Kia Sorento

lok888

Oops! It is 20:80 power distribution on TOD (Auto mode). I enjoy mine with TOD plus low range (4L = 50:50) whenever I need it. :-)

hciaffa

My mother escaped to Turkey from Italy just before WWII. Her father was a high ranking engineer in the government and was on a list as a subversive. she went to schools and university and speaks Turkish and Arabic,(seven languages also). I don't know if she became a Turkish citizen. Anyway goodluck with your Sorento. Just remember that if you hear the front wheels grinding or making noise just get out of 4WD hi.

lok888

Just check out the Kia website. It is interesting to see TOD (or ATT - Active Torque Transfer) is being offered in your country. Is it new there?

soreintoe

$20g's fully loaded????????? Where do you live? I just paid $27G's for mine loaded! But i am in NY prob. why.

soreintoe

You have GOT to see the Sorento's that are HOOKED UP in New York and Conneticut! I have a 2004 brand new EX green/tan 2 tone w/ tan interior loaded. I just got my tow hitch. I am getting the black step bars, black rain guards, havin' the windows tinted out darker to almost limo tint, the push bar thing, in black put on the front, a ground effect kit that looks EXACTLY like a BMW SUV (I saw it on this 1 SUV, it was of the HOOK) and 22inch Spinners (rims)! TONS of other mod's but let me tell you... the heads turn when I pull in. The kids @ my childrens schools go NUTS! Especially when Mom here pulls up ready w/ the dirt bikes and 4 wheelers to go tearin' it up while the other Minivan Mom's are off to Soccer Practice! "Foxy Cleopatra!" Anyone knows of any other hookups, let me know! Thanks! New York Italian Mama!

clpurnell

Is this just Hyundai's version of the Sorento?

paisan

I believe it's their version of the Sportage.

-mike

hciaffa

the Tuscon is the Hyundia version of the Sportage. Latest Popular Mechanics has a "mule" picture of the new Santa Fe as it will be bigger the original possbly bigger than the Sorento and newer body style

alamid69

Anyone out there know a good website to checkout some sorento accessories?

lok888

OEM or aftermarket? There are many out there. No sure we can post them here.

lok888

Hello! Anyone got the 2005 Sorento? How's the ride with the new 5-speed shiftable auto tranny? I saw one in my dealer's lot. The clock has relocated to the further left and a new rear garnish (half chrome and half body color). Don't they make gold beige anymore?

dealer13

I am planning to buy a traction system (sort of snow chain which can be fitted in less than a minute without any hassle) for snowy and icy days. Usually chains are used on drive wheels. I also own a CRV and since it is front drive until slippage of front tires, i use them on front wheels. My sorento is shift on the fly so it would be all-wheel-drive (50% torque front and remaining rear when the road is snow covered. Do you have any idea where to fit the chains? Front wheels or rear? In owner's manual it says rear in one chapter and front in another!

stever

I think Willard only recommends them on the rear:

wwest "Toyota Highlander Owners: Problems & Solutions" Aug 22, 2004 9:36pm

Try the 4WD & AWD systems explained discussion too.

Steve, Host

pao

I have an 03 Sorento EX fully loaded....I have been using the KIA OEM oil filters since I bought the vehicle.....did i read somewhere the filter must have a back flow valve to prevent oil from running back into the filter due to the location of the mount in the sorento...if you dont use the OEM filters.....what is the forum using here?

BTW 25K on the vehicle and no one problem to note

alamid69

Has anyone replaced their antennas with an after market one? Is it hard to replace the old one with the new one? How does it affect your radio signal? Thanks.

lok888

I have those euro-style antenna (about 12" tall) installed for more than a year now. The radio reception is the same as the stock one and it looks better.

I first broke some wires when attempt to unscrew the stock antenna rod. I didn't mention to this my dealer and they were not just replace the rod but the 6CD changer as well.

You don't turn the base (the chrome hexagonal shape nut) when removing it, just carefully turn the base of the antenna rod with regular tool. Still hope the Sorento has in-glass antenna or roof mounted type like Santa Fe and Tucson. Hope this help. :-)

alamid69

Thanks. Where did you get your antenna?

lok888

eBay. It is a flexible black rubber. It may bend a little bit at high speed. It will back to normal when slow down.

jimfrei

Shifts smothly but slightly loud. Had it a month and it's great

jimfrei

I have the homelink and it took 5 min to figure it out and program it. I live in a gated community and programed one button for the gate and another for the garage. I have thought of using the other for my son's garage.

lok888

I also have HomeLink on my Sorento, another nice standard feature on the EX model. I have never had a chance to use it because I have no garage. But I am thinking to use it for central lighting and entry door. So our HomeLink can only program and operate one garage, right? Hope you enjoy yours!

chippymom

We are seriouly thinking of buying a Sorento but now have heard alot of negative talk on the maintance of the Kia's and having to be in the shop alot. Anyone that owns one, I would like to know if they are standing up or have you had problems with it having to be in the shop alot?

arizonajoe

I own the new Spectra. It has >6,000 miles at this point and so far no problems at all to report. It seems like Hyundai and Kia are on an upward slope on quality, and have been for a couple of years.

Kia quality data from models a few years ago is quite poor, but indications are this is changing with more recent model years. We'll have hard data in another year or two, but it looks like we're on the crest of a major quality jump. My Spectra is solid and tight - an amazing value. I've shopped Sorentos, and they feel the same way.

pao

I have an 03 sorento with about 25k on it and have had no problems at all..also have an 04 Malibu Maxx, with one minor problem...which is cosmetic in nature..both first year models....looking at the other makes and models and the owners problem and solutions forums here...I would say neither first year model has any more issues that others on the board that are voicing issues and concerns.....My recommendation is do the research..safety, cost, maintenance..etc...and be an informed consumer...Im bringing TSB numbers to my chevy service department..they were not aware of or too lazy to look up..needless to say I quickly changed service dealers!!!! Be informed...look at this site...the NTSA site for recalls and other safety issues..and make an informed decision

mrjammer

"03 EX purchased 3/03. 27K ZERO problems!
The Sorento is a great SUV.
Mrjammer

firepix1075

Hi, first-time user/visitor. I'm considering buying a 2005 (or an '04 if I can find a good deal) Sorento and wanted to solicit some opions/thoughts/etc. before I take a test drive tonight.

A bit concerned perhaps with the "image" of Kia, but it looks a lot like the Lexus SUV...

I live in Baltimore, so driving conditions are a mix of sunshine in some months and rainy/snowy roads @ other times. Currently drive an '02 Jeep Liberty.

Looks like for mid 20s I can get a nicely equipped/loaded SUV (EX) with sunroof, etc.

How do owners feel about their Sorentos?

lok888

I own an 2003 EX 4WD fully loaded with luxury package. My experience is great. It could have be excellent if I haven't had any warranty repairs done for the past two years. I only sat in the '05 Sorento at a local auto show. I would think the '05 has a smoother ride and slightly better gas mileage with the new transmission. That model (probably fully loaded) at the auto show has a sticker price of $30K. I was thinking other mid-size SUVs before buying the Sorento. I was also worrying about the Hyundai/Kia past. Then I made my final decision on Sorento due to its cost and warranty coverage. I probably saved thousands on others with foglights, sunroof, roof rack w/cross bars, CD changer, leather seats, full size alloy spare, auto headlights, 24hr roadside assistant for 5 years and more. Oh! The auto rearview mirror cost $200+/- plus labor on Honda or Toyota. Hope this help!

jacques

I have my Sorento since oct 2003. today I gassed up.... 52 liters for 229 km
about 10.5 Imp. gallons for 138 miles or about 14 miles to the 180 oz Imperial gallon .

 I am NOT PLEASE one bit with this consumption
and I doubt running a Sorneto for taxi work will make your wife rich.

My dealer says he can't do anything about it. period.... next car, I am going back to a Caravan. I had 4 of them and quite satisfied milage wise even IF I did not climb mountains.

tcarrillo

Just thought I'd let be known that my 2003 Sorento EX with luxury package has not given me any problems in nearly two years and 35,000 miles.

myblacksorento

firepix 1075 I also live in Baltimore and highly recommend the Sorento. I love my 2003 Black EX with luxury package. Had one minor warranty problem with a windshield washer pump seal. Other that that terrific. Purchased in Dec 03 at a dealer in Bel Air and now approaching 11k miles. Handled well in snow. Gas mileage not the best but I knew that up front. Noticing a lot more Sorentos in our area - hope you join us.

steve_on

Anyone with a 2005 Kia Sorento care to post mileage numbers with the new 5 speed auto.

I drive ~30K miles a year and mileage is a big factor in the buying decision.

charlesm1950

It's been a while since I've posted to the this group. I wanted those interested in buying a Sorento to know that they are solid and reliable. This morning I passed 35,000 miles. I bought my 2003 Sorento in September 2002. I've had very little to worry about. It has not been back for dealer service in the past year. My local mechanic has performed the scheduled maintenance. I'm still very happy with what my friends call the "Korean Lexus".
Charles
Austin, TX

vickie

My new 05 loaded 4x4 EX just turned 1000 miles. I haven't checked the actual mpg data yet. I have never purchased vehicles based on mpg...but I'll check it and post for you.

rocco56

After lots of research and comparison shopping, I just purchased a 2005 Sorento EX 2WD with all the other bells and whistles. It's a great value at a great price. My only gripe so far is that the digital clock seems to be malfunctioning. It loses hours each time I start the vehicle. I haven't taken it back to my dealer yet and I'm sure it's a simple fix. I was just curious if anyone else out there has experience a similar problem with their Korean Lexus?

lok888

I have an '03 Sorento EX. The digital clock was replaced under warranty few months ago. It showed 1:00 almost everytime I start the car, no matter how many times I reset it. I remember several more owners here or other sites had the same problem.

vickie

Ok, I've checked my mpg, per your request, Steve.
My 05 Sorie is getting 16 mpg, city.

pwdohio

Yes, we tow with a Kia Sorrento 2004.

 

We have a class III hitch that came with the towing package when we purchased the vehicle. It came with the tranny cooler. Yes, you need one from what I understand.

 

We just purchased a 2001 Casita Spirit Deluxe trailer. We picked it up in Kansas on our way to Denver CO. We were loaded to the hilt because we went out with building tools to rebuild my sister's deck. We had 110 lbs of dogs in the vehicle with us, as well as clothing, tools, food for two weeks, etc.

 

We saw no visible weight load on the vehicle. We towed it from CO to Ohio...no problems whatsoever. We did not do any mountains.

 

Our trailer is said to weigh 2065 lbs dry weight.

We did not fill the water tanks all the way, but had about 1/2 full. We are hoping that we do not go over 3000 lbs under normal traveling conditions, even though the Kia is rated for 3,500 lbs.

 

We did have a sway bar added, and a Prodigy brake-controller added to the vehicle. It pulled like a champ. When the 16-wheelers zoomed past us, we felt the wave in the Kia, but the trailer never budged. However, the trailer is built for aerodynamics, it is a fiberglass "egg" similar in shape to an Airstream.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 
BTW, we have 4,000+ miles on our Sorento -- no problems and we love it! We have the EX fully loaded.

Jaimee

tigerlil

Thank you Steve. Posted correctly. Happy Holidays..

stever

Great! If anyone is looking for info about the actual buying experience of other owners, please visit the Kia Sorento: Prices Paid & Buying Experience discussion.

 

Steve, Host

tigerlil

Hi Rocco56; What did you pay for your 05 Sorento?

I tried to buy one the other day and it did not go well. Thanks for the help.

phoenixrider

Yes, a lift kit, of sorts, is available from OME (Old Man Emu) Contact arbusa.com for details. I don't think they have it on thier web site yet - just call them.

 

I say 'of sorts' because it's not a true lift kit. It offers 1.5 inch in the rear and about .75 inch in front. This will rake the vehicle pretty good. The ride quality, however, is just awesome - a 300% improvement over stock.

 

To lift the front end up a bit more, I installed a 1 inch strut spacer from Daystar. This is made for a Toyota Tacoma/Tundra, and is a perfect fit for the Sorento. With this, the front will be about 1/4 inch higher, but it's not noticable, and will likely settle down a bit over time in any case.

 

With that lift, I was able to install 265/75/16 (32 inch) tires with plenty of clearance. This gives the Sorento 12 inches of ground clearance vs. 8.2 stock. That is a dramatic improvement. Along with the larger tires and better suspension, the Sorento is a beast off road now!

 

Some comments on the stock Sorento. While it is certainly capable for moderate off roading stock, the suspension is plain terrible for even moderate easy off roading. Way too harsh, and bottoms out on everything.

 

Doing anysort of decent off roading, you'll want to at least disconnect the front sway bar. There is practicaly no articulation when connected, and even very little when disconnected. I removed my front sway bar all togther, and disconnect rear when off roading.

 

These are some pics of my Sorento off road. You can see the evolution of the near stock vehicle compared to what it is now.

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/phoenixrider

mrjammer

We just traded in our loaded 2003 Silver EX with 29+K miles (purchased 3/03) for a new loaded 2004 Black EX (w/the beige interior this time). With the $3k rebate, and our deal, we couldn't pass it up. We had ZERO mechanical problems with the '03 and just a couple of minor cosmetic ones that the dealer took care of. Hopefully, the '04 will give us the same service.

Wishing a Happy and Safe New Year too all my fellow Sorento owners!!

Mrjammer

frustrated2

well i just purchased (finally but still not happy with price after reading every ones messages). Purchased 05 Sorento EX Black and Gold. Sticker price was about 26,8 something. Added running boards (at cost to put on ourselves to save $100 bucks), and tow hitch, and cargo mat. Plus they have to go get in in columbus which is 2 hrs from where I live (supposedly at no cost which to me is part of selling a car). Out the door including tax was 25,6 something and I got 3.9% interest. Oh yeah and three oil changes thrown in (oh boyyy). I was trying to get them at least 25K OTD but they stated they would be losing money (which I know they wouldnt) since there is not much mark up in sorrento pricing. Plus taking money out for salesman and sending 2 people up to purchase vehicle. Oh well stress and games are over. My disappointment with soon go away. I hope. I will get the car monday so hopefully it drives well and is the vehicle I hope it should be. Take care everyone and good luck. (I needed you guys in the dealership with me LOL )

hoosiersec

Hey gang,

 

After doing all of the research and test driving everything out there, finally took the the plunge. Bought the LX 4WD with ALB and tow hitch. Not totally happy the final price, but I am paying what I wanted. I love hte car, and thanks to all for all of your reviews to help me in my decision.

newkiaguy

Hello all,

 

I just found this thread and think's its fantastic.

 

I used to drive a GMC Jimmy... it was a 95 and gave me nothing but problems. So, over the past 6 months I've been doing my research and decided that the Sorento was the next vehicle I was going to drive. I procrastinated until the day after Christmas when my Jimmy wouldn't start. I took it in to the dealership and turned out I needed about 3 grand worth of repairs...I immediately went out and made the move into a Kia, and they gave me $2,300 for my crappy Jimmy!

 

Turns out the waiting was worth it considering the new 05's have a 5 speed transmission with torque on demand.

 

So here's what I got...

 

2005 Kia Sorento EX Luxery... Silver with pewter accents. PICKED IT UP NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!

 

Now, as I'm writing this, it's in the shop because the digital clock wouldn't hold time so they are swapping out the clock. Talking to the service manager he said that they had a huge batch of faulty clocks that got installed into a bunch of their Sorentos. No problem though...that's why we have warranties right? And the best one in the industry to boot!!

 

I also got set up for FREE LIFETIME OIL AND FILTER CHANGES!! How sweet!!! The promotion ended December 31, 2004. They were offering them in 04 I was told to celebrate their anniversary.

 

By the way, I live in Toronto Canada so I will soon enough get to test out that transmission and 4X4 in the snow soon enough.

 

I look forward to discussion the pleasures (or eventual downfalls) of owning this vehicle.

 

While I've heard alot about it's poor fuel mileage...nothing can be worse than the hunk of junk Jimmy I just got rid of!!

 

Best looking truck in it's class and so what if it says Kia....this little company is going to be making huge strides with this beautiful product.

uga91

I just drove a 2005 LX model. It was very nice. I've also driven the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I would say the ride was as good as the Jeep's. My only problem is the availablilty. They only have 5 on the lot. Three red EX models with leather and everything and a blue (indigo) LX and a green LX. The green LX is about $900 more than the blue one I drove due to it's Sport Package. I would prefer that one, but I'm not crazy about the green. I like the blue, but it's the most base one they had. I really want ABS, but am having a hard time buying a $27,000 Kia when I can have vehicles like the Grand Cherokee for less--with ABS! I'm not anti-Kia at all--in 1995 I bought a new Sephia and had it for 6-1/2 years and only spent $250 in non-warranty repair work the whole time. Ford has some left over 2004 Expedition XLS models on their lot next door to the Kia lot that they are selling for about $23,000--and they have ABS. I'll have to look around for sure!

frustrated2

Hello all, I was just responding to this comment

" also got set up for FREE LIFETIME OIL AND FILTER CHANGES!! How sweet!!! The promotion ended December 31, 2004. They were offering them in 04 I was told to celebrate their anniversary."

 

when i bought my vehicle I heard this before on this forum and when i asked the kia dealership they stated they never heard of such a thing. I also showed them prices paid, etc and they stated they people are lying about the prices paid..i stated why would people spend the time getting online and posting messages just to lie to people they do not know. anyway no better price give and no oil changes thrown in either..oh i'm sorry 3 oil changes included

speedykia

I have this feeling your dealer is not telling the truth. I would contact KIA and get a good answer.

ray kelly

I have just bought a 2004 6 cd radio and want to replace the one cd radio in my 2003 Sorento. I cant imagine how one removes the old radio and I hope that the wiring is the same. Can anyone tell me how to get the radio our? I don't see any screws and the dash looks too nice to touch. Please help.

lok888

Other Sorento broad shows some good pictures of the stereo removal. You need to remove the wood trims or plastic trims on both sides of the stereo with a screwdriver (place a soft cloth to prevent scratch). Then you remove the screws (4 on each side) so the top piece and the whole center console cover can be removed. Unplug the stereo and the switches (rear window defroster, heated mirrors, hazard signal) put the new one in. Should be the same harness adapter.