Kia Quality

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: rbV5
2005 KIA Sorento EX purchased new Nov 2005.

Just turned 18K miles this past week.

Issues thus far:

*Dealer replaced faulty driver side power seat control. Warranty, no charge. Dealer picked up and dropped off vehicle at my wifes job for repair.
*I had to retighten set screw for shift knob.

I've had a variety of 4x4's and 4x4 SUV's (traded my beloved '93 Trooper LS for this one) I'm still liking this Sorento quite a bit. For me and my family, its a great vehicle. In hindsight, I may have went with a White model after having to spend so much time keeping this Black one looking nice and clean

It has proven to be a plenty capable offroad vehicle. I've not had it in extreme conditions, but I've forded streams, primitive roads, snow and sand and its performed like a champ. Towing a small trailer is great, the "sport mode" auto gives you control like a manual transmission, with the far more usable automatic (I HATE pulling a trailer with a manual transmission (especially on rougher terrain), my Trooper was a PITA by comparison)

Its ride is a little harsh due to its ladder frame construction, but it really is quite comfortable for a "truck". It still has a tight "feel" and has developed no rattles. I expect to keep this vehicle at this point. Everyone loves driving it, and I taught my daughter to drive in it.

So far, so good, and it has felt like a "quality" vehicle from day-one.

I still have my Sorento. It currently just passed 30K miles and have experienced no other issues and still solid with no rattles or noises cropping up. Love it still, absolutely no plans to get rid of it.

 

[StageLeft]

Kia are worth considering. I think they are more or less Hyundai. I also am not convinced that VW takes lower quality bits than Audi. That is not the point of VW/Audi; one is a common, and one is a luxury line, just as a lexus is not likely to be more reliable (seems worse now, by far in fact) than Toyota.

Kia offers tremendous apparent value for money. The $16,900 brand new sorento with 5 star crash rating is the best one can do on a minivan, period. I thought about it recently but saw far too many black spots in the rating of various Kias in consumer reports. Perhaps quality is getting better, but even with a long powertrain warranty I'd rather not end up with it in the shop a lot. I'd still consider one, though.

 

[rbV5]

The $16,900 brand new sorento with 5 star crash rating is the best one can do on a minivan,

I think you mean Sedona, Sorento is the Mid size SUV.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: rbV5

The $16,900 brand new sorento with 5 star crash rating is the best one can do on a minivan,

I think you mean Sedona, Sorento is the Mid size SUV.

Yep!

 

[SearchMaster]

I know two Kia owners, and both are very happy - each has had their vehicle (Sorento and Optima) 3+ years. They don't make a vehicle that is compelling to me so I don't see myself buying one in the near future. Hyundai has (obviously) similar cars for similar prices but enjoys a much greater reputation so I'd personally look there first.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Has anyone here had any experiences with the Kia Rondo or Spectra5?
My GF and I are considering replacing her ailing PT Cruiser with something else.
She has sat in a Rondo at an auto show, and she liked it, but we aren't near enough to buying one (need about 3-4 months to get a down payment together) to go for test drives yet.

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: CrackRabbit
Has anyone here had any experiences with the Kia Rondo or Spectra5?
My GF and I are considering replacing her ailing PT Cruiser with something else.
She has sat in a Rondo at an auto show, and she liked it, but we aren't near enough to buying one (need about 3-4 months to get a down payment together) to go for test drives yet.

we own two kia sedonas...fine so far...they are 2006 models...

 

[theeedude]

They got 10 year 100K warranty, so I wouldn't worry too much about quality. Obviously their bean counters think the quality is good enough for warranty costs will be low enough that they can back it and still sell the cars cheap.
After 100K, it's pretty much going to come down to owner a lot more than the car. But cars don't magically start breaking down at 100K, so if Hyundai thinks the warranty costs will be low to 100K, the cars should be fairly reliable well past that point if taken care of properly. Plus if you invest the money you saved by getting a Kia over a comparable Toyota/Honda, in 10 years, you will have more money even after accounting for resale price difference.

 

[FDF12389]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Your crap is nauseating.

I have owned plenty of foreign and domestic cars, none of the domestic died before 200k. Out of all of them I'd say the most reliable would be my 02 Mazda 626, and my 93 dodge dakota. My dad had a ford work van that made it to 323K with only one major repair.

Fleet for fleet I would wager GM to be just as reliable as honda right now. Take care of your cars and they will take car of you, regardless of brand.


@ OP.

I own a 04 Hyundai tiburon that I picked up pretty cheaply, and so far it hasnt given me any problems, and I have rented a sonata and it seemed solid. Sorry no direct experience with kia, but I know two kia owners and they are happy with the van.

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax
Almost any car you can put 100K on it. It's just that American Cars turn immediately to shit once you do this. Japanese cars on the other hand go at least 100K more if well maintained.

What about Korean cars like the OP asked?

I have 2 American cars and 1 japanese cars. All have more than 100k on them. Guess which one gives me more trouble and is more expensive to maintain? It isn't the jeep or chevy, it's the toyota.

Why do people act like an American car killed a member of their family? It's pretty ridiculous. There are good American cars and bad ones, same with any other country.