Used 2011 Kia Sorento Consumer Reviews

Great Kia

Great warranty, great reliability, good value, excellent resale value, 2011 41,600 miles!

Not Enough Bang For The Buck

We purchased a 2011 SX AWD with 42,000 miles recently. This being my first Kia and first SUV I was excited to say the least. However, after a few weeks of driving I started noticing little things such as rattles, rough ride, touchy steering, road noise, acceleration issues (barely touch the pedal and expect a whiplash), cheap plastic interior, uncomfortably flat seat cushions, and seat warmers with one setting (scalding or off). It has already been in the shop for shift lock cam being loose and within a month is going back for the same problem. I believe the Sorento has potential as being a quality vehicle but has several issues to improve on. I find it substandard for the price!

Excellent Car - Best Bang for the Buck

I reviewed the Sorento all models, drove the Sportage LX, EX, SX, looked at the Honda CRV, Nissan Murano S, SV, SL. You cannot touch a Murano with leather and navigation / bluetooth for under $40,000, the Honda CRV doesn't come close, forget the RAV4 that's a tin can in comparatively Once I drove the Sorento SX, looked at the price tag coupled with the bumper-bumper 5/60,000 & 10/100K power train warranty, no brainer! I traded in my sporty Honda Accord EX-L with kicking zippy engine, excellent interior quality knowing that for $17 more a month and almost the same fuel economy I could have a brand new long warranty vehicle that is roomy, comfortable, powerful, and snazzy looking.

Another KIA with poor MPG...

My wife and I purchased a Spicy Red 2011 Kia Sorento LX AWD in March 2010. The vehicle has 16,000 miles on it and we have yet to see over 20 mpg on a full tank of gas 50 city/50% highway. The original sticker said 21-28. The EPA changed the ratings for the 2012 and 2013 Sorentos I believe but not the 2011 models. Why? I contacted my local dealership and they said that the AWD 4 cyl should not even be sold in two cities--SF and Pgh due to the amount of hills. I would hate to see what the V6 gets if a 4 cyl is getting 20 in mixed driving conditions. In 2012 we leased a 2013 Optima LX thinking that perhaps Kia's MPG on sedans would be better. False--19/20mpg. Buyer beware of Kia!

Love the Kia Sorento

We had such good luck with our 2004 Sorento it was an easy decision to buy a 2011. It's my wife's car and she loves everything about it, the only issue we had was an oil leak but Kia took care of it just fine. Last Friday my wife was driving to work and was involved in a head on collision, and her car suffered major damage to the front end and is totaled. But she walked away without a scratch, and was able to go to work the same day! When I asked her what she wanted for her next car, and the answer was a new Sorento!

Great Vehicle at a Great Value

I purchased my Kia Sorento in July of 2011 and I have had zero problems with it. I use it to commute to work and back 90 miles round trip and have logged over 50,000 miles on it. I have tested the AWD in Sandy beaches and it did not dissapoint. The gas mileage had been good at around 25-27 hwy and 22-24 city. I have been very satisfied with this vehicle overall. I have had to change the tires due to the everyday driving commute and replaced the Kuhmo tires with Brigdgestone Dueler HT's with a more aggresive tread.

2011 Sorento SX

I purchased my Sorento SX in June, 2011, I am extremely satisfied with all aspects of the vehicle. Initially I was apprehensive about how the ride would be. as many of the reviews I read had the complaint of a rough ride. I would describe the ride as firm, not as cushy as the Envoy I owned for 10 years. However the vehicle maneuvers well and hugs the ground well. I just love the vehicle. Gas mileage is slightly under what is advertised. I bought the model with all the bells and whistles and everything works well. One problem to me is that when the engine is turned off and radio is turned on, there is no possibility to open the windows. This could be a problemin a emergency exit.

One year follow up

It has been a year,14k miles, since buying the Sorento. The car was amazing up until 6,000 miles and 5 service notifications later. We have had service letters for everything from electrical wiring to replacing every light bulb from bumper to bumper. Granted KIA has been great about fixing everything but a new car should never need a new transmission at 7k miles. Even with the new transmission we still have issues with putting the car into reverse and some random rpm surges while driving. We are also experiencing excessive raddeling in the interior and wearing of plastic components. We are chalking this up to the fact that this was one of the first Sorentos off the line, growing pains.

Very poor gas mileage

If you're looking for an 4cyl SUV with good gas mileage, this isn't the vehicle for you. I know it will get a little better, maybe 2mpg, but at an average of 22mpg for mostly highway, best I can get is 26mpg at 55mph, not close enough. However, great price, lots of room, well designed but it lacks comfortable seats. Kia, I'm very dissapointed you couldn't get an engine in your vehicle that gets at least 30mpg. I should have gone with something else.

Great vehicle

I've had my Sorento for eight months and have put on 7300 miles. It handles very nicely and provides a smooth comfortable ride.

I should have known better.

At 1K miles this thing rattles/squeaks/pops more than a 15 year old Dodge caravan. Highway MPG is awful (24 if I'm lucky). After the first washing, I noticed crud in the paint. No mechanical problems yet, but I'm not encouraged. I deliberately waited a year or so for them to get the bugs out before buying, but clearly that doesn't cure cheap. I let the allure of long warranty, looks, and the array of features on the "convenience package" suck me in and blind me to the lack of quality. My bad. Do yourself a favor and ignore the sparkle. Pay a few extra bucks on a quality vehicle like Toyota or Subaru. This vehicle is no bargain.

The SX is awesome

Kia did it right again! I had an '05EX and loved it. The SX has everything my EX was missing. I have the SX FWD with everything except AWD and sunroof. I plan on enjoying at least 5-7 years with my SX before I trade it in for the next generation Sorento again! GO KIA! Keep up the good work!

Do not recommend

Spent $30,000 for brand new Kia Sorento. Since purchasing it in March 2010, it has been back to the dealership on five different occassions for two different mechanical issues. Biggest issue is it feels like the car is "downshifting" constantly at speeds around 25 mph. Was just told yesterday that car already needs a new drive shaft. Second, the car has a constant rattle that sounds like it's coming from under the car on the passenger side. Was told that would most likely be dealt with in an upcoming recall due to bad struts!! I find it totally unexceptable that this 2011 car has already had all these issues. Worst purchase of my entire life!

good deal for the money

everything i expected when i bought it. got it for my wife in december 2011 as a christmas gift.i bought because of the price when all the dealing and haggling around with the dealer was done i gave 20k for it. has done fine so far.now it is no tahoe or pilot or acadia but it didn't have the 30k to 40k price tag that thoes model have either.our last five vehicles have fouty thousand plus dollars and had some of the same problems people have described on here about the sorento.may i remind people it is a 20k dollar vehicle if you want to have the bling bling effect of a bmw and the ride of a mercedes and the resale value of a lexus the i suggest you open your wallet and get one of thoes .

Never buy a Kia

Purchased the Kia Sorento Sx because consumer reports rated it very highly and they recommended it. (They have since taken away their recommendation). I had the vehicle for a year and in that time it was in the shop six times to try and repair squeaks and rattles. The drivers seat would squeak, they replace the back of the seat and a month later it too started squeaking. Rattles were happening from beneath the console in the doors and the sunroof. Once the dealer told me that the squeaks were coming from my sunglasses in the sunglass compartment. Of course when I took the sunglasses out, the same rattles were happening. I traded my Kia in for a Grand Cherokee and took a $11000 bath!!!

6 Months and Counting

I have had the Sorento for 6 months and about 9000 miles and most all is well. The DVD player and back-up camera sometimes has given us issues and the Navigation System is complex, but I still grade the vehicle out very high. I am 6'2"/275 and I am very comfortable when driving. The Sorento has great gas mileage (hwy 24+/city 18+). We have 4 kids (11,9,5,3) and they have plenty of room. When buying it came down to the Sorento and the Traverse and though the Traverse has a larger cargo area when the third row is in use the Traverses' fuel economy was lower and price was higher. I will post more results in the future.

Kia Sorento

We got one of the first LX 6's, it has much more power than the 4 banger. It handles great and comes with rear A/C. It comes with third row seats which are too small and if used there is almost no rear cargo room. However, when not used there is plenty of cargo space. Quality and build are excellent & power train seems flawless. Drives a bit choppy on rough roads but very smooth and quiet otherwise (has 18 inch tires). So far gas mileage is close to sticker and we use A/C most all the time. You get a great deal of standard features for the price and its made in the USA. Got it for my wife but after my first drive I wanted to keep it for myself. Our last SUV was a gas guzzler.

Awesome value!

I was attracted to this vehicle by the front end, it reminds me of a European CUV. The driver's area is well laid out and it comes with a ton of standard features. I really enjoy the Sirius radio. Mine is the V6 and if anything, it is over powered for it's size =) It is not blazing fast, it just has a high power to weight ratio.

Words can't even describe the rage...

You couldn't pay me to drive another one of these. My wife and I both purchased our own Sorentos. Each Sorento shares the same problems. These problems include transmission, engine, interior trim, electrical, body, and brake problems. The transmission slips, jolts, and resists the movement of the car. The engine sometimes misfires and makes a loud ticking noise. The interior trim doesn't line up and easily pops off. The headlights cut out and the backup cam doesn't always work. The body panels don't line up the way they should. The brakes are spongy and caused my wife to get in an accident, rear ending a Focus at 10mph, costing $4000 of damage.

Nightmare

Loved my Kia Sorento until 20,000 miles. Then the nightmare problems began. Front axle broke in a busy intersection, ripping up the transmission (risked my life). Waited 3 weeks for parts. Took a deep breath and trusted the vehicle again. 2 weeks later the front CV boot failed on the freeway (risked my life again)! Kia headquarters would not buy it back. Kia dealership said "no thank you." They wouldn't even accept it as a trade- in. We ended up taking a huge loss on it as a trade-in with a different car company. Buyer beware. I'd like to hear from other folks after they have put 20,000+ miles on theirs. I'll never buy another Kia product again.

Kia Junk

I have a 2011 Kia Sorento. It is getting the transmission replaced for the second time. It has less than 10,000 miles on it. Think twice before buying a Kia. The selling dealership fixed it the first and second time. It still wasn't right so I found another dealer to take over the warranty work. They are putting another transmission in right now. This dealer is wonderful since I didn't buy the car there. They have been better that the dealer that sold me the car. Kia looks good but, pay a little more and buy a Nissan or Toyota. Kia calls with a survey after you get an oil change to see how the service was. Once there is a bigger problem they stop calling because they don't want to hear that

2011 Kia Sorento - Base Model

I bought my 2011 Kia Sorento (base model with manual transmission) in February, 2011. So far I love it. However, there is one glitch that maybe other Kia owners have noticed. It is with Kia's automatic locking system. Never ever leave your keys in the ignition for any period of time when leaving! Kia automatically locks you out after a short period of time. It has happened to me twice so far. I asked the Kia owner about this and he said it has happened to him twice, so beware..... I have been locked out twice.

Cheap materials

We purchased our 2011 Kia SUV with 2 years old. The rear door locked/ broke within 6mos,$75.,then next 2years the back right back door. Then back left door , behind driver...which I left it that way until now we just don't use it. The guarantee don't pay totally. The driver seat ripped on the 3rd yr. Iam 5ft 110lbs my husband 5" 3 135 .we are not big . Cloth materials retain stains even with protection spray. A couple of recals under the hood and door crimes inside left me very unhappy... My 1997 Ford Explorer upholstery is in better condition in all the angles. Won't buy any Kias anyone.

Decent car overall

This SUV has great features but there were a few significant issues for me. The windshield seemed very small and the A pillars very wide reducing visibility and causing a claustrophobic effect. Also, the back up camera image being in the rear view mirror was extremely distracting and made it more difficult to have full visibility to safely back up. Additionally, the steering was so tight it almost felt as if there was no power steering. I thought at first it was just a problem with the first Sorento I drove, but after driving several, it seems to be normal for that vehicle. It's generally a nice car, spacious, I just didn't feel safe driving it.

In Love!

This vehicle is awesome! I have one with the back up camera and heated seats. Love the bluetooth. This CUV drives like a car, is quiet and comfortable. I am only 5'2" and I am not intimidated by it at all. The dealership was awesome and game me more for my trade in than it is worth! My kids enjoy the reclining backseats and sound system. I just got it Sat. so I can't really review reliability.

2 day review

I formally had a 04' Mercury Mountaineer, loved the vehicle, hated the mpg (12-14, on a good day.) We decided on a Kia Sorento, so far it's great. Driving it home on the interstate it was a smooth ride with mpg at 27-28 with only 40 miles on it. City driving I am averaging about 24.4-25.6. Seats are comfortable, dashboard is laid out great. I wish I had held out for an EX but apparently they are very hard to get with 4 cylinder engine. However we got a such a great deal on it this model, I can hardly complain. Kia has a special this month for their extend 10 year warranty Complete wrap for an additional 1300.

Things you should know about the 2011 Sorento

Let me start by saying it has great gas mileage and plenty of room. The last year(2nd year of ownership) has been very frustrating. I drove it off the lot new. Folding back seats have been a major issue on never working right and breaking. It took over a week to get parts to fix seat from Manufacuture. Starting seems to be a problem-starter replaced and original battery.

It performed so good, I bought another KIA.

Performance, fuel, design is great. I had it for 3 years now with 24,539 miles. Drives great especially on road trips (maybe except for the leather is a little firm). MPG is what they said it was. No problems yet inside and out. My wife and I like it so much (KIA) that 6 months after, we bought a 2010 KIA Forte w/ 6 speed auto transmission and electric motor steering.

Bang for your buck

Drove 300 mi. trip to Palm Springs,CA. got 22 mpg. No cmplaints. Car does have a firm ride and does have cabin noise over rougher paved fwys. Thanks for the great sound system. Kind of a learning curve re: remembering all the voice commands that you need to know for radio, bluetooth, nav,etc. No problem with sunroof wind noise or pulling to the right some owners have experienced. Looked at Edge and Murono simirally equip., they were 6-7K more. Didn't need the 3rd seat, but no option with the EX/SX models. This is my 4th Kia and have had pretty good luck with all of them, thanks to the 5 yr. 60K warranty. looking forward to see how the AWD lockup will work on ice and snow roads in Big Bear

A Real Honda Pilot Beater

We recently purchased a new 2011 Kia Sorento EX with V6 and leather, navi, panoramic sunroof, etc. I did a good deal of research and test drove a Santa Fe, a CRV, a Pilot, a Murano and a Ford Escape. The Sorento offered more value/features for a lower price than any of the vehicles I seriously considered. In the few weeks we have owned the vehicle, it has proven to be great. We are very happy with it. We have owned 6 Honda Accords (we still have one) so I was disposed at the outset to buy a Honda product. Kia simply offered more features, better warranty and a good design (from my subjective perspective)at a lower price.

Still Amazed!

Update: I have had the vehicle for 2 weeks now and over 1000 miles. If you can handle a manual transmission, this is the model to get. The 4 cyl w/o the auto or awd bogging it down, performs flawlessly! I love the hill holder. You will not need awd, if you cannot get going with fwd and traction control, you will not be able to stop it either, in similar conditions, so why drive at that point! Mileage is still fantastic, same or better than my kia soul! My sorento is getting quieter and smoother with every mile as the tires and suspension break in. I drive it like an economy car and get the results. I love the safety features, and all the room.

Best suv ever

Our Sorento has 115,000 miles on it. We change the oil & filter every 5,000 miles with Casterol Edge & Wix filter. That’s the only service we have had, except tires. We will need new brakes soon.

Sorrento SX is the best value

We were looking for a replacement for our Chrysler town and country and the Sorrento is perfect. It has the 3rd row seating which is good for kids, and all of the features are better than expected. We looked at the Traverse, Hyundas, Honda Pilot, and Ford Edge. The Traverse was nice but still had a lot of generic plastic interior parts and the price was high.. with features mid to high 30's .. With teh Sorrento we bought an SX which has everything GPS , Sirius., Bluetooth, Voice recognition commands, heated seats , and safety 5 stars... best deal by far

Not impressed in Nashville

After an hour and half of us signing on the dotted line, we had a check engine light come on. When you read the manual it says it's related to the omission sensor. After 3 months and many visits to the dealer, we (dealer/manufacturer) think the problem has been resolved. Kia sent a field engineer to the dealer who spent, in total, 3 days trying different things and replacing several parts. Also, over the course of these three months we had other issues arise. The backup camera picture was distorted at times. The DVD player didn't work. The Auto climate control function went out and makes a rattling noise. And the list goes on and on. First time buying a Kia and not impressed.

Sporty and comfortable all in one

Just be certain a mid-size SUV is what you really want, I personally like everything about this vehicle

"Very Happy"

I wanted to buy a Sorento several years ago but was unsure because Kia wasn't established. I sure am glad I didn't wait any longer. My Sorento has been fantastic. I just went on vacation and we had plenty of room in storage and middle row. I drive almost all highway and the gas mileage has been wonderful.I have been getting around 27-28 mpg. I know that is still short of what they say it should get but I'm not disappointed considering the size and weight of vehicle.My wife is due for a new car soon and we will be looking at the 2011 Optima. Good job Kia.

The Sorento.

I Inherited this car from My Aunt who Died in October, she got it new and she loved it and I love it now. It is very fun to drive for a crossover and handles great in the snow even with the factory tires. Gas mileage isn't that good but it's winter, I am averaging 20 mpg. I like the Dark Cherry exterior as well. The Heated seats are a great value from the convenience package. The ride may be harsh but its not terrible. The interior is pretty quiet too, almost like my 2013 Toyota Highlander. The steering is better than the Highlander's too.

Get around cute

Do not Waste your Time or Money

I purchased my Sorento SX in november of 2010. About a month after my purchase the engine decided to blow up the day before christmas eve!!! The engine let out a loud screechy grinding sound then the car stoped dead in the middle of a busy intersection. I was without my car through the holidays then it took Kia over a Month to get the engine to the dealership. Also the paint on these are Rice paper thin and just a simple pebble with chip the paint to bear metal and it will rust within a few days if you do not inspect it daily. I would stay away from any KIA and spend a little more for a brand with a better record of quality.

great bang for the buck

can't buy a better mid-size suv for the money

My sorento

Good car for the right money for 8 years. Low gas mileage only complaint.

KIA sold.

The V6 engine is the one to buy. Cargo space is a little small but adequate for almost all times.

Not worth the money

Owned a Sorento for a little over a yr, that was a year to long. The best thing I did was trade it in for another make. I made several complaints to KIA regarding the terrible, harsh, sloppy, noisey suspension, but they said that my Sorento was normal. Hardly, my Isuzu Rodeo's suspension had a better ride. KIA went 15+ years backwards. The door panels, dash, center console all rattle, more so in cold weather. Road noise is really bad, always thought I left a window open. KIA service is terrible, I tried 3 dealers with no luck. All needed appointments for a simple oil change and tire rotation yet they still have the vehicle for 2+ hours. For an oil change? Really? I will never by a KIA again!

Sorento kept me very safe in Accident!

I bought my 2011 Sorento in June of 2011 unfortunately I only owned it until July of 2011 since I was involved in a serious accident. I was going through a major intersection where I live when another driver made a left turn in front of me and failed to yield. I was going 45 mph and she was going about 15-20 we had a head on collision and my car flipped twice. I was wearing my seatbelt which saved my life but the sorento kept me very safe!! I couldn't have been more pleased with the car in the short time I owned it. It was a shame to see such a beautiful car sold for salvage:(

Problem with the Onboard Navigation System

Here is my story: I have leased a 2011 KIA Sorrento (February 2011) from Tempe KIA [violative content deleted] and have found a problem with the internal navigation system. I have come to find out that the system is only programmed for using freeways and not recognizing quicker routes. Case in point: I went Las Vegas about two weeks ago and entered my destination into the onboard nav system. The nav system tried to take me to Flagstaff to connect with I-40 (142 plus, unnecessary miles) instead of directing me to US93, a much faster route. On the way home the onboard nav system again tried to route me through Flagstaff instead of US93 through Wickenburg. KIA refuses to anything about this. Buyer beware

RUN AWAY FROM KIA!

I am so mad with myself to buying this car. It was so cute and nice. It was nice to drive. It look great! Then, my satalite radio subscibion ran out. So I was listening to fm. Its all staticy and crackley. I called kia service multple times that is how it is suppose to be. okay. Great a 30,000 $ car and the radio is crap. A few weeks later the backup camera comes on, in DRIVE! Okay, call the Kia service, they tell me that there is nothing wrong. I am so mad, that I can't be helped. I have a video of my camera coming on and the stupid people in the service tell me there is nothing to be fixed. Don't be stupid and buy a kia. Damn I should have bought a Toyata or a freaking honda

Great car except back seats do not work

The rear seat latch does not work. Had it repaired three times because it kept breaking. We just past 60K and the seat is stuck down. KIA wants to charge us $900 to fix a defective seat. We can not even sit in it and can not get it upright. Corporate fixed it before for free since this is a KNOWN DEFECT but now they say tough luck. Never buying a KIA again!

twitchey & in the dark

The steering on the Sorento is just plain bad! This vehicle has electronic assist steering and has zero play in the steering wheel. A vehicle with has no play in the steering wheel is difficult to drive as very little movement in the steering wheel will cause the vehicle to move in that direction. I do remember when I took driver Ed. the teacher spent a session explaining why the steering wheel needs some play in it. As we drive we move the steering wheel a bit at a time to keep the vehicle on the path we want it to go. If there is no play just the smallest movement will cause the vehicle to move back and forth and make it very uncomfortable to drive. I would think on an icy road this would be very dangerous. Also the back up camera is so dark it is all but useless. In the daytime the reflection on the screen makes it very difficult to see and at night it does not show up well. I think the back up camera is more dangerous than not having one as the driver has to lean over towards it to try and see it better to no avail. I went to a Kia dealership and they looked at both problems and they explained to me that is the way they are built and there was no fix for the problem. The service manager agreed that these were problems but he apologized as there is no fix! I called Kia and the rep at Kia consumer contact said I test drive the vehicle and signed the contract so I would just have to put up with it!

Best SUV I’ve owned

We had a 2009 Mazda suv. It lost control in a rain storm & flipped over rolling over 3 times. Too top heavy & marrow wheel base. We test drive every suv on the market. We chose the Kia because of price & warranty. Now have 98,,000 miles on it. Change oil every 5,000 miles with full synthetic Castrol oil & Wix filter. So far no other problems with anything. Doesn’t use any oil between changes. Brakes 1/2 worn. Best car I’ve ever owned.

Do not buy one!

With less than 750 miles we developed a problem in the start up which Kia says they do not have a fix and do not know when a fix will be available. We bought their top of the line model and have been left "in the cold" as the saying goes. We were told absolutely not to refund or replacement and that we had to remove our vehicle from their service lot (still with the problem) or face storage fees. In my opinion do not waste your time looking at this vehicle.