Faults:

One headlight bulb went bad at 8K miles.

Three tail light bulbs went bad between 12K and 20K miles.

Checked grounds on the vehicle and found the paint probably shortened the bulb life. Repaired it myself.

Paint on the driver's door handle came off at 20K. Replaced under warranty.

My radiator reservoir cracked at 42,000 miles. Replaced under recall.

Battery was always "weak" and under voltage. Battery lasted 3 years and 42,000 miles. Low battery voltage caused the "check air bag" light to come on. Not under warranty.

Three squeaks repaired by dealer.

General Comments:

Car is well engineered and laid out.

All elements appear to be crafted by "one hand". For example, the car is sturdy and doesn't rattle, bolts are appropriately sized, correct fasteners are used, correct sheet metal thicknesses are provided.

Appearance, fit and finish is excellent.

Car gets 15 mpg.

I have enjoyed the car.

OEM Kumho-brand tires still have tread on them, but do not have the best wet-weather traction. I would rate them as providing almost adequate wet-weather traction.

The car is 4WD and has never needed an alignment.

Faults:

Various kia re calls x4.

Digital clock intermittent fault.

Black paintwork soft, scratches easily.

General Comments:

This is an update of previous review (Terrific vehicle)

Although performance was adequate I had the car chipped and is now more relaxing to drive at lower speeds. Seems that economy has also improved although has always been very good 28-37 mpg (average 32mpg)

Running costs have been very cheap. Tyres were replaced at 27k and were only half worn. Managed to get new replacements from local garage at £55 per tyre. Still on same brake pads. One set of wipers. Servicing costs between £130 and £230.Kia dealer at Braintree are excellent.

This car looks big, but is actually very easy to drive. It is comfortable and economical on long journeys. It feels safe and secure so my wife isn't intimidated on motorways by aggressive drivers. The leather seats are showing signs of use, but are very comfortable. Body roll is not as bad as you might think and the sorento can be good fun to drive if the mood takes you.

The sorento has been completely reliable and feels like it will always start and safely get you where you want to go. It feels secure in snow, stable when the roads are holding vast amounts of water or covered in mud.

Pity kia don't organize off-road events like some other manufacturers.

The warranty will be out in March 06 and I have been looking into other similar cars, but I honestly cannot find another vehicle which can give me so much unless I spend a fortune.

Faults:

So far so good.

Got it used. Previous owner was a 55 year old lady whom I suspect had no your children or grandchildren. The interior condition was astonishingly good. Next to new really!

The exterior was near new with minor scratches and no dents, not even dings. And paintwork shines like new!

General Comments:

I got this for the wife who now needs more space as our kids are getting bigger. We both got no complaints in that department.

My only gripe is the ride which seem a bit harsh. Whether its the tires or suspension I'm not so sure, but it felt better with the tyre's pressure at 32 psi instead of the recormmended 35 psi in the owner's manual.

I would have thought with an SUV you can go through bad patches or road without even thinking about it, but the previous Peugeot and my current Honda Accord ride much better.

Don't expect car like comfort and ride and you'll be fine.