Kia Sorento
Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 18:57
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Jimbo
What does anyone know about the Kia Sorento. I've started looking into a 4WD with reasonable off road ability. At $38,000, with a fair bit of fruit, good size, low range, 3.5L Mitsubishi V6, it looks pretty good when it is priced up against the smaller 4WD ("softroader") market. In 4WD Monthly it won a comparo with Cherokee and Pathfinder, and was substatially cheaper. I believe it also made the final 6 in 4X4's 4WD of the year, so I'm figuring it must be half useful.
Other than that I can't find out much about it. Has anyone seen or driven one in action? I am looking for someting that can get reasonably off road without the need to climb mountains that would
test a yak.
Regards,
Jim.
Reply By: Graham & Ann - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 19:11
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 19:11
At $38k should be worth a look. Believe its the same donk as Hyundai Terracan, dont know about Mitsubishi involvement though. Towing specs I think are 2300kgs/230kg ball weight so Vehicle can handle more ball weight than Terracan at 2500/200kgs. think a diesil version is supposed to make its way here later in the year or next. 2.7 L I think. The latest SsangYong 2.7 Rexton might be worth considering if diesil is wanted but at the moment can only tow 2500/140 ball weight... Some are trying to get that increased to 2500/250kg.
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Reply By: GO_OFFROAD - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 19:40
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 19:40
Be prepared for low resale value, no aftermarket accessories, poor NVH, and a first anme basis with the warranty manager at the delaership when buying on price alone.
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Reply By: Patroleum - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 21:29
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 21:29
Do yourself a favour , buy a prado and enjoy the Toyota Quality,reliabilty,and resale
Cheers
Greg
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:34
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:34
True, he did say he was in the softroader market...
LMAO
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Follow Up By: Member - StevenL - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:42
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:42
Careful Truckster, Not all of us want to be tank commanders!
Steven
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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:07
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:07
has a transfer case tuckstie, more clearace than a pootrol, lighter, more grunt, and nicer to drive, maybe you should change your name to fred flintstone, and cut a hole in the floor of your vehicle.....8-)
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Reply By: ianmc - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:56
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 22:56
When the truck is 10-15 yo NONE of them attract much resale & the depreciation on a $70,000 Prado is much higher than a $38,000 vehicle over that time.
4X4 Australia in their 4X4 of the year awards in March 2004 were surprised by the Kia & it beat most of the expensive machines into the finals.
Go high tech go high bills/maintenance I sez!
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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:05
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:05
Typical hype from someone who cant afford a new car that sounds like....I bet everyone said that when cars took over from horse and cart, but I bet your not still getting around in a horse and cart?
who keeps a new car as long as you quoted anyway, you trade em in as soon as warranty is up, and keep your new car under warranty.
Also, a grande might be 70k in a prado, but you cant compare the kia and grande, maybe the GXL, which is around 56k.....
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Reply By: ianmc - Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:49
Tuesday, Apr 13, 2004 at 23:49
Typical Tojo owner response Go-Offroad! You must really believe all the stuff that they have been feeding you in the $500 million plus advert campaigns to date that you are paying for in the price of each Tojo you buy so regularly.
I own what I drive and after 220,000kms it hasnt cost much at all in depreciation or repairs & no elecs to speak of to break down.
Check with the
Birdsville towing for details of the problems with moderns that have $2/3000 tows due to elecs. With your
check book I guess this does not worry you.
Happy motoring.
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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 07:57
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 07:57
Its simple maths, you buy a car with good resale on runout, when it comes discounted, and what you lose in 3 years compared to what you paid is ussually <5k. [with a toyota anyway....] claim that off your tax, and then its only 52c per $ left to pay, so 1k a year it costs to be driving a new car.... hardly rocket surgery.....
Still doesnt change the fact you mis quoted the figures in your post about the vehicles, or the fact everyone who gets an obscure "cheap" 4wd complains of no aftermarket accesories.
And if you spoke to
Birdsville, to find out how many "elec issues" were either aftermarket added, and what percentage of them compared to the amount of travellers these days, I think you would see it is safe to move into the 2oth century....
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Reply By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 08:08
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 08:08
"...claim that off your tax, and then its only 52c per $ left to pay, so 1k a year it costs to be driving a new car.... hardly rocket surgery....."
That is, if you can claim it off your tax....
Oh, and the expression is " rocketscience"....
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Follow Up By: GaryInOz (Vic) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 08:11
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 08:11
Sorry, "rocket science", or "brain surgery"....
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Follow Up By: Ray (Geelong) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 09:38
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 09:38
What a strange expression. Rocket science is in fact very straight forward stuff. You don't need to be all that clever to be good at rocket science.
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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 12:02
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 12:02
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
"Rocket surgery" is an intentional use of the 2 saying in one, to explain how menial the comparisons of either one are......
Is it still april 1st??? LOL
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Reply By: flappan - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 10:44
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 10:44
Back to the original question , A friend of mine had one. Quite a decent unit. Followed around most of the other 4wds easily enough. Plenty of power with the Bishi 3.5. Acknowledged as being a bit saggy in the
suspension, my mate fixed that with new Springs from Pedders (all that was available at the time). To my knowledge , no aftermarket shockies are "yet" available but apparently they aren't to far away.
No fullsize bullbar was available , he had a nudgebar fitted.
He sold it due to lack of room and bought a Terracan. Quite amazing really as he came from a fully kitted up Patrol previously.
Kia have come a LONG way , and my opinion is , that the
Sorrento is at least worth considering.
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Follow Up By: GO_OFFROAD - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 12:04
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 12:04
As long as you
check your aftermarket requirements before purchasing ;-)
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Reply By: Jimbo - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 18:04
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 18:04
Thanks Flappan,
Your comments are based on some knowledge, unlike some of the other infantile ravings. Do you have any particular examples of what it can and can't do? Any shortcomings etc?
Jim.
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Reply By: ThePublican - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 20:10
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 20:10
My pub chef and her husband own one of the vehicles in question , they go to Morton and Fraser islands on a regular basis, never a vehicular problem ,should add that no mods have been done to the vehicle and it carries serious weight, chef and hubby total 42 stone.
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Follow Up By: Slammin - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 22:29
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2004 at 22:29
Ya gotta love a big chef!
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