2004 Kia Sorento

Rating from Highway Traveler in Asheboro

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"This is getting fun...My Sorento rolled over 300,000 miles this past week and just keeps going and going. I have only had 2 other cars surpass the 300K mark and in both cases they were tired and ready to be put out to pasture. Not the Sorento. I do not know if it is a body on frame arrangement or something else, but it still drives much as it did when I bought it at 50K miles. The ride is still firm and there are no rattles or squeaks. Oil consumption remains constant at about 1 qt every 3000 miles. The interior has held up very well and the leather has no cracks. Since 180K miles there have been a few additional, minor problem areas, but nothing critical. A couple of things I have learned is to put only high grade brake rotors on this car as, given the weight of this car, cheap ones have a tendency to warp. Another important item is to never reuse the crankshaft pulley bolt when replacing the timing belt. This is one maintenance item I always have the dealer perform. You will find several websites where owners berate the Sorento for failed Crankshaft pulleys (or even destroyed engines) because of this failure. It is avoidable if performed correctly so do not let your backyard mechanic try it. By the way, I recommend replacing the timing belt every 80K miles as they have a tendency to let go around 120K miles. Like most cars with timing belts, a failed one will be very costly. The only other known weak point will be a plastic Y fitting in the coolant system that appears to crack after a few years as well as the coolant expansion tank. If you Sorento is 100K miles or more you may want to have them replaced. The Transmission on the Sorento appears to be rock solid and I have actually had a transmission mechanic come up to me and say he thought the Sorento transmission was one of the best designed transmissions on the market. Based on my experience I have no reason to disagree. Other repairs have been to replace 2 front wheel bearings, a thermostat and a failed universal joint. Gas mileage remains in the 20-21 mpg range with the highway driving I do. If you stay in town and, especially if you are aggressive in your starts and stops, it will quickly fall to 14-16 mpg. All in all the Sorento, while not perfect, has been VERY surprising. I really am not quite ready to get rid of it and I may be extending my expectations to 400K miles. Without a doubt, it is one of the best cars I have owned."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Work

Rating from sandhillmil

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"at 130K the interior is still beautiful. fit and finish is outstanding. MPG sucks but if your looking at an older 3.5L you should have known that going in. drives like a much smaller unit, very nimble. some rust issues in the rear door wells but in general I'm pleased"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from styme

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"bought it new in 2004 and has been very reliable, gets great gas mileage. it has never let my family down in ice, snow or rain. i would suggest the manual transmission it is great to drive. we also have a jeep so when we had a deep snow it kept up with it.so i highly recomend this vehicle we have the lx model with the 5 speed."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from Mountaintop

(3)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		3 out of 5
Reliability:		2 out of 5

"I bought this car on impulse because I was tired of sliding dowhill backwards in my former AWD vehicle. I live on top of a mountain and need a 4WD vehicle to get home in the winter and even with 4WD we sometimes have to walk home. The Sorento performs only slightly better than an AWD on snowy or icy roads. It will loose traction and you will be sliding down the hillside. My neighbors larger 4WDs are more succesful on our hillside. The Sorento will also spin easily in rainy conditions so I am always careful to watch my speed especially on corner."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from previous owner

(1)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Handling:		1 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		2 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		2 out of 5

"This car had too many issues to list them all. Mostly was the brake issues. Then there is the 12 mpg. Stay away from this one!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Highway Traveler in Asheboro

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"I had submitted a review 2.5 years ago(see above) and I thought I would give it an update. My '04 Sorento has now clocked just over 180,000 Miles and is still going strong. I am still very pleased with my Sorento and I drive it essentially every day on business and have averaged about 45,000 miles per year so far. The car still rides very comfortably and has not developed any annoying squeaks or rattles. The interior has held up as well if not better than my previous Acura and better than my previous Volvo. Maintainence has been about average and I have replaced the timing belt twice at 80K miles and 160K miles. If you are considering the '04 Sorento be sure that the 2 recalls (crankshaft pulley bolt and the intake manifold butterfly valve) have been done or plan on having them done. The recall fixes these two areas, but if not performed the failure of either can lead to more severe problems. I have also replaced the coolant expansion tank with a new and improved model (part is $25 at the dealer) and a failed oxygen sensor. I would consider this normal for a car with this type of mileage. I change the oil every 5-6K miles and have not noticed any increase in oil consumption even with 180,000 miles. I measure my mileage and fuel for reimbursement purposes and I average between 20-21 miles per gallon with mostly highway driving which is slightly better than the 19 MPG that is listed. Not great, but considering that this car is nearly as heavy as a Volvo XC90 SUV it is understandable. All and all, I highly recommend the Sorento. Of the many cars I have owned, I have found the Sorento to be one of, if not the most enjoyable. It is a safe and secure vehicle. Even with the mileage that it has, I would not think twice about jumping in it and driving across country. I plan on driving it for, hopefully, another 180K miles."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Work

Rating from jet

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"i bought mine in may, it had the ingine light on twice i one month ,got the fuel temp sensor changed . since then thats it.i love when i got to merge with traffic and it answers to the call ,full of power , you got to own one.you wont be disappointed."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from me

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"love my sorento!!I bought my car new and have never had a problem with it! It is comfortable and I believe it to be a very safe car, considering that I was rear-ended by a semi truck at 35 mph and no one was seriously hurt. I would recommend this car ."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Jeff

(1)
Comfort:		1 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Handling:		2 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		2 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"I own a 2004 Kia Sorrento and it has its issues. The heat only works on the drivers side. I was told this was a manufacturing issue by the dealer. I have had a series of engine issues. I would stay away from this one."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Highway traveler

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"After much research, I kept coming back to the Kia Sorento for it's value and features. So far, I have been very pleased with my purchase. The car seems very well built and tightly put together. The ride is very comfortable and reassuring to drive, though it is, perhaps, is not a precise as an automobile on low profile tires. I have the EX model with leather and the interior finish is well above average. I drive approximately 40,000 miles per year and normally put 250K miles on a typicaly vehicle. I bought this Sorento used with 50K miles and based on my experience so far, I have every reason to expect that 250k can easily be obtained."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A