Used 2003 Kia Sorento Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
GOOD SO FAR
I recently purchased a used '03 Kia Sorento LX. I have only had it a month. Over all, "so far" I am satisfied with it. There are a few flaws however; at high speeds (anything over 50) the steering wheel shakes a bit, you can feel it in the steering, in the seats, and in the floor board and it does it even worse when using the brakes. But I do enjoy the interior and exterior design, similar to a Lexus SUV for far less price! Oh and a very quiet ride. All in all I would say to anyone considering buying a Sorento it is an excellent choice for the money!
What I did before I purchased the KIA
I spent many hours on the internet checking out all the SUV's in this segment. What I found was that you would have to spend 10 to 20 thousand more to get the same features. I have had mine for two weeks and in snow. The Sorento performed as expected and with KIA's drive it and forget it 10 year 100000 mile warrenty there is nothing to loose. The buying experience with HART MOTORS in Salem VA was so good and fast that it took longer to get the Sorento out of the showroom than it did to the paper work. I am very happy with my purchase.
- EX 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,995621 mi away
- LX 4dr SUVMSRP: $5,722869 mi away
- LX 4dr SUVMSRP: $3,0001,097 mi away
I love my Sorento!
I'm a very new Sorento owner, but so far a very happy owner! I researched all types of SUV's before choosing the Sorento. For the low cost and looks of this vehicle, there is nothing on the market comparable! I'm sad to admit that I actually look forward to waking up and driving to work, just so I can drive it! Now that's sad!! What a fun and beautiful SUV!!
Finland
My wife and I decided to change our small but elegant 147 Alfa Romeo into a big SUV. There were 3 reasons for that: 1.We have a young white shepard dog for whome we try to prevent a double hernia. 2.We go quite often to Finland and specially Lapland, where a B-road is really still a B road, most good rally drivers are from Finland. 3. From the 1st of may i'm on pension so I got this "huge toy car". It's a fantastic mixture of goodwilling and controllable power, topped of with a great luxury for the passengers, including "Lumi" our white emperor.
ILUVMYSORENTO
A good buying experience ended in a good purchase. Good quality SUV. I did all the research possible before buying. I would finish the salesperson's sentences, I could probably sell them myself. I was very confident going into this buy with all the knowledge possible. It is a great looking SUV. I get a lot of looks driving it. I love all the special features. Mine is semi-loaded, with leather interiors and the wood-grain package. Window visors and bug- deflector finish off the look.
Everything Looks Good So Far!
My wife and I bought a used 2003 Kia Sorento EX w/4WD from a dealer last week, and we've been impressed by it. The body feels solid, the steering is light and smooth (though an adjustment if you're used to more road feel), the acceleration is better than reviews suggest, and it's loaded with amenities (power driver's seat -- a must, considering the clunky manual adjusters; sunroof; leather interior -- love that smell). Best of all, we got it used at a great price! They say that the low resale value of the Sorento is a bad thing, but not for us! Even new, though, the price can't be beat. Amenities, 4x4 ability, great looks, good cargo space -- can't ask for anything more!
first new car
I've been searching for a mid-size SUV for a year. I found the Sorento online and thought it too good to be true. Great looks and well built! Handles just as good or better than my wife's 99 Honda Accord. Fuel economy suffers. The best warranty and standeard features you can find for the price.
BMW, Lexus, Lincoln or Kia?
I needed a new SUV and started the old search/compare deal. I test drove all the brands, and then finally Kia. For me, luxury and price were the issues. Don't get me wrong, the BMW is nice and Lexus is smooth as silk, but when I compared the features in my EX luxury model with those of the others, I just couldn't see spending the extra 10 to 30K. Research aside, I have to say that my Sorento purchase is the smartest thing I've done in years. I just love this car, it's comfortable, drives well, has OK gas mileage and I didn't spend a mint to have the status of a certain logo, cause honestly, that's the only differnce in the Kia and BMW X-5. Really.
no comparison
I bought my EX model three weeks ago. I had looked at all the luxury SUV's. There is no difference between this vehicle and the Lexus RX300, or Acura MDX. I felt I couldn't afford not to get this car. Between the warranty, the price and the absolute quality and luxury of this car I am thrilled with my purchase. It rides like a dream and I have every luxury imaginable. This time my husband was right!
i like my kia
i am very pleased with my car ..........
We love our new Sorento
We bought the sorento after looking at the Nissan Xterra, Honda CRV and Toyota Rav4. A big plus for us was the exterior body style. I was also very SUPRISED with the performance and the fit and finish of the interior. I never dreamed i would purchase a KIA for anything other than a work car. The warranty is icing on the cake.
Great Buy!
Bought the vehicle back in June of 2003 and 34,000 miles later we are still loving it. I have only had it in the shop for oil changes. Only complaint has been with the service department at the dealership - my husband has complained (almost every time) that they over fill the oil when changing it. We would like to buy another one, but will look at the new Sportage first.
Best Looking SUV Out There
1 week old. Love the comfortable ride. Slow off the line unless you hit pedal hard which isn't a big problem because most of my driving is in town. Still think it's the best looking SUV out there. The 1st ride on the highway was fantastic. At 70mph ride is smooth. Gas guzzler though, but I knew that when I bought it. Very safe vehicle with all the extras. Engine noise a little high but bearable.
HAD NO IDEA WHAT A KIA SORENTO WAS...
I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP LOOKING FOR A RODEO, WHEN I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SORENTO. FOR THE SIZE, STYLE AND PRICE IT IS A GREAT DEAL. I LOVE MY NEW VEHICLE, NOW ALL I NEED TO DO IS KEEP MY HUBBY OUT OF IT. BIG DIFFERENCE FROM MY LITTLE CORROLLA.
My Sorento! I Love it!
I checking the SUVs that are affordable for me and also are comparable to expensive SUVs, since one year. Came across KIA Sorento. As it was KIA so I wasn't sure whether it is I should buy it or not. Started to read it's reviews, and found that everyone is saying it is a great SUV. Finally I decided and got one last month. I really like this SUV.
Amazing value for money
I bought my sorento 2 weeks ago..I cannot believe how good this vehicle feels,looks and rides for the money..I owned a Suzuki Grand Vitara but the KIA is better by far..I was a bit skeptical before buying it because of the KIA brand but the warranty is amazing and the vehicle feels extremely good in terms of quality..I would definitely recommend it for anybody looking a luxurious and capable off-roader and is not just a brand-seeker.
Great Value
This is a solid suv and fun to drive. GM could take a few lessons from Kia. I always was buy American..I've had bad expieriences with GM products costing much more then my Kia. The company should have more quality control and the uaw should figure that the rest of America cant buy products built by overpaid sloppy union workers. thank you!
Love at first sight.
My Kia Sorento is wonderful, it is equiped with all the necessities to enjoy driving, cruise, power outlets for cell phones, rear hatch, etc.. I test drove a Sorento and fell in love with the SUV. It is stylish and has great manuverability. Furthermore, there is lots of room and cargo space for trips. The backseat can comfortably hold a carseat and two grown adults. Lastly, with the 10 year/ 100,000 mile warrenty how can you go wrong?
sorento
Good build, Great forward view, nice aproach angles.Great in real off conditions. Windshield is to soft and is easily pitted.
Love it so far-3600 miles
Got Sorento based on specs review/comparisons and features included in price (Black/beige EX 4X4 with Leather, ABS,Tow package, rear spoiler as options and "ventshades" added). Had concerns over HP but test drive proved adequate 'pep'. Style is great and, after adding gold pinstripes, got comment of "best looking one I've seen". On freeway @ 65-75 mph got 21.6-22 mpg with plenty of reserve accel. Steering wheel controls are helpful. Wife was comfortable on long trip and, although hearing impaired, enjoyed the stereo. With temp about 90 deg we were comfortable with open roof and partially opened windows - without A/C or excessive noise.
Glad we traded in the Honda
All our friends thought we were crazy when we traded in the 96 Accord for the new Sorento...well the jokes on them. After 10000 miles in 2 months we love the Sorento more than when we bought it. Comfortable is the word and it has not had one thing go wrong yet (more than I can say for the Accord when it was new)..Kia did it right.
Excellent Value
Have only had my Sorento for a few days, but I already know this is a keeper. Excellent styling inside and out! Awesome features for the price. Overall I think I have made a wise decision to buy the Sorento
So Far So Good!
Being a new Kia Sorento owner (2months), I can only state what I know now and so far, so Good! The car is comfortable to ride in and to drive & very smooth ride/ My test drive was on the roughest road around here and it was excellent. The seats are plushy and everything I need is right at hand, the only complaint so far is how close the front seats are to the gearshift and stoarge box. I love my new car and we've noticed how close the front hood looks like the very expensive Lexus around! It is top of the line for safety and the warranty can't be beat.I highly suggest you check this one out.We need to see more Kia's on the road! Dgh
Lexus?
No its a Kia Sorento! for the Past 3 years I have drove a 1999 Lexus Rx300, decided in stead of trading it in for another Lexus RX330 at 41000, I opted for the Kia Sorento 4x4 ex luxury Package for 27,500 fully loaded! It rides if good or not better than my Lexus RX300. With the money I saved I am driving my Kia Downtown!
I would buy it again
I bought this SUV in September and wanted to put at least 2000 miles on it before I followed up with a review. Like a lot of other people I had very little knowledge of the KIA product line, but found Edmunds and other websites invaluable when researching this car. So far mechanically this car has had only one problem, and that is the thermometer in the overhead console reads about five degrees away from a true temperature. This car has a quality that rivals any of the several Hondas that I have purchased in the past. I especially liked two other things about this vehicle and that is, it is built on a true truck frame and it has strikingly good looks.
Great So Far
Overall great value, it hasn't snowed yet to test the 4WD, but it works well off road. Can't beat the price, warranty, or overall value in this class of SUV's. Get one and enjoy. Kia is going to win alot of people over with the Sorento!
Love My Kia
We traded from a Forrester to a Kia. I was looking at used thinking I couldn't afford a mid-sized SUV but I was wrong. I love the size and my family of 4 actually have room to move around now.
GET ONE NOW!!
EVERYTHING I WANTED< NOTHING, ELSE COMPARES...PRICE, WARRANTY, SAFETY... ASK FOR MIKE WATSON!!!
Sorento's Rock!
Simply put, it's great! After driving various models I was surprised to find the Sorento competes most closly with the benchmark Lexus (in terms of comfort/conveinence/performance) than any others tested (15 models). I'll write again once the odometer hits 30k to let you know reliability. The downside: Avg MPG Real competitors in size/weight/hp (Lexus/Jeep/Ford) avg better, but the safty, room, ride quality, cabin quiteness, and solid construction cannot be had until you practically double the price! If you do the math (gas @ 2.00 per gallon and 15K miles per year)the gas "savings" you get will take 23-37 YEARS of driving to realize!
Bang for the Buck
After looking at most SUVs in this class, I was taken back by the quality of construction and features offered in this SUV. Then match it with a warranty unmatched in this price range, they had me sold. After 6 months I love it as much as the day I bought it. Kia could use a little work in the bang for the gallon area.
Just purchased
I just purchased my Sorento yesterday, so mileage, build quality, etc., can't be judged. However, I traded my 2000 Kia Sportage in for the Sorento (pur. 10/99). I never had any problems, so I think the quality will be good.
Perfect Experience
We had a bad experience with a truck dealership, and had bought a 2003 Kia Spectra GSX previously so back to the Kia dealer we went for our next vehicle! The sales people were excellent--and the vehicle is top notch! It rides like a dream--very smooth, and it handles like a car with a tight turning radius. I'm used to driving my Spectra and the transition from that to the Sorento was seamless. I wish the gas mileage was better--but for what you get--(all the standard "extras") it's worth every penny!
Sorento
This car is the best value in it's class. If you want an SUV without a giant price tag this is your car.
LOVING IT
LOOKS LIKE THE LEXUS SUV...ONE CLOSE-UP PEEK INSIDE THE LUXURIOUS INTERIOR AND YOU WILL BE HOOKED TOO!
I almost bought an MDX
We had a deposit on the Acura MDX, but it wasn't going to arrive until 2 months later. Our friend told us to look at the Sorento and at first we said "NO! Kia's are bad!" But we went to the Kia dealership anyway and bought the Sorento the SAME DAY! The sorento costed us $12,000 and the sorento luxury package is practically exactly like the MDX! We LOVE it, you will too!
I Love My KIA SUV!! Lks Btr thn a Lexus
The first time I test drove the Kia Sorento I fell in love it has wonderful performance and Its Fun to Drive. The only downfall is the Gas mileage but the Power is there. It's actually looks better than a Lexus RX 300 take the 2 side by side and the KIA takes all the attention away!!!!:)I strongly recommend the KIA SORENTO to SUV lovers.
Nice vehicle
Before buying I tested the Nissan Pathfinder and Murano, the Infinity QX4, and Exolorer. The Sorento had the best ride, although the Murano was close. But a comparably equiped Murano is $7K more.
Excellent Choice
I was looking for a 4WD vehicle to deal with the past New England winter. After going through about (5) vehicles I caught a look at the KIA at my friend's dealership. Everything about it appealed to me. The contents of the book complimentes the cover. One thing that really appeals to me is that the gas tank fill is on the passenger side. Good for all the Jersey natives.
fun ride
So far I've enjoyed the Sorento it is the second vehicle I've ever owned and compared to my last (a truck) it is very comfortable and quiet.I'm also impressed with the build quality from the interior to exterior.The only think that is negative is the fuel mileage,which I figured since it weighs as much as a ford explorer it has alot of good metal weigh-which makes me feel really safe driving it-so a little extra change for the gas bill you get a good feeling of security from the vehicle.
Just bought and hot to trot
I love this truck, for the money I spent, I am so glad that i didn't pick one of the other trucks i was concidering.Not that the others were bad and belive me i drove almost everyone of them. but to tell you the truth none of them would even come close to the performance and styling that i have found in my new SORENTO
Jo's Truck
I would buy this SUV again in a heart beat. I purposly bought the factor model, no extras and have been satisfied completely.
Great vehicle with electrical problems
This is a rugged, yet comfortable and good looking SUV. Just pulled a loaded 1500lb pop up and it did very well, better than my old Cherokee - Load Leveler really works. Love the sun roof, heated leather seats and comfort. Don't like the intermittant electrical problems the dealer can't find - clock changes to 1:00, radio stations change by themselves, bad interference in AM stations even with the device that's supposed to fix that problem. Audio controls on steering wheel are badly placed because I'm always accidentally hitting them. But still a great vehicle worth owning, and the warranty makes the decision easy!
What a SUV should be
After test driving the Sorento, I knew this would be the SUV for me. Exterior styling is 'right on'. Interior was well laid out with good quality. Maybe too much hard plastic in some areas, but nothing that you'd be embarrased showing off to friends and family. Driving impressions were great. Very solid feeling, plenty of power, smooth shifting, decent handling. Built on a truck frame adds to the solid, rugged feel, and makes it a much more capable off road vehicle, if you are so inclined. For the price, the Sorento really is in a class of its own.
Great SUV for Good Price
I had been looking for an SUV that was safe, comfortable, reliable and fit within my budget. I test drove the RAV4, Saturn, CRV, Santa Fe, and Tribute before driving the Kia Sorento. I was impressed by the styling, similar to the Lexus RX-300, and the fit and finish. The engine had plenty of power and the quality seemed better than the Saturn and on par with the others. I placed my faith in buying a Kia on the success of the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sedona minivan. I'll keep interested parties informed of my long term experience in the Sorento town meeting group. Overall... a very enthusiastic thumbs up.
I may have a lemon according 2 other rvw
After reading all the other reviews I figured I coudln't lose, great price, great quality, great warranty. So I went out and bought one. However, I have had several annoying things go wrong. I've had it 2 months now and its been in the shop 4 times for several things. The most annoying is a vibrating feel and sounds and certain speeds and acceleration. I went through a car wash and water started dripping in through the top of the windshield. Most other things were minor. I like to drive it and the interior is really nice. But overall I like the vehicle. Plan on keeping it for a long time because depreciation is really bad.
New Sorento Owner
Just picked up our Kia Sorento and love it so far. Great vehicle for the money. Many standard features only available as options from other manufactures. Only complaint so far is vibration or rumble while at highway speeds (50mpg or greater). Seems like tires but unsure.
Very satisfied Kia owners!
I absolutely love my Sorento! My husband has an Xterra that I can't stand! It's uncomfortable and drives like a truck and I vowed not to have that when I bought an SUV. I found everything I wanted in my Sorento and more! One thing I wish I had gotten...the luxury package!
wow
When I first looked at the Sorento I was impressed. After two months of looking around, Icould not find anything better. But a KIA? After owning the Sorento now for almost two months. All I can say is: If you want a GREAT SUV get to KIA and buy one!!
So far so good
I'm very happy with my decision to buy the Sorento. The fit and finish is very Honda-ish, without the price. I did have a power lock relay break the day I picked it up. I believe it was blown before I picked it up though. Either way, my new Sorento spent its first night in the shop. Oh well. I just hope that this is not a premonition of what is to come.
1500 miles - so far so good
We purchased our Sorento after considering several other SUVs. The Sorento was the only vehicle I was "excited" about buying. The deciding factors, in rank order, were- build quality, features, price and warranty. Gas mileage for highway driving is about 19 mpg so far. The Torque-on-Demand 4WD system and limited slip rear differential have worked great in our last 18" snowfall. The engine is wonderfully quiet and smooth. The transmission and 4WD system operate invisibly (that's good!). People are amazed at the quality and features of this loaded $26K SUV.