Are Kias worth a flip?

[Cavedweller]

With a 14yr old, 3yr old, and one on the way, we have out grown our family grocery getter. We need a third row seat. We have been looking at 4-5 yr old Toyota Highlanders or GMC Acadia, all in the 20k range. A co-worker suggested the Kia Sorrento which I hadnt even given a thought. Looked them up and a used 2016 fully loaded is less than the other 2 models I listed. Reviews look pretty good, comparable to a Highlander but I have no real world experience. Anybody have one? Is it a lemon or a undervalued gem?

 

[MasterMacBayter]

From what i hear the new ones are nice, reliable cars. From what i recall the warranty is badass, plus the mpg is nice to boot.

 

[tRidiot]

As far as I know, they have steadily increased in value and customer satisfaction from their humble beginnings, much like Hyundai. They are a decent mid-priced vehicle for families on a budget, not a performance car without tons of high-end amenities, but are decent vehicles. I haven't owned one, this is just what I've read over the years.

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

I drove a Kia minivan back from Pensacola last spring. Flew down, drove back, with a lunch stop in NOLA. Six people in the van. Tons of room, drove nice, plenty of power when required and mpg in the mid twenties.

In short, I was impressed.

Will it outlast a Toyota? Probably not, but it doesn't cost as much either.

 

[soonersfan]

There used to be a feller on here named redneck1861 who might attest to some rollover issues but apparently the storage capacity was excellent.

They have a pretty good marketing campaign.

I dont really know much about them other than that.

 

[FredNOk]

I'm a bit late in responding, but Kia's aren't bad vehicles at all. However, the exterior body parts and inside parts and pieces aren't made to endure heavy abuse. For instance, if one slams doors out of anger or just to make a point, the repair to replace hinges and internal door parts is costly. My mom rented a Sorento and took a trip to OKC in it. She was mad at the world after her appointment and she slammed the door and caught her purse in it. Her tantrum cost her 400 bucks for repairs to the rental because she bent the hinges and messed up the latching mechanism in the door. She was in OKC for 7 extra hours too. Of course I was to blame because I was in Texas trying to find a job and couldn't take her, but we all know how that goes.
As with any vehicle these days, taking good care of them and meeting their regularly scheduled maintenance will make them last longer. Last year I replaced a power steering pump on a 2013 Kia Sportage and it wasn't a fun experience because of the tight space, but I have also replaced an alternator 4 times in a 96 Chevy Astro. Because it is much more hassle on that van, I would have prefered to do the PSP 4 times on the Kia instead.
Certain parts for older Kia models can be a hassle to get because they aren't kept in stock after 5 model years I was told, so they have to be ordered. I'd have one because I can replace and repair some stuff on my own. Taking a Kia to the shop for out of warranty work is expensive. Be certain there is a decent Kia mechanic near by just to be on the safe side.

 

[bigfug]

Check the dealer or autotrader to see if the price they are looking at is close to MSRP. When my wife and I looked at the kia's and hyundai's (2014 model year), they were adding a market value markup above MSRP on some models, the Optima in particular.

 

[dennishoddy]

We have a Kia Sorrento. Bought new in 2013. 10 year, 100K miles warranty on the drive line. We dickered and got the bumper to bumper extra warranty that covers electronics, etc for $250.
We have 60K miles on it with zero visits to the dealership for repairs.
The seats are very comfortable for long trips. There is a heat/air duct with fan control for the 3rd row seats. We even pull a boat with it on trips occasionally. We are very satisfied with ours.

 

[tomthebaker]

How is resale? Do you lose a lot in devaluation? Toyota is strong in that dept.

 

[steelfingers]

They had a long list of problems in the past, but I think they have fixed all that. My nieces daughter got one for a graduation present and loves it and had no problems.
Good MPH and high rating for safety on front end crashes