04 Kia Sorento

[drone]

Over the years I've owned quite a few 4wd cars, starting with a series 1 landy in the early sixties, a range rover mk 1 then a s2 diesel landie and, at the same time, a s2a lwb with 2.6 petrol,a series 1 disco, vauxhall sri 4wd (amazing car) Vauxhall frontera 2.3 diesel and finally a kia sorento diesel.

For off road ability in the UK I thought the swb s2 to be the dogs whotsits, low power aside, but this was probably down to the fact that it was a low cost item and I wasn't overly concerned if I wrecked it. Then I bought the sorento, new in 2004.

What a revelation, the wheelbase is slightly greater than the swb landie but the overhang is less, after about three years ownership I sold on the landie and use the kia as my everyday car. Over 103,000 miles it has averaged 26.5 mpg and this includes towing, commuting, driving down to spain and so on. In that time it's developed two faults, the driver's heated seat is knackered and it suffered the fuel tank problem which Kia uk contributed toward fixing, the tank lining was dissolved by the diesel and choked the filters, the fix takes about an hour the first time and 20 minutes thereafter which is to take the suction filter out and clean same. Replace the fuel filter every 30K and there's been no subsequent problem.

I was able to leave the hopfarm one weekend, towing the caravan when the organisers were using tractors to pull people out of the mud, which was a 1/3 the way up the wheels and the van was carrying at least half a ton of the mud when I got it home.

Early examples are very cheap and the reliability is legendary, I believe the engine/transaxle is a licence built M-B unit.

Servicing is about £250 a year if you use a main dealer, about £80 if you diy. I recently bought a full filter set for the engine, air, fuel and oil plus 2 new front brake discs and pads plus 8 litres of synthetic oil and got change from £300, as it happens the brake discs have 5 thou more to wear before they need changing so I've put that off til next year, it has flown through 6 mots with3 light bulbs and one track rod end (£18) the only items that failed.

Compared to the disco and range rover, it doesn't have air suspension, group 13 to 20 insurance. OE tyres are £84 each fitted at fox tyres in Sandwich. The battery is now 8 years old and I reckon I'll put a new one in in November this year.

Tyre choice is crucial for off road use, the OE ones are OK but the goodyears I put on (at 170 each) were fantastic though I'll change back to the Kuhmos as and when.

I can't recommend the motor enough, OK it's not got the cachet of a LR, BMW or Merc but it's at least 10 to 15 grand cheaper when new and does all that they do at least as equally as well ( I used it to tow my then boss's range rover off a wet football field when we went to meet some VIPS who landed there in a helicopter which really p****d him off)

[Fisherman Mike]

Excellent and very Interesting post...there are some very good 4x4 vehicles out there which are every bit as good as the original Landrover infact many of them are better than the current crop of RR, Discoveries and (definately) Freelanders.

 

I may have mentioned this before on this Forum but I entered my basic V6 Vitara in a local off road trials a few years back and won the amateur event sponsored by LR competing aginst 20 others 15 of which were LR derivatives... 6 of us completed the course 4 of which were japanese 4 x 4,s

 

I was never asked to return to defend my crown for some reason.

 

My late uncle used to drive a Army Landy in North Africa and he always said the only thing they were good for in hot sand was frying eggs on the bonnet after it had been polished by the sand. The Yanks (and the Germans) had half tracks which were always in service recovering striken Landies

[lxtav]

My dad has a Sorento (07 or 08 can't remember as it has his private plate on it) and it's a great car to drive. I considered one when I got my Pick up but the pick up suited us better as we would be throwing all sorts of smelly horse stuff in the back of it. He has driven all over the country in it for his work with the MS society and it has never put a foot wrong and apart from needing tyres and fuel its never had a problem. For the price of it it's got as many toys as you could want, leather seats, crusie control, climate control, all round electric windows and the list goes on.

 

He was looking to sell it last year and get a new one but the new Sorento was rubbish as they have put a smaller engine in it to get better fuel economy but in the process dropped the max towing weight as well. As a result of this he wouldn't have been able to pull the 3.5 ton trailer we use to deliver hay with. He ended up keeping it for towing the trailer and caravan and getting a motability car to use every day as he objected to having to pay the price for a Landrover or Landcruiser. My only critisism is that it has automatic 4 wheel drive and is not quite as good as my Isuzu off road but then again it never got stuck in the snow a couple of years ago when many others did. But then I just like hearing the clunk as my Rodeo engages the 4 wheel drive after the button is pressed.

 

But obverall a great motor.

[andypaint]

I picked up a Hyundai Santa Fe ( 2.7 CDX auto) a few years ago from the auction as it was going cheap, with plans to sell it on. Well after a few weeks driving it, it was brilliant, smooth, comfy and quiet. So I sold the 18 month old rav4. Which had loads of niggley problems. So far on Hyundai I've spent nothing except two mots and a service. It doesn't speak or rattle, loads of power and so easy to drive. Definatly a convert to the Hyundai

[88b]

Hyundai and KIA are the same company, both have come on a lot in the last ten years. If your not a badge snob both are well worth looking at, we currently have 2 Hyundais.

[sixhills 69]

JUst waiting for a New Kia sprotage 1.7cdi crossover it has advanced wheel technology for off road work looiknig forward to it

Edited July 7, 2012 by sixhills 69