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Someone left out that Nissan(Infinity) did poorly, so did a few others(Mercedes, also, I believe, and Chrysler, and one other)I think Toyota 4 Runner..ALL POOR FOR BUMPER TESTS!
Honda Pilot(400 dollars bumper damage) got an acceptable rating, but the rest were marginal to poor.
Mercedes, Chrysler and I think Infinity all cost more(2,800, 2,400,) damage, where Kia was 2,200.
Check this out(a REAL WORLD crash test result!!!!)
Kia Sorento Earns Five-Stars in Side-Impact Crash Test
Kia Joins Mercedes and Volvo in Achieving Highest Rankings
IRVINE, Calif., July 16, 2003 – The 2003 Kia Sorento mid-size SUV has earned five-stars, the federal government’s highest side-impact safety rating, for the front seat occupant and rear-seat passengers in new side impact crash tests, according to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Sorento was one of only three new models in a group of vehicles tested recently by NHTSA to receive the five-star ratings in side impact crash protection. The other two models were the Mercedes C240 and the Volvo XC90.
The side crash tests are part of NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) that provides consumers with safety information about the two most dangerous injury-causing crashes. NHTSA tested Kia’s all-new 2003 Kia Sorento 4x4 in a simulated intersection-type collision with a 3,015 pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph into a standing vehicle.
“The Sorento’s five-star rating for front seat occupant and rear seat passengers in side-impact collisions is a tremendous achievement and a real-world confirmation of Kia’s engineering ability and our efforts to maximize occupant safety in our products,” said Peter M. Butterfield, Kia’s president and chief operating officer. “With a NHTSA five star rating, more standard equipment and a powerful V6 engine, the Sorento stands out as a smart buy in the competitive SUV market.”
Now that is a meaningful crash test result. As for the bumper test, one's insurance will have to deal with damage like that, now won't it? Believe me, they'll get their money back from EVERYBODY who drives ANY type of vehicle when they write in loss tally-ups for MINOR bumper-tumpers. It's the very nature of their business. As for me, I'd rather drive a SUV that will actually protect me in an accident.
BTW-I drive a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 and Kia was the first manufacturer to include knee airbags for SUV drivers. The little truck is VERY solid and I feel extremely confident driving around in it. If I should need to make my own road(in a bad flood or fire event, perhaps)the small, handsome SUV will accommodate my needs for that as well. Kia does it right..ladder on frame. The new Sportage will not have it but the Sorento still does BTW.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Here are the COMPLETE updated and accurate results posted last week: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/testing/ncap/Cars/2003SUVs.html
As you can see there are DOZENS of SUV's, in fact the vast MAJORITY, that received a 5-star rating in the side-impact crash test. And the Sorento only got THREE stars in the rollover rating. So the crash test results are nothing to crow about, and even if they were, they don't excuse the LAST place in the bumper tests.
Mercedes, Infinity and Cadillac are luxury class so their excessive 5mph damage costs can be somewhat excused.
Kia Sorento is economy class, and sustained HIGHER damage costs than those three.
As far as insurance, you will eventually pay through your deductible and premiums.
What looks like "economy" is certainly not very economic in the long run.
Can you explain that to me?
Now we are learning, by the unbiased NHTSA, it doesn't work that way in the end :-)
And guess who pays the price - WE DO - for insurance costs, on top of the premium dollars we already pay for new vehicles.
What would you rather be in? A truck like the sorento as it headons a CRV or would you rather be in the CRV?
-mike
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Maybe its because most people don't spend their money on cars that end up in dead-last place on respected lists by Consumer Reports and the NHTSA, which exist to educate open-minded consumers who appreciate the data.
But I'm sure the NHTSA would love to hear the theory that their study is stupid because Sorento just doesn't need bumpers in the first place! ;-)
-mike
They "protect" the occupants only when they collide with cars. The stiff frames make things worse for the occupants if they collide with another stiff framed vehicle, bridge abutment, trees an so on.
tidester, host
bigfur - If you don't like what the numerous studies conclude, you can try to sell your car that came in last place, but don't attack the messenger again or else you will be banned.
paisan - thank you for admitting your car doesn't even HAVE bumpers, that explains a lot of your previous comments, and I will read all your new comments in light of your admission.
We had $2,000 worth of damage in a low speed wreck. The embarrassing thing was our big tough SUV had to be towed off because the bumper folded back onto the tire, while the car that pulled out in front of her drove away with minimal damage. Now we drive a Subaru Forester XT. Good high speed safety in the 40 mile per hour offset and side impact ratings and good five mile per hour bumpers.
Why can't truck builders attach good bumpers to the frame? The argument that because you have a frame you don't need a good bumper is silly. It seems that it would be simple and easy to attach a good bumper to a solid frame. I have strong libertarian leanings, but I think it is a shame that the automakers will not put decent bumpers on trucks just because it is not mandated. This kind of attitude creates the situation where our government micro manages everything. However, for the market to work properly, we need information. Now that we know the problem, hopefully people will start demanding bumpers that will protect our SUVs in low speed collisions.
Sorry for the length of this rant. By the way, for all you Sorento guys please know that if we had decided we needed to replace the Isuzu with a real SUV, the Kia would have been on our short list, but I already have a pick-up and we wanted something that drove more like a car - a very fast car with the turbo.
If it even qualifies for an argument.
"Why can't truck builders attach good bumpers to the frame?"
The short answer is they just don't care. Quality costs more, and no one has ever not purchased a vehicle based on a cheap bumper UNTIL these NHTSA studies come out and UNLESS the customer is aware of them, and then its all down hill from there.
The only area the sorento seemed to fall short were the airbags - they said the dummies head struck the steering wheel through the airbag. And, the dummies head struck the B pillar on rebound (don't know if the side curtain deployed or not)
But, over all, as far as safety cage, intrusion, steering wheel movement, etc... it was right up there with the Pilot/Highlander/RX330 etc...and, it performed better than quite a few other vehicles.
Just a couple of minor improvements on KIA's part should get it up to Good. I wonder now if KIA is going to recall the airbag to reprogram it for better head protection.
Putting aside all the idiots out there without insurance, what scenario would you rather have.
1. Someone bumps into you going 4 mph. You go out and look and your car is fine. You accept the person's apology and you are on your way.
2. Someone bumps into you going 4 mph. Your have $750 in damage. You have to get a police report and go through all the insurance stuff including driving to the other side of town to get an estimate. You drop your car off for three days to get it fixed and have to get a rental. You get your car back and the shop did not match the paint right on your new bumper. Aaaagggh.
Even if insurance "paid" for this, no one will compensate you for your lost time and aggravation.
Plus, even for a otherwise good driver, because of visibility issues when driving a tall vehicle like a truck or SUV, it is - ahem, theoretically possible to back into a small fixed object that is difficult to see, especially at night(don't ask me how I know this). Life is a lot easier if such an encounter does not leave any damage to your vehicle.
As for "real" bumpers, from what I've read it's just added weight that these already heavy vehicles don't need.
If you feel the manufacturers don't "care" then don't buy one, period.
-mike
Paisan: I realize how stupid it sounds to call that a bumper, but according to the crash books, that thin peice of metal is still called a bumper. Pretty sad isnt it?
Anybody heard from mikesf lately...paisan, do you remember him? He rolled his Sorento up in the Montreal area then went through an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE OF HELL trying to get absolution and total address to all of the issues involved in getting his Sorento repaired. I'd like to know that he made out fine with it!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
If you're woried about damage to your front bumper, just don't let your wife drive it!
Ouch ! At -20F this is going to drop further !
Gas in Montreal swings from $2.80 - $3.20 for a US sized gallon (4 liters) these days.
I like my Sorento but I need ajustement time to break me in to these high prices.
-mike
-mike
-mike
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Just look at the crash results from a S-10, Bravada, etc.. You can see the way the car buckles up in that offset crash - not only is the car unsafe, but such a weak body design will surely reduce the longevity of the vehicle in the long run - you know, your typical GM shake rattle and roll feeling you get in a 3-4 year old GM vehicle.
Kile I said, a couple minor changes, and the KIA should be on par with the Toyotas, Hondas, Lexuses, etc... Pretty amazing for a second model year vihicle, and for KIA only marketing cars here for about 10 years now.
It's amazing the quality you can build, and the ability to make changes to improve quality, when you're not hog-tied by the UAW!
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_4wd_util.htm
Of note: Notice the QX4 and the Pathfiner. Same basic vehicle, 2 different results. Or the Passport and the Rodeo, or the Bravada and the Blazer.
Could be the way statics are averaged out, amybe
-mike
http://www.kiamotors.com/UVehiclesNewsWeb/KmceVn01_VehiclesNewsRe- ad.aspx?Idx=199
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
So ... stock, this very nice and smooth 30-valve engine has 190 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs of torque.
Adding an ECU chip -- mine is from GIAC -- brings that to 200 hp and (they don't publish figures, so I'm assuming a 1:1 ratio of improvements) 217 ft-lbs of torque.
Other owners have also modified the exhaust and report further gains of about 5%. So let's now say 210 hp and 225 ft-lbs of torque.
Finally -- and I live in California, where this is illegal -- some guys go one step further and modify the intake as well. The stock airbox is supposedly quite well designed, so little gains are seen here -- let's say 5 more each of hp and torque. (Most owners report absolutely zero effect with a simple drop-in K&N filter that replaces the stock; the mod is a cone filter and, in most cases, a heat shield.) So now you're up from:
190 hp & 207 ft-lbs of torque
to
215 hp & 230 ft-lbs of torque
Decent gains, but certainly nothing near what the alleged Sorento modder claims.
Other mad modders have yielded very small additional gain by replacing the fan unit with an electrically powered one -- this actually doesn't boost engine power, but relieves it of a little drain for running the fan.
So I, too, am highly suspicious of the Sorento modder's claims of (if memory serves) 245 and 275, respectively.
But I would LOVE to be proven wrong!!!
High beam - H1
Fog lights - 881
Front turn signal - 2357 or 1157
Front side marker - 168 or 194
Rear turn signal - 1156
Tail lights - 2357 or 1157
Back up - 1156
License plate light - 168 or 194
Yeap! No such info on the manual. You can also find this from Sylvania website. Hope this help.
For the back up, front and rear turn signals, I just have some super white bulbs (I don't remember the name). And I am shopping for the super white fog light bulbs. The stock bulbs are from GE, 881 12v 27w. Some said the Silver Star bulbs don't last that long. And I have a very experience with PIAA on my other car. They last very long but too pricy.
Reason: 1st gear seems to rev up the engine too long before it shifts into 2nd and it gets annoying. Also, any ideas if this would make gas mileage any worse or better?
Give my your thoughts people!!! Thanks.
I'm guessing like you describe, that it is simply a forced lower gear (ie. below D, drive) or higher rpm shift settings.
In that case, there is no need to use it in non-adverse weather, and yes it will affect gas mileage for the worse and possibly shorten transmission life. There is probably a speed limit associated with that mode.
1) Black LX 4x4, 5 speed, Sport package, mats, cargo tray, trailer hitch: $19,600
2) Silver LX, Auto, ABS, mats, alloys, cargo tray, trailer hitch: $21,800
Where I stand:
Option 1: I prefer driving a 5 speed. Love the look of the black on beige interior and the side steps/roof rack that come with the sport package. Also, keyless entry (w/ sprt pkg) is another convenience I really appreciate. Ofcourse, also nice to save $1,200.
Option 2: I also like silver, but don't like the grey interior as much. The ONLY reason I am considering this option though is the ABS. Is it really worth it? My car has ABS and the only time it has come on was when I was horsing around in a parking lot with 6 inches of fresh snow... But then again, its all about that "one" time when it is needed I guess...
Anyway, any thoughts and advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Anybody out there have some feedback on this?
Suggestion: Just like searching for a mate, Don't settle for less than what you want! Anything less, you'll regret in time. Wait for a model you totally want eg; Black, 4x4, ABS, 5spd, Sports Pkg, mats, cargo tray and trailer hitch. Although the trailer hitch is not that important as I've read there are other mfg of trailer hitches that will provide a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs vs the 3,500 rated hitch that comes from the factory. Don't be pressured into buying only stock on hand. Look around, I'm sure you can find what you want at the price you want to pay. This past month has been slow for Kia in my area (SF Bay Area.) and dealers are really willing to deal. Internet deals are selling at $1 over dealer cost. Remember also, there's a $1000 cash back on 2004 models and $2000 cash back on 2003. With those types of cash backs it's easy to get a Sorento at MSRP AND less including Delivery charge, Sales Tax & License. I didn't get mine from the Internet since the dealers price was less. As for myself I got my 2004 Fully Loaded EX 4x2 (don't need 4x4 and why pay more for something I don't need) with ABS, Lux Pkg, Step Bars, Spoiler & Cargo Tray at MSRP out the door (and that includes paying 8.5% sales tax.) The price I paid was about $167 below dealer cost however the dealer did make $500 in hold-back from the mfg. Hold-back is how much the dealer gets from the mfg just for selling their inventory. GOOD-LUCK!