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Used 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid Consumer Reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
17 reviews

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4 out of 5 stars

Step in the right direction, flatters to deceive

SN, Olympia WA, 04/28/2021
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A)
12 of 27 people found this review helpful

Researched the Sorento hybrid extensively, drove twice. Nice option but the third seat is poorly designed and a waste. Good only for small kids at best. Rear space is minimal. Showstopper for us also was that in both the S and EX trim, the passenger side seat only has manual controls! This makes NO sense. We are passing up on this vehicle. Sad because the promise was there but someone made poor decisions on design options.

Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

No complaints so far!

Jeff W., 02/14/2023
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Folks need to understand the regular Hybrid and the Plug in Hybrid are two different models- We have the regular EX Hybrid and it's been fantastic so far- 4K miles. The tech is great and all, but the ride is what sold us- we live way out a very poorly maintained road and this thing floats down the road in comparison to our other vehicles, handles like a sportscar, gets 34mpg and has more power than we can use- what's not to like.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid for sale near you
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5 out of 5 stars

Does well

Steve G., 03/03/2023
updated 03/07/2024
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

This hybrid does everything well- good mileage, good traction in the snow and ice- it is a front wheel drive. Has good room for luggage or, with the seats down, room for larger purchases. Have not had any issues with 23,000 miles. The only thing I have noticed was that with cold weather the mile drops some.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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2 out of 5 stars

97K miles & its broken

T.O, 04/05/2024
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I purchased my car new April 2021 - all seemed great until March 2022- “Refill Inverter coolant” warning came up 24 hours before I was supposed to go on a 8 hour drive road trip- talk about inconvenient timing! I packed the miles on a little faster than the average Joe- so when I googled this issue, there was nothing to be found. I took it into the shop last minute & was told pretty much “we don’t know- but it doesn’t seem to be hurting anything” wellll…. Let’s just say after multiple attempts of trying to get it fixed they basically said it’s a “phantom light” but they couldn’t get it to go away. How about I go in Feb 2024 (pretty much 2 years of dealing with this light) I am told they have a service action finally available for the issue-SA515A this was performed 2/23/24. All seemed well once it was completed! I didn’t see the light for a full month- and then Easter morning 3/31/24 while 8 hours from home & an hour into my drive at 11:00 AM- (coming through Mount Vernon, IL on the way home to eastern TN) I stopped at a drive thru off the interstate- never turned my car off… but when I went to pull out to the road that would lead me back to the interstate I lost pretty much all power and the vehicle only shuddered any time I hit the gas going forwards or backwards. A big orange triangle with “HEV” written in it came up and stated “check hybrid system”, the check engine light, as well as the “refill inverter coolant” light came up as well. How about that!? Hadn't seen that inverter coolant light since they did SA515A & now it “mysteriously” reappears along with all the other lights & zero drive ability!? I think that SA515A triggered something! & The place I broke down at had a bad hornet problem & the vehicle wouldn’t produce cold AC- it just blew hot air- so as a single mom with a 12 yr old & our dog in the car we had to sit in a hot car with only random ability to roll down the windows depending on how many wasp were around. I was completely stranded for 5 hours as Uber & Lyft kept cancelling my requests for a ride to the nearest hotel (since it was Easter I couldn’t get a decent price on a tow & the nearest Kia dealership was 50 miles away) the cheapest tow I could find was $400- pretty sure due to the holiday. Anyway, I ended up having to call some sketchy taxi company & got a ride to a hotel- definitely not an expense I was ready for since we had just spent a week on spring break! Anyway, I was stranded all day Easter and that Monday & couldn’t get help until Tuesday. Kia roadside was zero help since I was over 60K miles & the “local” (50 mi) away stated on Monday morning that they had a small shop and probably couldn’t get it in until that Wed or Thurs- WELL I was supposed to go to work that Monday & my 12 yo was supposed to go back to school- there’s no way I could wait around! I ended up spending $400 in gas and $200 to rent a car dolly & my dad drove 3 hours and picked us up & put my car on the dolly for me. The vehicle had so little power it wouldn’t go up the ramp or down the ramp- it had to be pushed. When we were pushing it off the ramp at the dealership (in eastern TN) a loud noise came from under the hood & the service manager actually was there helping us push the car- he said “well that sounds like the transmission just blew”. I dropped the car off late on 4/2/24 & the dealership has still not diagnosed it as of 4/4 (after hours)- they plan to make time for it 4/5 even though I was told it would be checked out on 4/3- thankfully they gave me a loaner vehicle but to cover their butts they put $41/day “unless covered by warranty”. I hope to God it is warrantable! I am planning on dumping it ASAP. My 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid’s engine went out at 98K miles- was under warranty but I never trusted it again & dumped it shortly after the engine replacement. I’m over Kia’s hybrid models & don’t plan on ever owning another one. Buyers beware!

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
2 out of 5 stars
Value
2 out of 5 stars
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3 out of 5 stars

CLANKING START

Joez, 04/10/2022
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX 4dr SUV (1.6L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

When at a stop, when you accelerate, it is very uneven acceleration

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
2 out of 5 stars
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