Used 2018 Kia Sorento SUV Consumer Reviews
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Lots of luxury features in mainstream prices
Ashgreen, 01/10/2018
2018 Kia Sorento EX 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
82 of 83 people found this review helpful
We shopped around for Mid size/compact SUV. After trying CRV, CX-5, Tiguan, Pilot, Highlander we settled down on Kia Sorento. The size is just right with lots of room for front and mid row passengers. The third row is good to have. The V6 engine is perfect for the weight of the vehicle to accelerate. The car handling is very nice with active safety features. The warranty is just great, gives peace of mind for 5 years bumper to bumper and 10yrs/100K on transmission. We have owned Toyota's and Lexus cars before and change to Kia brand was a big decision, we are glad we did make that right.
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If it didn't say Kia on the grille....
HTD, 07/05/2018
2018 Kia Sorento SX 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
87 of 89 people found this review helpful
If it didn't say Kia on the grille, you would have it at the top of your list. My sister bought a 1972 Toyota Corolla as her first car (used) and EVERYONE doubted Japanese cars. She sold it with 211,000 miles, at a time when 100,000 was considered outstanding. I think the same is now true for Korean cars... they need to prove themselves. But take the badge off and overall the Sorento trails no one. Drove the 2018 Audi Q5 and there's nothing not to like but for $15,000 more than the Kia all it had was the really cool display and a faster 0-60. Drove the Lexus RX350. Again, really nice but $12,000 more than the Kia and no Apple CarPlay and only the base engine was same HP. Drove Acura RDX. Again really nice and only 2k more but way smaller in size. Drove the Honda Pilot but after driving the Acura, it was quickly dismissed. Toyota Highlander a bit larger than Kia but an extra $9,000 for same equipment, and again the Toyota/Lexus clunky infotainment system with no Google or Apple. Then we drove the 2019 Kia Sorento. For $40,000 we received AWD and all the safety and entertainment features currently available. The interior was equal or better than everyone except the Audi. Capacity better than anyone except Toyota and Honda but enough for us. With the 3.3L V6 and the 8 speed trans on the 2019, performance is at least equal to everyone except Audi. Safety, it's the only IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus in the group. Reliability is yet to be seen for 2019 but the warranty (60/60,000 and 120/100) is by far the best and, based on past reliability, it's better than all but Lexus and Toyota. So when you put together: value #1, performance #2/3, interior quality #2, infotainment #1 and safety #1: the Kia wins. You just have to get over the fact that it says Kia on the badge.
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My first SUV. VERY pleased!
Happy driver, 03/06/2018
updated 09/20/2023
2018 Kia Sorento LX 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
97 of 101 people found this review helpful
This 2018 Kia Sorento LX V-6 is perfect for me. I didn't want a large SUV, and found this vehicle provided 'just right' passenger and storage room. Plenty of cubbyholes for various gear, enough USB and power receptacles, rear-seat passenger HVAC controls, ease of entry and exit front and rear, lots of passenger room, comfortable seats, plenty of power from the V-6 engine. I found the 4 cyl just too anemic, and I don't care for turbos. Interior finish and quality of materials are excellent. I didn't need a lot of high-tech options which are available, settling instead for a backup camera, but forgoing most of the other technology. My GPS links perfectly well and displays on the vehicle's screen so no need for navigation. U.S. News ranks the 2018 Sorento #2 in their list of the top 19 mid-sized SUVs, and I agree wholeheartedly. I shopped the GMC Acadia, Toyota Highlander, GMC Terrain, Ford Edge, and Hyundai Santa Fe, and in the end, felt the Sorento was the best value for the money spent. Build and materials quality are top-notch. So far, I am VERY pleased with my choice. Can't imagine needing or desiring any more than this vehicle offers. I received an email request from Edmunds today, asking that I update the original review of my 2018 Kia Sorento LX. I am now 8 months into the ownership and daily use of this vehicle. I have owned many different vehicles in the 60 years I have been driving. I still contend that this one is my all-time favorite. This SUV is just right for my needs; roomy enough, very comfortable, quiet, smooth, and V-6 power which never ceases to surprise me. I have read some reviews which find fault with this SUV's handling. I have never experienced any traffic or road conditions in which my Sorento handled in any manner other than perfectly. Considering the price I paid and the options included in the LX model, I cannot think of another better vehicle for me. I plan to keep this SUV for a long time, but given my satisfaction level, I would certainly seriously consider replacing it with another Sorento, should the need arise. 9/7/19 Once again, I am responding to an Edmunds request for an update on my 2018 Kia Sorento LX. During the year and-a-half in which I have owned this vehicle, I have had only one service problem. Some Sorentos of varying years have developed a 'sticky steering' situation. It is as though the tires have caught in a groove on the road, and you must exert a little steering wheel pressure to break the wheel free. It was irritating, but not a major deal for me. My Kia dealership took care of the situation. Two service visits were necessary, but even though I live a 130-mile round trip from the dealer, that wasn't a problem for me. The service department handled my complaint very well, and the dealership even gave me a nice loaner vehicle each time. I STILL love this Sorento! Quiet, smooth, great V-6 power, nice handling, plenty of room. exceptional build and material quality. I am as happy as ever with my purchase of this SUV, and plan to keep it for many more miles. 3/9/20 Once again, I am responding to Edmunds request that I update my posts of ownership of my 2018 Kia Sorento LX v-6. Everything I have posted above still holds true, including my complete satisfaction with this SUV. I currently have right at 17,000 miles logged. I have zero problems with any aspect of this vehicle. I am as satisfied with the quality of the build, ride, performance, comfort, room, and materials as with any vehicle I have ever owned, and that covers a lot of territory. I feel that I received excellent value for the money spent. Since I plan to drive this vehicle for a number of more years, I am hopeful it will remain one of my favorites. So far it has met all of my considerable expectations. As an aside, I was reading the Edmunds review of the 2020 Sorentos, and was shocked to see one comment from the testers. In their assessment they stated that even with the V-6 engine, the acceleration was lackluster. I strongly disagree. My 2018 V-6 Sorento has surprised not only me, but several passengers in situations where it became necessary to 'get on it.' It will SCOOT when needed! It is now 9/11/20, and I am answering a request from Edmunds to once again update my earlier posts regarding my opinion of my 2018 Kia Sorento LX v-6 SUV. At this point, I have 20,000 miles on this vehicle, which I purchased new in early 2018. Each positive comment I have made in my posts above, still holds true. I am just as pleased and satisfied with this SUV now, as I was when it was first purchased. Quiet, smooth, handles well, roomy, comfortable, excellent quality and performance. Absolutely zero complaints. Plan to keep it for many more miles and years. 3/14/21 Here we are three years into ownership of our 2018 Kia Sorento LX V-6. I am just as satisfied with this vehicle as I was when we purchased it new in 2018. I have no complaints, and still regard it as one of the best vehicles we have owned. 9/17/22 Yet again, I am happy to answer Edmunds' request for an update on my 2018 Kia Sorento. After 4 1/2 years of ownership, I remain as satisfied as ever with my purchase of this vehicle. I tend to keep vehicles for quite a few years when I am satisfied with them. At times I have driven some for 15 to 17years before replacing them.! At my current age of 79, this Sorento could well be my last vehicle. We are on the highway very frequently for out of town medical appointments for my wife and myself and we are still most satisfied with our Kia in all respects. The comfort, reliability, and impressive mileage for a V-6 still impresses us. Here we are entering our 5th year of ownership of our 2018 Kia Sorento LX, and we still are as happy with this SUV as with any vehicle we have owned. That covers a lot of various vehicles! The overall build and materials quality exceed a number of other of the current ones on the market. Barring unexpected circumstances, we plan to drive this one for quite a few more years. I purchased our 2018 Kia Sorento LX in February 2018. I remain as satisfied with this vehicle as with any I have owned over 64 years of driving. Only one steering system problem, which the dealership solved quickly. I have no complaints, and plan to enjoy this SUV for as many more years as I will be driving. It has been dependable, economical for a V-6, comfortable, and has plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Couldn't be happier with my purchase.
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Edmunds readers like it. So do I.
Howard Gabennesch, 01/10/2018
updated 10/05/2020
2018 Kia Sorento SX Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
112 of 118 people found this review helpful
In January 2018, I compared the average consumer ratings on Edmunds for midsize SUVs with at least 20 ratings in the 2017 model year. Acadia trailed the pack at 3.7. Grand Cherokee, Explorer, Highlander, Murano, and Pilot fell in a narrow 4.1- 4.3 range. Edge came in at 4.4. Sorento, Santa Fe, and CX-9 topped the list at 4.6. (By the way, there is often little relationship between consumer ratings and expert reviews of the same vehicle. For example, both Acadia and Sorento received 3.5 stars from the Edmunds expert.) While the Sorento is unchanged in 2018, some of the others are now in new editions and their 2018 ratings may turn out to be different. But it's safe to say that the current Sorento has been well received by the owners who submitted reviews to Edmunds. And this satisfaction mirrors my own. High-quality interior, quiet ride, excellent safety technology, superior warranty, peppy V6 on regular gas, Android Auto, thoughtful touches throughout (e.g., AC outlet). Shoppers should be aware that several competitors are roomier, but so far I can't find much else I'd change. Oh, I did replace the front and rear Kia badges with the more stylish “K” logo displayed on Kias sold in Korea. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this vehicle. UPDATE 9/12/20 -- I still love my 2018 Sorento, but Kia seems to have a problem with the 2019 model. Currently, Edmunds consumer ratings of the Sorento have dropped from 4.5 in both '17 and '18 to 3.9 for the 2019 model year. However, ratings of the 2020 model seem to be rebounding. UPDATE 10/5/20 -- How have the Edmunds consumer ratings of popular 2018 midsize SUVs fared after a couple of years on the road? To date, average ratings of Traverse, Acadia, Enclave, Explorer, Pilot, XT5, and Grand Cherokee are unimpressive at 3.3-3.8, while Forrester, Outlander, Durango, Murano, Sorento, and Santa Fe score well at 4.4-4.5. CX-9 leads the league with 4.6. All vehicles have at least 24 ratings. Variations in sample size and other factors require caution when interpreting small differences.
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Luxury car without luxury badge
Eric, 04/07/2018
2018 Kia Sorento SX Limited 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
31 of 32 people found this review helpful
The Sorento is an outstanding SUV, especially for the price. I'm completely satisfied with my choice. Pros: The best infotainment system we saw. Everything is easy to use and it has Apple Carplay/Android Auto; Luxury interior; quiet ride; great adaptive cruise control; great safety technology; small footprint is easy to maneuver in urban parking lots. Cons: steering and handling is not sporty; third row access could be better; fuel economy is poor, especially relative to the wagon I had before; it's a handsome car but not exciting to look at; Kia doesn't have the cache of a luxury brand and many people still see it as a cheap car. In addition to the Sorento we test drove an Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, and Mazda CX-9. We originally thought we would get a luxury brand but decided the premium we would pay for the Audi could be used to fund some pretty nice vacations and the Sorento is close enough in quality that it wasn't worth an extra 20k. The Volvo is a beautiful car and not as expensive as the Audi, but the Kia drives better, has a better infotainment system and controls, and doesn't have all the reliability red flags. The Mazda is also sexier than the Kia but it also has some reliability issues, weaker technology, and no apple Carplay. Now that I have Apple Carplay I will never own a car without it again. My wife also hated the heads up display in the Mazda. Fuel economy: we live in a hilly urban area where we get 9 mpg city. With our 4 cylinder Acura wagon we were getting about 14 mpg city. On the highway, if I set cruise control to 70 mph I get 26-28 mpg.
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Surprize! It's a KIA
Mike McNamara, 03/25/2018
updated 10/11/2023
2018 Kia Sorento EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
52 of 57 people found this review helpful
I usually buy a 2 year old car and drive it 8-10 years. So, I started a year ago looking for a replacement for a 2006 Lexus RX330. I wanted all the new safety devices. I loved the Lexus, but didn't like the newer "big mouth bass" look. So, the Highlander, Forrester and Sorento were the final 3 on my list. However, after driving the Sorento and being amazed at its Lexus-like comfort and quiet, but with better handling, I was sold. After an extensive Internet search, the 2016 Sorento I was considering was only $7000-8000 less than the deal we negotiated on a new 2018. So, I pulled the trigger on a new one! I've driven it under various road and weather conditions and am still amazed at what a terrific car it is. It has a little more space than the RX330, which is good for the volunteer work I do and it has the emergency 3rd row for the grand kids, although they stay stowed flat most of the time. The Apple Car-Play is a plus. So, if you're looking for that right-sized SUV and want great handling, quiet and comfort, you should drive a Sorento. It is also a lot less money than an RX350 or Highlander. Now, after 2 years of ownership and 24,000 miles, I'm happy to report that I've only followed the scheduled maintenance recommendations, and enjoyed 100% reliability. It carries everything I need for volunteer work, as well as our annual 2 month trip to Florida. Looking forward to many more years of reliable driving. I've now had the Sorento for 4 years and 41,000 miles. Still following the recommended maintenance schedule with no non-scheduled issues, thankfully. It still has plenty of tread on the original tires, too. It's now 5 years since I bought my Sorento from a KIA dealer. Their service has been excellent and I've followed the recommended inspections. There's a little over 50K miles and it's still running perfectly. Bought 4 new tires at 45K miles, but still have the same battery. Will probably do the brakes at the next inspection. Would consider the new hybrid Sportage as the next buy, but I'd hate to give up the Sorento. Now with 56000 miles, other than routine scheduled maintenance and a set of tires, I haven't had any problems. I still have the original battery! But, I finally decided to trade it in for a new Hybrid Sportage EX with more safety devices.
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Second Sorento
Mark, 11/19/2018
2018 Kia Sorento LX 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
This is my 2nd Kia Sorento. Just traded in my 2013 with over 110,000 miles on it. In the 6 years that I owned it I had no major issues. Bought another one without hesitation.
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THERE IS A REASON......
Scott Ray, 06/11/2018
2018 Kia Sorento LX 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
27 of 29 people found this review helpful
.........Why the Kia Sorento gets such high marks for quality. I have owned this for three weeks and I am truly impressed with the level of finish and the outstanding quality of the vehicle. It's incredibly smooth and so quiet for an SUV. The 6 cylinder engine is a must for a mid-size AWD SUV such as this. The acceleration is great. And let's not forget the ten year powertrain warranty. My dealer actually DOUBLED it too. 20 years and 200K miles! I know that there are other dealers that do the same. It says a lot (to me) when a manufacturer has that much faith in their product. Thanks KIA!!!!!!
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Pleased with my choice
Granny, 12/18/2017
updated 06/27/2018
2018 Kia Sorento EX 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
34 of 38 people found this review helpful
This seems like a really nice car. Only have had it a couple weeks, but it drives easily, very smooth comfortable ride.. and I test drove a couple others. Very easy to get in and out. Even 2nd row seats are comfortable and easily accessible, and recline (and I am tall). I love that it takes regular grade gasoline and I have been averaging about 19 mpg in the city. Now it's 7 months old and I am still very pleased. We drove it from Pittsburgh to Florida and back last winter and had no complaints at all. Heater/AC excellent.
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sleeping power steering pump
Robert USNR, 10/30/2018
updated 04/30/2020
2018 Kia Sorento LX 4dr SUV (3.3L 6cyl 6A)
27 of 31 people found this review helpful
I have noticed that while driving over 50 MPH on a hi way I'll be going straight and move the steering wheel a millimeter and it jumps left or right. this startles me and I almost jerk the wheel to hard to regain control. I read where someone posted that Kia has had this problem for years and won't fix it because it's not a life threatening problem. Ha Ha i almost jerked the wheel out of control. It's very annoying when you can't relax your hand on the steering wheel with out it jumping right to left. Ask drivers of Kia what they think, or better yet test drive one on the freeway at 65 mph
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