for my liking in the rear view mirror. This vehicle also slips sideways on our muddy track pretty much every time, (it is a flat track with a small camber on the surface) something the previous vehicle did not do as much, I can only assume this is down to the actual tyres and possibly even the power delivery to them coupled with the new tighter suspension? It just doesn’t feel as safe or as sturdy as before here now. Appreciate this is not an ideal, everyday surface for the vehicle but if it is not actually designed to cope with it occasionally then perhaps remove the AWD option too and clearly state in the literature it will NEVER cope? From a Kia press release dated 11th March 2015..... These changes, together with the longer wheelbase, deliver a more compliant ride, with a more progressive response to bumps in the road, making the new Sorento a very comfortable place in which to spend time on longer journeys. I laughed when I read that, compliant means the car does what you ask. I feel it is not and continually needs correcting or telling off as I call it. Missing - Boot 12v Socket This is now missing, which means the dog fan now plugs into the socket on row 2 (making a great cable obstacle course for passengers to traverse) and then on longer journeys too, we can plug the fridge sat on the 2nd row seating into the socket on the 1st row dashboard so that hey presto, we have cables everywhere! But as suggested if I am actually using the car wrong then all this equipment and cables can be anywhere as passengers will be climbing in and out of the boot to use the 3rd row anyway. Missing - Front passenger leg room The foot wells are noticeably smaller; my partner cannot extend his feet as much as previously and because of the length issue, now tending to keep their feet drawn up. However their knees now knock on the lower edge of the glove box which appears to be set far lower than previously. Here in the driver’s seat you almost have to bob/duck down into your seat to actually see the front of the glove box, I ponder what strange devices might be lurking above it or perhaps it is just empty space which could have permitted a higher positioning to improve legroom there? Seriously, get into a mk3 Sorento, stretch out your legs, now see if you can find the glovebox handle thats hidden behind your raised knee. Now do the same thing in the mk2. Equipment the new Sorento has gained Gained - Automatically closing boot Not really a deal clincher this one, is it really that useful? Compared to what we have lost it is a poor un-necessary addition and only seems to have been added to the vehicle as a ‘keep up with the Joneses’ and make the car look/feel ‘special’. I still have to put shopping down to get the key fob out or to be able to press the rear boot switch to open it and then pick up the shopping again. So in all essence, how pointless is that. After 9 months of vehicle use, i'm annoyed as I have to keep pressing the boot hanndle to hear beep-beep-beep then nothing.. press again... beep-beep-beep, nothing... press again... beep-beep. now I will open. Just sick of it. Gained - DAB Radio Again, a lot of song and dance about this, however this is now a pretty very standard piece of equipment on nearly every car sold in the UK and is expected as such. It’s addition to me was more ‘Oh, at long last’. Whereas my dealer said it was such a good addition to the car. Gained - ASG This is one of the most annoying additions to the vehicle full stop. As stated, if I click it off I expect the damned thing to remember my choice and STAY SWITCHED OFF. I am sick to the back of the teeth already getting to a junction after starting the car only for the engine to stop, therefore putting me in a little panic when it switches off trying to get the engine to start again. Pointless and for me personally, it is a dangerous feature. I might use it in the right environment like a town or city but let’s be honest was the Sorento really designed for city driving? Particularly so as more towns and cities ponder additional diesel taxes? Gained - LDWS For me, it is again a pointless addition and will remain predominantly un-used. The majority of this vehicles life is going to be spent on country roads and not motorway driving. When I do use motorways, it is likely to be forgotten about as I am more likely to be concerned that I have hit the fan down button rather than the hazard switch or making sure the start stop function is truly off. I doubt my fingerprint will ever be found on this button. - As previously stated, still UNUSED! On the plus side, on the previous Sorento we continually switched off the SatNav Screen during night driving as it was always too bright even when illumination was set to minimum brightness which infuriated me as I do like to see the screen occasionally. I see this is now better on the new version, although still room for improvement, nice to see that Kia did actually manage to marginally improve something!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

On paper and to test drive a good value, well appointed vehicle with up to date features. In reality, the most unreliable vehicle I have had in 45 years. The 7 year warranty is needed! My experience is that parts are not readily available in this country. An example would be for a factory recall for door handles for which I had not had any problems. All were replaced over a 2 day period (Not the 4 hours it was booked in for). The front passenger door handle has since stopped working and parts are unavailable - 3 weeks and counting. the door can only be opened from the inside. Prior to this the steering failed last November and the whole steering rack had to be replaced causing the vehicle to be off the road for 10 days. As you can see Kia's definition of "off road" vehicle is different to most peoples!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

Nicely put together and there's plenty of acceleration for overtaking. Road test reviews talking about sloppy handling should be ignored - it`s plenty sharp enough for a car like this. My other car is a Ford Focus, still probably the best handling car out there. The Sorento is just right in this dept. not too harsh, and road noise well subdued. Bad points; the wing mirrors create dangerous blind spots for smaller drivers since they are too high (the car has a very high waistline) and too big - they are also on mountings that lift them higher. There is a good case for searching out a less prominent alternative. The roofline was, we are told, dropped on this (2015+) model - and it shows! There is about 2` 6" between the cushion and the edge of the roof and this is too small for easy ingress. Basically it looks like they overlaid a pic of the C`eed estate over the old Sorento, using Adobe Photoshop, and told the engineers to get on with it! Seats on the KX1 model are unnecessarily crude - they would disappoint the driver of a Transit van. Reliability - too soon to say but no worries here. On the other hand Kia should be taken to Court by the Advertising Standards Authority over claims of 40 mpg plus for the Sorento - this is a complete fantasy and confirmed by other reviews. Mine achieves 29 mpg under the most favourable conditions and 26 under normal conditions. No doubt it will improve somewhat as the car loosens up, but 40 mpg is "in your dreams" As these claims were a significant reason for my purchase decision I do not feel the car deserves more than a 3 star rating. Moral - TRY before you buy!

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

Tell us what you think about your car?

This is an excellent car, very comfortable, drives well and good spec. There are, however, two problems. Firstly it's a manual version which should do 49 mpg but never does better than 32mph, Kia say it's my big right foot which I find insulting. I had a Land Rover Disco 3 that was supposed to do 27.8mpg and it did 27.8mpg. We all know that you don't get the advertised Mpg in the real world but over 30% below isn't acceptable. The second is an annoying fault where the car cuts out and the engine warning light comes on and stays on. It's happened three time ironically on the same corner and gives the same fault code which Kia technical don't know what it is or how to fix it and just tell the dealer to clear the fault and hand it back As I said to Kia if I wanted a car in which I didn't know when I set out on a journey if I would be coming home on a tow truck then I would say my self the lease payment and just drive my old Land Rover

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

Confused by first readers review of this car, as all models come with DAB radios and year of purchase is 2014. This model only came out in march 2015. Anyway back to the 2015 Sorento, so far we have loved it, quiet, refined, comfortable, easy to use and plenty of room. We have the Auto KX-2, I have owned many new cars in the past ranging from Audi's, Ford's, Saab's, VW, and Volvo's, I drive a lot of different cars at work too, this Kia is motoring made easy. If your a driving enthusiast, granted, this is not the car for you, but then I would also ask why would you be looking at an SUV. Yes we have a caravan, so the self levelling suspension is brilliant and the full size spare wheel located under the car, in my opinion, gives this car a massive advantage over many rivals. the Auto box and electronic hand brake are fantastic and as easy to use as the in built sat nav, to top it all off 7 years warranty. one minus though no power point in the boot, but there are 3 in the cabin, so have to route the cool box cable over the back seat. This car ticked all our boxes and was about 10 grand less than any REAL rival, cant recommend enough.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I have enjoyed almost 4 years/26000 miles in my Sorento KX-4 since buying it as an ex-Kia lease car. It's well built with no rattles, has a strong engine and is a quiet motorway cruiser giving 42mpg in Summer on a good run, but average across all roads and shorter trips is mid-30s. I like the cabin space and layout as well as visibility, which is better than my 2016 Kia Sportage, and it's easy to position on the road. I don't really use all the bells and whistles of the KX-4, but I like the two tone seats and matching door trim to brighten things up, as well as the full glass roof. Dealer servicing is not too expensive and a warranty claim in 2021 for a leaky damper was honoured, as was a claim to fix the keyless-entry. No other issues, just a lot of pleasure to float along in this car and enjoy the smooth pull of the engine and auto transmission, for this is not a car for 'spirited B road fun' but suits Grandad and his family in all 3 rows.

What's the one thing you like most about your car?

Interior layout, space, quality and comfort.

If you could improve one thing, what would it be?

As diesel nowadays is shunned, I would probably swap the powertrain for a petrol PHEV, but they didn't have that option in 2017 when this was made.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

Yes Green thumbs up

Tell us what you think about your car?

I bought my Sorento from the Kia dealership as a used car at just 2 years old. I should have realised then that the previous owner offloaded it for a reason! Within a few months of owning the car, the electrics around the car stereo and speed limiter started playing up. The limiter worked intermittently and the stereo would light up and fade like in built mood lighting. Also, the controls on the steering wheel seemed to have a life of their own, the up volume would turn the stereo down, the down volume would change the setting on the stereo, etc. So, I booked it in to the dealership, they kept it, dealt with the problems and gave it back to me, all covered by the magnificent 7 year warranty. About 6 months later, the speed limiter stopped working properly again. This September, the car stopped working completely - I took it to a local diesel specialist who reported that the fuel pump had disintegrated into the tank and that the injectors and fuel system were shot. Back to the dealership it went, and with a diagnosis of contaminated fuel (don't buy your diesel from Tesco's people as this happens with just one tank of contaminated fuel apparently!) and £4,500 worth of work later (thank god for insurance as this was not covered by the magnificent 7 year warranty), I got by car back on the last day of November with "a brand new fuel system in the car - should be like new". Needless to say, one month later, after the first time driving it on a motorway the car couldn't get to 70mph in 6th gear. The car is now back at the dealership with lack of power issues that can't be diagnosed. Would I say the magnificent 7 year warranty gives peace of mind? Would I buffalo. Would I recommend Kia's reliability? Not even if they paid me. Am I surprised I keep getting marketing texts from Kia trying to sell me a new one? Hardly. Would i ever buy a Kia again - NOT IN A MONTH OF SUNDAYS, there isn't a barge pole long enough.

Would you recommend the car to a friend?

No Red thumbs down

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Have Just had my car now over a year (bought new Sept 2016) (first service Sept 2017) from my local Kia Dealership. This Is actually my second KIA Sorento my first one a (2014 KX-4 in Glittering Metal) which I absolutely loved and was 100% totally reliable!! Hence me going then for the brand new model KX-4 in Graphite Metallic with the two tone leather interior. Up till around three week's ago this car also seemed to be 100% reliable,until the (BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM BSD) went completely on the blink whilst I was out driving one night. So first thing on the Monday morning I rang my Kia Dealership to book it in to be looked at with one of the service guys. My dealership has a specialist trained mechanic who deals with the BAD System,but he was of on holidays for a week. But I was told anyway to bring my car over for them to put the Kia diagnostics on it & see what it brought up. I did that and waited in the very comfortable Kia Dealership to see what the verdict would be. The Service Manager kept me fully informed throughout the process. The fault was traced to a blown fuse in the system, which was promptly replaced. Phew, I thought! The Service Manager told me to keep a firm watch on it over the next week or so, if it played up again not to hesitate in contacting them! Anyway everything seemed grand again & the system working again 100% as it should be; until I was out in it driving home on Friday night the "17th Nov 2017" when once again the same problem struck sending the very same warning onto the car's on-board computer. I promptly phoned my Dealership on the Saturday morning, spoke to the Service Department and visit on Tuesday morning for the specialist BSD guy to look at it. I only hope that this isn't the start of on-going problems with this system in my car, after reading two reviews on here. Generally I've been very happy with my second KIA Sorento KX-4 although I much prefer the shape & higher ride height of my previous 2014 Sorento. Whilst my car was at the Dealership they Updated software regarding the fuel consumption also replaced something to do with the fuel gauge as a few owners had reported a fault to Kia customer care that the fuel gauge was giving a false reading etc. I find my 2016 Sorento KX-4 extremely easy to live with/drive park and I love the amount of kit and space that it comes with. The fit & finish inside it is absolutely outstanding and deffo it would give the Audi Q7 a REAL run for it's way overpriced money. As I say, I sincerely hope that it isn't the start of problems for me with mine,as I really do love the Kia brand and think their products definitely represent good value for money. Their Dealerships seem to go the extra mile for their customers, too. Will let you know the outcome for me on Tuesday.

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Upgraded from KX3 to KX4 after 18 months previous ownership. Comfortable, loads of toys, relatively economical, reliable (based on previous experience), good and helpful dealer, much cheaper than equivalent Range Rover, Audi, Volvo, Merc. Adequate off-road for our use, easy to enter/exit, 7 good seats for all despite being smaller than competition, big boot space, most importantly, my wife likes driving it.

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The mechanical side is nice and criticisms of the engine, gearchange, and handling are not justified for the sort of buyer interested in this sort of car. However the "Road Testers" in their enthusiasm for the "Clarkson Definition of Desirable Motoring" have missed out on a few negative aspects of the new Kia Sorento. In my opinion the waistline is inherited from the days when the car had a separate chassis - i.e. it is very high. And the roofline, inspired by some kiddywink designer with a love for Adobe Photoshop, is lower than the last (chassis-less) model. So visibility is bad - and if you are short, VERY bad - the huge wing mirrors and thick A posts mean massive and dangerous blind-spots. I reckon the stylists called the shots for the 2015 Sorento - the engineers were told to go away and sort things out. Somehow. The result is a car which the Motoring Press believe is a "Big" SUV. Forget it - if you need a big SUV get a Discovery - which is also a lot more refined. The Sorento makes sense as a cheap 4x4 SUV - you can currently pick up a new one for £23400 - and from that point of view it's not a bad deal. But bear in mind it's not that BIG. The boot is about the same size as my wife's 18 year old Subaru Legacy (which the Sorento is meant to replace). It's not that much bigger than our 2005 Ford Focus Estate - in fact I was quite surprised how cramped the Sorento is, inside. And the bad front visibility is not helped by the miserable little portholes you get at the back. Just check before you buy! There are plenty more "big" SUV's out there - that's why the Sorento is being so heavily discounted. Don't be lead up the garden path by the Motor Journos who just had a good free lunch!

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I spent over a year researching a new car as my Nissan Qashqai 2.0 CVT 4WD Tekna headed towards 8 years old. I looked at and test drove nearly every medium and large SUV available in UK, including all the 'premium' marques like BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and Audi. I test drove a Kia Sorento KX-3 but my wife wasn't keen as the passenger seat was too low with no lift available. But I later discovered the KX-4 has fully adjustable front seats so after a few more weeks bought a graphite metallic KX-4 from Jennings Kia, Stockton. I've had it now for 8 months and am more and more impressed with it as time passes. It is powerful yet quiet, and returns 37mpg now it is run in, is so comfortable, easy to drive and a joy to own. There is only my wife and I so it's probably a little large but with size comes comfort. In the summer we both enjoyed the ventilated seats, with winter coming we look forward to heated seats and me a heated steering wheel. There are lots of thoughtful touches in the cabin and all of the on-board technology is both sensible and useful. There is little not to like. The KX-4 has 19" wheels and I read several reviews that said these affected the ride quality; not so, just make sure the tyre pressures are correct and not over inflated (mine came at 38/9 psi instead of 34). Visibility is good from the high seats and the car is easy to enter and exit for those with dodgy backs. The automatic tailgate sensor is very useful when you have your hands full of shopping. 5 Star crash test results give peace of mind. My only issue was with the full size spare wheel. A 19" wheel and tyre is very heavy and I'd struggle with it in event of a puncture. I detest the emergency 'repair' kits so I obtained the correct space saver wheel that is much easier to fit. I then bought another 19" alloy rim and tyre so I now have two new rims and tyres ready to fit when the fronts wear out. The Sorento is a brilliant piece of kit, spacious, powerful, safe, economical, AWD when needed; a true all-rounder.

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This car is simple Jackpot! I advice it for everbody:)

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My first SUV and soft roader. The cabin is surprisingly nice and the 3 trim has everything I need. This one has the panoramic roof which doesn't constrain headroom since there is so much of it. The auto box is sweet, especially in sport mode which also sharpens steering and throttle response. Electronic handbrake is great and makes driving very easy in stop/start conditions when auto-hold is engaged. Power is fine, produces confidence for overtaking. Motorway driving is excellent - I use sport mode. Fuel economy is 25 mpg for short journeys and high 30s on a run. I can hit 50mpg on a 40-mile motorway commute keeping the speed down but that's not going to happen unless traffic dictates. There's lots of space for 5 passengers and their stuff and the rear seats are OK for adults for shorter journeys. I also tried the disco sport, XC60 and 90 and Q7. The Kia swung it on price (by a long way), warranty and the fact that it loses so little in cabin quality these days. I happen to like the looks too. It was a close call with the disco sport which has a better drive (not that much better) - but the extra space, far more kit for the money and similar cabin quality gave the Sorento the edge. The soft roading to date has been minimal but it coped easily with muddy tracks and fields when two wheel drive cars were getting stuck. On the drive quality - it has awesome amounts of grip with the AWD kicking in at the merest hint of traction issues. It's just that the feel is lacking. I had a problem with the gas recirc valve but it was fixed in an hour.

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I love the car but some of the refinements are a bit disappointing - particularly the Bluetooth system, which seems to be limited to about 100 contacts. Any more than that and you can't find them. No courtesy lights when the door opens, no puddle lights, Xenon headlamps but not main beam, no DAB radio, only two electric adjustments on the passenger seat on the top-of-the-range KX-4. Kick-down hesitant. No 12v accessory point in the boot, very poor afterservice - they knew nothing at all about the car or its features (neither did Kia to be fair). They have a way to go before they compete with BMW!

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Hopefully My Final Report On My Faulty "BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM" (BSD) My car went over yesterday to my Kia Dealership, where it was promptly booked in by the Service Department and the key fob passed over to the mechanic who was lined up to work on my car. The two tone leather interior was very well protected & covered up as I'm really fussy about the interior etc. I waited in the very comfortable "Customer Service Waiting Area" and enjoyed a nice cup of Starbucks Mocha Coffee and a Chocolate Biscuit while my car was worked on. It actually took much longer than the said hour and a half, as the whole system then had to be rebooted etc. I was kept informed by the Service Department Staff. So I decided to have a closer look at the brand new Black Kia Stinger sitting in the lovely Kia Showroom. My Dealership has two a Metallic Black and a Metallic Red one. I honest personally think that Kia are really onto a winner here as the Stinger is absolutely gorgeous. After another forty odd minutes I was called to say my car was ready to go. I was a little let down that they didn't quickly put the power washer over my car for me as it was very dirty with all the bad weather we're having at the minute in Belfast, but fingers crossed that this is the problem all sorted out with the "BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM".

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Yes Green thumbs up

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As per the previous reviewer with the KX-2 except no caravan. Very friendly support from dealer's representatives, very pleased with the vehicle which is proving to be all that was required; occasional seven seats, occasional field events, journeys to/from Wales and Scotland. Everything works, relatively economic for a Kia Auto, comfortable and easy peasy to drive. Not in any way exciting - ideal for my wife.

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Yes Green thumbs up