Kia Sorento SUV (2015-2020) - Reliability & safety
This Kia Sorento should be very reliable and safer than the previous model
The Kia Sorento came first in our 2020 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, and the brand performed well overall. The Sorento's safety is much improved from the outgoing car, thanks to a raft of hi-tech driver-assistance features that are becoming increasingly common on regular family cars these days.
Kia Sorento reliability
Kia finished in an excellent second place overall in our 2020 Driver Power survey, ahead of many supposedly more premium manufacturers. Kia owners are quick to praise the infotainment and connectivity offered by their cars, as well as their good looking, well furnished interiors. Acceleration was seen as a little disappointing, though.
The Sorento was ranked as the very best car to own (out of 75 models) in our 2020 Driver Power Survey and with an engine and gearbox largely based on those in the previous Sorento, this model should avoid any serious mechanical problems. Kia has a growing reputation for reliability, and with no major recalls affecting the previous Sorento, the new car should prove to be just as durable. Kia’s industry-leading seven-year/100,000-mile warranty will put buyers' minds at ease over any reliability worries, although 23.8% of owners reported at least one fault in the first year of ownershipm mostly citing electrical issues.
Safety
Safety in this Sorento is boosted from the outset by a 14% stronger body than the old model. That's down to the use of high-tensile steel in areas such as the wheelarches, tailgate surround and around the rear wheels. The model received the maximum five-star safety score from the crash-testing experts at Euro NCAP, with an excellent 90% adult occupant protection rating, 83% for child protection, 67% for pedestrian protection, 71% for safety assistance.
As standard, the Sorento gets a Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system, which keeps the car stable when simultaneously braking and cornering, particularly on low-grip surfaces, by carefully controlling both the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and electric power steering. Both systems are activated as soon as the car's sensors detect a loss of traction, helping you to remain safely in control of the vehicle.
Other safety systems for the Sorento (available depending on trim level) include adaptive cruise control, a lane-departure warning system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a system that reads road signs then displays the current speed limit on the dashboard.
