2004 Kia Sorento consumer reviews

Keep in mind the newer Kia Sorentos are not built like the ones in 2004! (I’ve heard horror stories) But I got mine for way less than $2,000....I spent a little money making sure it ran well...and it has taken me from LA to Vegas without any problem....the mechanics I took the car to said there’s no reason why it can’t go for another 100,000 miles! It’s now almost 200,000 miles and going strong....if you don’t have much cash fine one of these used cars ..fix it up and you got one of the best made cars on the road. 2004 running smoothly 16 years later ...technology a classic

Very dependable car met all of my expectations.I would recommend this car to a friend our family member.I love this car, ride and drive.Priced to sale..

I love my Sorento. When I first bought it the only major problem it had was the hose for the power steering had a big hole in it. Once I changed it, it did have other any problems. Only thing I also had to change was the typical usual maintenance you do to the car (ie oil change and such). Other then that no major issue with car. I'm in the market now to upgrade it.

This car is great it?s a little small but that?s all some people need. Excellent value and it great on fuel. Has been well maintained.

Plenty of room for 5 full sized adults and all the gear you'd need for a weekend away. Roof rack (optional) gets put to good use, and the sound system is amazing. Perfect for any sized family, or for one person to get around. Gas tank is large and will take you a long distance on one tank.

I absolutely love it! It's a great family SUV. I am extremely satisfied with it. It was a great buy!

The first KIA vehicle I liked and bought. Bought in 2004 with 14K on the clock. Used as a commuter and occasional small trailer pulling. The 3.5 liter V6 is powerful and quiet and will astonish you if you're not paying attention when you accelerate. The interior seems oblivious to wear and tear as there is nothing that was worn, fallen off or rubbed through in 120,000 miles. The silver paint has held up remarkably for a non-garaged SUV but I removed all four door handles and the bumpers and had them repainted because it's the nature of Florida plastic. This looks like a Lexus RX and has been mistakenly identified as such. The only big maintenance has been a timing belt and four struts. No leaks, knocks or rattles. The only warranty issue was an airbag light (which is still on to this day). Out of pocket has been a radiator and a coolant overflow tank. All in all it has exceeded every expectation with absolute flying colors. No gripes and no complaints. The build quality is elegantly industrial. Currently looking for a replacement and it will be a slightly used Sportage SX turbo GDi or nothing at all.

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.

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

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.