Kia Sorento MQ4 (2020-2026)
VerifiedAlso referred to as: Kia Sorento MQ4 2025 and Kia Sorento MQ4 2027.31 reviews
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Just purchased 2026 sorento S. My main grip is NO USB ports in 2nd or 3rd row, there is a 12 volt station there. How out dated is this. I will have my grsndkids in the car at times and will have to purchase something so they can charge phones. To people with kids this could be a Deal breaker. Kia get your act together and port these ports in. For $60,000 i would expect them. Hope the car goes ok. Show details
What a disappointing with Kia – Initially, I was overjoyed with my purchase of the Sorento, feeling really happy about it. However, after a year, the air conditioning stopped working, and I had to take it to the service center where they replaced all the parts. I thought it was just a coincidence and continued driving. Yet, a year later, while driving, the car suddenly wouldn’t… Read more
move even when I pressed the accelerator. I pulled over, tried restarting the engine, but it stalled again and wouldn’t budge.
It’s only been three years since I bought this new car, but with such frequent breakdowns, I am extremely disappointed. I no longer want to purchase a Kia vehicle in the future. The car is expensive, yet its quality has been poor, tarnishing Kia's reputation.
I hope the company takes these issues seriously and improves their quality control. I would not recommend the Kia Sorento to anyone looking for a reliable vehicle.
Wow just wow – Wow, just wow! We genuinely cant believe how good this car is! It is unbelievably smooth, comfortable, reliable and fun to drive. Not to mention that the 2.2 diesel goes like the clappers! it handles all road surfaces with poise and always feels sure footed. Interior build quality is amazing and the seats are so comfortable! The 10.25 inch… Read more
infotainment screen is super responsive and is easy to navigate and the 6 speaker 'base' audio system is astounding! It is a very attractive car and turns heads wherever you go! It honestly looks European. I can honestly say this is the best car we have ever owned! Buy one! You wont regret it!! No matter what model you buy S, Sport, Sport Plus or GT-Line Petrol or Diesel you are getting a well packaged nice driving exceptionally well equipped car!
Bad Experience with Kia Sorrento Hybrid 2024 – After three months of ownership, I can say with confidence that the Kia Sorento Hybrid 2024 is a disappointment. While the vehicle looks impressive and has many desirable features, the negatives far outweigh the positives. The most glaring issue is the uncomfortable seats. Both the driver's and passenger's seats cause severe tailbone pain after… Read more
just a short drive. Even my children complain of discomfort when riding in the back. Kia needs to significantly improve the ergonomics and padding in the seats to provide an acceptable level of comfort. Considering purchasing additional cushions just to find relief. This is an unacceptable compromise for a vehicle of this Caliber.
Beyond the seating, the Sorento Hybrid exhibits poor road stability. When other vehicles pass by, the entire car shakes violently, almost to the point of embarrassment. Even minor movements from passengers in the backseat cause the car to tremble, also this is exacerbated when my children move around in the backseat, causing the car to vibrate like it's sitting on a shaker. This lack of solid construction is unacceptable in a vehicle of this size and price range
Adding insult to injury, the fuel efficiency of this "Hybrid" model is shockingly poor. Despite the advanced powertrain, I'm only getting around 700 km per 65-liter tank in city driving - nowhere near the advertised efficiency. And forget about long road trips, as the range drops precipitously. The Sorento Hybrid's thirst for premium fuel leaving me disappointed and frustrated.
Another concern is the thin, fragile-feeling hood, which makes me hesitant to even clean the car for fear of causing damage. Lastly, the lack of an automatic locking feature and the subpar performance of the Bose sound system are additional annoyances, disappointing sound performance at higher volumes that further detract from the overall driving experience
In conclusion, while the Kia Sorrento Hybrid 2024 may have some appealing qualities, the numerous drawbacks I've encountered have left me questioning the value of my purchase. I urge potential buyers to thoroughly test and consider these issues before making a decision, as the comfort, safety, and performance of a vehicle are paramount. Kia must address these concerns to deliver a truly compelling and reliable hybrid SUV.
When is a $60k car not a $60k car? – So ordered and bought the Kia Sorrento sports Plus in 2022. Nice car, looked good, we had a Hyundai for 12 years and saved up for this car. Drove it no problem, until 2000kms in and suddenly lost all acceleration in the vehicle. Had to pull over and restart the vehicle, and it was fine. Thought this was just a one off. Happened again, told the… Read more
dealer at the first service, no error code stored so nothing they could do, try to film it on your phone next time they said.
Drove again but this time on a road trip happened on the freeway. When we got back to NSW took it to the dealer, this time told them it had to be sorted.
In fairness they were very good, kept the vehicle a week and had the chief tech look at it. They thought it was contaminated transmission fluid. The vehicle was serviced and it hasn’t happened since.
Love the car but would be wary of buying Kia again. Have since seen quite a few posts on Facebook from buyers with the same problem and dealers refusing to acknowledge the issue.
That’s when a $60k car isn’t a $60k car.
- +8
The benchmark for 7-seat family cars when it comes to value for money – Kia is making strides in improving the build quality of their cars, both inside and out. The Sorento offers a level of superior quality, it’s one of the best value-for-money propositions in the market. When you open the doors on the new Sorento you can immediately feel a certain ‘heft’ and weight to them. This sensation of closing a heavy… Read more
door is something you would normally expect to see on more expensive vehicles.
The car I had for the week was the GT-Line Diesel, which is the range-topping version. Priced at $67,290 drive-away, this is certainly heading towards the expensive end of most people’s budgets.
This car both acts as a class leader for seven-seaters under $70,000, but also gives the luxury SUVs a run for their money.
Kia offers a 7 year warranty and also offer capped price servicing for the Sorento over these seven years, but only up to 105,000km. Your total cost of servicing over seven years comes to $3,463 - a fair price to pay for this amount of services.
Sound isolation in the Sorento was impressive to say the least. Road, wind and traffic noise was sufficiently kept out of the cabin, which translated to a relaxing ride for both the driver and the passenger. The diesel motor likes to make itself known under heavier acceleration, so it’s not going to be library-quiet in here. Being distinctly diesel in its ability to sound a little like a tractor, It’s not exactly a pleasant engine tone either. The sound system in the Sorento was better than expected, largely thanks to the Bose-branded audio it’s decked out with.
The car is fitted with autonomous emergency braking, which is activated if you have rear-cross traffic, someone in your blind spot, or have a car, pedestrian, or cyclist cross your path.
The Sorento I tested was fitted with Kia’s 2.2L 4 cylinder diesel engine, which produces 148kW at 3600rpm and 440Nm at 1,750-2,750rpm. Coupled with this engine is an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, which performs exceptionally well. 0-100km/h figures are in the mid 9’s, which is typical of a car in this segment with this motor. If you’re looking for performance, you might need a second car. Thanks to the torque, power delivery is strong throughout acceleration and smooth when you need it to be. The new Sorento is rated to tow up to 2 tonnes (braked), allowing you to hook most trailers up to it.
However, towing a caravan behind this family car might prove to be a bit tricky.
I can’t speak for the longevity of this transmission, but at least you have a 7 year warranty just in case.
I can, however, speak for the performance of the gearbox. Even though this is an 8-speed transmission, shifts are smooth and decisive. It doesn’t jump around trying to figure out which gear it needs to be in.
The Sorento will conquer the potholes and speed bumps that you’ll most likely encounter when rushing for the school pick-up or drop-off. Even when riding on wheels as big as these, this SUV offered absolute comfort across a variety of surfaces. Whether it’s traversing tarmac, gravel or snow; the Sorento tackles it all.
If you plan on heading off-road to a campsite or through the snow, the Sorento has a selection of terrain-response modes that help provide more grip for when you need it most. A feature like this is rare around this price point and is usually reserved for the likes of a Land Rover.
Kia claims a combined consumption figure of 6.1L/100km. I managed to average around 9.5L/100km, which was impressive nonetheless for a large SUV like this.
If you think the exterior looks a little restrained, the interior design is sure to win you over. This is the standout upgrade for the fourth generation Sorento. I’m of the mindset that interior design is always more important than exterior design as it’s where you’ll be spending most of your time with the car. The instrument binnacle is akin to that of a Mercedes setup with an instrument binnacle that stretches from the centre display through to the driver’s display. A pair of 10.3 inch displays are placed adjacent to one-another and are the main focus point of the cabin. Along the dashboard and doors are diamond shaped cut-outs that add not only visual flair during the day, but at night, are backlit in a colour of your choosing from 64 options. The touch-capacitive climate controls reduce the number of physical buttons placed on the dash,bringing down the amount of visual clutter in the cabin. Below that, your eyes are drawn to the cylindrical shifter, which also appears to be a leaf out of a Land Rover’s book. It works well to bring a level of class into the cabin without feeling cheap. Seats are blissfully bolstered with quilted stitching, adding more visual flair to this cabin. The Sorento features a minimum of 187L boot space with all 7 seats up, 616L with 5 seats up and a massive 2,011L with all seats folded flat.
The boxy design and flat-folding nature of the seats mean you have a large rectangular space with no awkward obstacles to avoid in the name of style. It’s easy to fold the middle row, too. With an electronically controlled one-touch button, you can fold either side of the seats in the middle row, all from the boot.
However, it’s annoying that in a car this big, you still have a 60:40 split in the middle row. This can be a nuisance when you want to make the most of the interior space whilst carrying 4 people.
The Sorento is a wonderful family machine.
Any seven seat family car needs to be reliable, comfortable, enjoyable and capable - all of which the Sorento achieves.
The Sorento has the warranty and capped price servicing to cover you in the running costs department. You won’t need to stress about finding another car for a while once you’ve chosen the Sorento.
Being comfortable is what the Sorento does very well. From its relaxed yet direct ride, through to a long list of creature comforts, including heated seats for four.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
- +8
Expensive but a strong PHEV 7-seat SUV family car option – Kia’s build quality is better than ever. It’s solid, there’s a conscious elimination of that ‘tin’ sound in the doors, and there’s never a squeak or rattle out of place. Some scratchy hard plastics exist on the interior. However they’re part of an element that’s there for utility rather than luxury. Buying this trim of the Sorento does not… Read more
necessarily bring any additional ‘build quality’ to the already impressive Sorento GT-Line.
However, adding extra weight via the form of a battery pack provides an illusion that the car is heavier on the road. Heavier cars are usually perceived as more luxurious, and this is a tactic used by brands like Bentley and Mercedes Benz. It works here for that same effect, even if you’re driving around in a Kia.
Is it worth spending $15,000 more for a $79,330 (before on roads) Sorento that’s able to reduce fuel consumption and run as a pure EV?
The answer depends on your needs and wants for your next family SUV. If you want to reduce your fuel consumption, CO2 output and have the ability to drive partly as a pure EV - this is certainly the best option out at the moment for a 7-seater PHEV.
The Sorento PHEV isn’t cheap, but as far as electric vehicles that are this big go, it’s a lot cheaper than the competition. Tesla Model X and Volvo XC90 Recharge are the only other 7-seater SUVs able to run as pure-EVs. Sure, the Model X is only an EV, but the point still stands.
If you don’t care about any of the above, then don’t waste your time, and just jump into the diesel powered Sorento GT-Line.
Two drivetrains prove to be a little more expensive than GT-Line diesel over 7 years of servicing. Kia has reduced the number of kilometres between each service, resulting in coverage for only 70,000km (or 7 years) vs the diesel’s 105,000km (same period).
Your total cost of servicing over 7 years comes to $4,903 compared to the diesel’s $3,463 total cost of servicing over 7 years.
I couldn’t help but notice the same brakes used on the Sorento PHEV felt a little more stressed than the ones on the diesel.
There’s just over 100kg in additional weight added to the Sorento PHEV compared to the diesel. Brakes are easy to modulate for a smooth operation, but the harder you push when traffic suddenly stops in front of you, the more you can’t avoid feeling there’s additional mass onboard.
The Sorento PHEV scores a petrol 1.6L turbocharged four cylinder unit producing 132kW at 5,500rpm and 265Nm at 1,500 - 4,500rpm. It’s paired with a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, producing 67kW at 2,100 - 3,300rpm and a whopping 304Nm at 0 - 2,000rpm.
Total output delivered through the AWD system is 195kW and 350Nm. This is a unique set-up, as the electric motor provides a hefty punch. This produces more torque than the petrol motor, and more kilowatts than the diesel engine.
The bulk of the torque delivered at 0 rpm is noticeable, and allows the Sorento to hustle off the line a lot quicker than its diesel counterpart. It’s silent and quick to react to acceleration. However, you can’t win against physics in a car this big. Speed begins to fall and you can feel the Sorento ‘run out of puff’ once that petrol motor kicks in.
I thought the way the petrol engine remained accelerating, despite me lifting off the accelerator for an additional second, was a terrible characteristic of this motor. It’s something that I hope Kia can eliminate from future Sorento PHEVs.
That electric motor is great for low-speed acceleration, but it’s no substitute for performance. It’s not going to be a budget Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid unfortunately.
Surprisingly, you lose the brilliant 8-speed gearbox for the more expensive PHEV model, and instead receive a 6-speed automatic. Nonetheless, it still does a great job of managing revs in a car like this.
Shifts never really missed a beat, although this gearbox occasionally missed opportunities to shift into a low enough gear to take full advantage of that low-down torque.
The Sorento is more than capable through corners, where it never faulted thanks to the batteries being lower down in the car's body. It only enhances the cornering ability of this Kia.
The bottom line is that it’s extremely comfortable.
1.6L per 100km was as low as I could get for the total consumption for the Sorento, and reached as high as 4.6L per 100km when the battery was depleted.
You can get up to just under 50km of real world range with the pure EV mode in the Sorento, and rely on the petrol motor to run this car as a hybrid when you run low on electrons.
The battery pack on board is a 14kWh battery, so it’s not enormous. That means if you want to charge from home, you can charge the battery from 15% to 95% in 3 hours and 25 mins using a fast charger.
But, at least with a plug-in hybrid, you don’t have to rely on plugging in the car to charge up the battery. The onboard charger can charge the battery with speeds of up to 3.3kW, so it's more like a trickle charger rather than something that can charge over just a few minutes of driving.
You do lose boot space and interior comfort to the battery pack located under the rear seats.
Boot space is down to 175L with all the seats up, 604L with the third row folded away and 1988L with all the seats folded flat. It’s now got less than 2000L of total space compared to the diesel’s interior boot space.
The only real incentive to buy this car in Australia is to either reduce your carbon footprint or to reduce your fuel bill. That means justifying paying $15,000 more than the diesel upfront to own and drive a car that still pollutes, but at a significantly lower rate. If you have a place to charge most nights, you can run on pure electricity for most of your daily commute.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
- +8
A hybrid SUV that falls short of beating Toyota at its own game – This is Kia’s other hybrid Sorento. There’s also a plug-in hybrid on offer, which we’ve already tested, but this is the petrol/electric hybrid that you don’t plug in. Kia’s Sorento is a well built car, and feels like it’ll withstand the test of time and the test of having kids rummage through its interior. Press on any panels, pull on doors… Read more
and put pressure on plastics, and the Sorento refuses to squeak or show preemptive rattles.
This car feels weighty, translating to a ride that feels higher quality than a lighter SUV. In addition to weight, technology feels right at home in 2022. The screens are bright, easy to use and quick to react to inputs.
Available only in the fully specced GT-Line model, the Sorento Hybrid is priced from $66,750 for the front-wheel drive model, and $69,750 for the all-wheel drive version. All of these prices are before on-road costs.
Toyota offers a better price for the Kluger Hybrid AWD, starting from $54,150. However, the Sorento offers a lot more equipment, tech and creature comforts.
The PHEV (plug-in hybrid) variant of the Sorento is priced at the top, starting from $81,080 before on roads.
Servicing is capped over 7 years or up to 70,000km (whichever comes first). Servicing totals $4,894 over this period.
A BOSE audio system is fitted to the Sorento Hybrid, and it certainly makes an impact. It’s not perfect, but it does enhance your audio with clearer highs and less ‘muddy’ sounding lows.
A major drawback was a high pitched whirring sound that emanated from the electric motor under the bonnet.
It was annoying when parked and driving at low speeds. Outside these conditions, however, it wasn’t noticeable. If you have older ears, you might not notice it. But to some of my passengers, it would have made them reconsider buying this car just because of how intrusive that whirring sound was.
Kia should have beefed up the brakes just a little for these heavier hybrid variants of the Sorento. It’s noticeable how soft that brake pedal feels when slowing for corners or when pulling up for an emergency stop.
Day-to-day, the brakes are easy to get used to, but they simply don’t hide the weight of the extra electric motor and batteries. It makes the hybrid feel like the diesel Sorento has been on a diet of burgers and milkshakes.
Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 132kW of power and 265Nm of torque. This is paired with an electric motor, making an additional 44kW from a 1.6kWh battery mounted between the engine and six-speed automatic transmission.
The total power is 169kW (226hp).
Combined power feels relatively rapid, thanks to additional power being available from 0rpm. It’s quite obvious when that 1.6L engine kicks into gear, and can sometimes be a little startling at low speeds. It can fool you into thinking you’ve just curbed your alloy wheels if it turns on while parking.
Power is being sent via a 6-speed automatic transmission all through to the front wheels.
A shift-by-wire rotary selector is a cool touch, and really easy to engage with.
Shifts are seamless and hardly felt by occupants, even if we’re missing the 8-speed auto found in the diesel Sorento.
Around the city and traffic, the Sorento is a fantastically comfortable SUV. It’s easy to cruise and avoid feeling the road underneath you. Although, hit a pothole hard enough and you’ll get an aggressive thump from the front wheels.
Through corners, the weight of the Sorento hybrid causes it to wallow slightly and perform pronounced shifts forwards and backwards under rapid acceleration and deceleration.
While lacking the ability to drive exclusively as an EV for extended periods of time, the Sorento claims fuel consumption figures of 5.5L per 100km combined. We achieved around 8.3L per 100km driving our Sorento Hybrid for the week.
There isn’t anything different between this GT-Line Sorento compared to other GT-Line trims with different engines.
There’s plenty of space, light and features. There are the same dual 10.25-inch displays on show both for the infotainment and driver.
Despite being a massive 7-seater, the Sorento Hybrid loses a little boot space in lieu of those electric bits and pieces.
On the inside, you’d never know it was slightly more cramped compared to the diesel/petrol variants. On paper, the boot space is 179L with seven seats in use, 608L with the third-row folded, and 1996L total.
That means there’s less total space than the other non-electrified Sorento models that boast just over 2,000L of cargo space.
As fuel prices fluctuate and become a pain point for many households, petrol electric hybrids are quickly becoming relevant again.
Fully electric SUVs are few and far between, with 7-seat options being obscenely expensive.
The Sorento Hybrid offers an ideal middle ground, offering diesel-like efficiency without the cost of filling up with the oily stuff and having to worry about diesel issues when strictly driven around the city.
I’d absolutely consider one if the PHEV Sorento looks a little too pricey to you, and the Toyota Kluger feels a little too sparse when opting for the slightly more affordable models.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
The best car I’ve driven in my almost 30 years of driving experience – We needed a new car and I took my time to research the car options available in the size I wanted, with the features which were a must, and within our price range. We got lucky when purchasing that it was the last before the updated shape. This didn’t bother me and represented a significant price difference. I had narrowed it down to 2 different… Read more
makes and in the end, the two cars were almost identical, but our Kia was $10,000 less. After 3 years and 60,000kms it’s been a reliable car that is a real pleasure to drive. The GT Line has some lovely features and as our second Kia, after previously having a Cerato, I’m a big fan of Kias. I feel they’re becoming more on the pricey side compared to how the once were though. We’ve had one recall on something which needed to be replaced. We do find the car fairly noisy, but as my first diesel car, I’m told that’s commonplace. The one thing we’ve found, unfortunately, is that the steering keeps sticking and Kia can’t seem to get to the bottom of it. We’ve moved dealerships for our servicing and it’s made a big difference to wait times for servicing. I do just wish someone would figure out the steering issue. Towing has been easy. Reasonable fuel economy for our mixed driving. Car has loads of room for us. Very pleased with the car and reliability of Kia
Sorrento is a pleasant surprise – I reluctantly agreed to get a new car to replace my 2007 Kia Sportage. The kids are teenagers and we were starting to outgrow it. Plus it had started developing issues (new radiator needed etc). I’m not a car person (at all) but this car is a lovely vehicle. We were excited to receive our car in April 2023 after ordering it in Aug 2021. I feel… Read more
like it was worth the wait though. Other models of cars (in a similar price range) had an ‘old’ looking shape and looked a few years old despite being manufactured in that year. I didn’t want to spend all that money only to have an old looking car. Also, my 2007 Sportage confirmed that Kia was a reliable brand. I had it for 14 years and it only started to develop problems after 13 years. It is the most reliable car I have ever owned. For that reason I swear by Kia.
Pros: It’s a great looking car It’s smooth to drive and ride in Lots of leg room for the kids/teens Great acceleration Easy to get 3rd row seats up and down Great safety warnings 3rd row has USB and aircon Easy to park
Cons: The front tyres are black because they are covered in brake dust - the dealer mechanic explained that this is common for this model
Generally good so far, but a few annoyances and not as much interior space as expected – It is almost impossible to properly evauate a new car after a 10 minute test drive, so I drew heavily on reviews from motoring writers, which were mostly positive. I deliberately chose the Sorento diesel base model S because I didn't feel the sport options were necessary and I didn't want low profile tyres. The standard mags are attractive and… Read more · 1
pretty easy to clean. It appears that KIA are now using the "softer" metal disc brakes which generate more brake dust that we are used to seeing on European cars. I would prefer longer lasting discs. I always wanted a diesel engine for the better fuel economy, and I feel that diesel fuel will be around much longer than petrol, as trucks won't be going electric anytime soon. The turbo gives the 2.2 litre 4 cylinder engine performance enough for my needs and towing a small trailor full of heavy firewood was a breeze.
The 8 speed double clutch auto transmission is smooth enough, but can behave a bit strangely in stop/start traffic. This was mentioned in reviews by professional motoring writers. Road handling is very good and the bigger tyres manage Victoria's potholes quite well. The ride is what I expected but I find the drivers seat not as comfortable as I expected on a long trip. The cabin is somewhat cramped compared to my older cars and the size of the centre console can be a bit annoying. Most cars I test drove had large centre consoles to manage all the tech. Surprisingly, the 2nd row of seats is a bit cosy with 3 adults. I think that the doors are thicker due to airbags and this may have reduced cabin space. The 3rd row is only suitable for kids, and we have rarely used the 3rd row seats. The cargo area was described as generous but just meets our needs, so we have to pack carefully. The underfloor storage compartment is pretty handy and the full spare tyre is stowed underneath the car. The base model requires the rear hatch to be lifted, but locating the rather small release under the door is a bit annoying as is getting used to all the tech (my previous Hyundai Tucson was a 2007 model). I love the look of this plain white car from all angles and the 7 year warranty, plus capped price servicing, were also drawcards to a KIA. We've done just over 6,000 klms and mainly use this car for longer journeys and it's also fine around town. I have such a technology gap to make up on the older car I can't make too many comments about Bluetooth options etc., except to say that it could be easier. All in all, I like the car and appreaciate the safety tech, particularly the rear camera!
Loose door handles – I picked up my car November 2022. Till recently I couldn’t fault it, apart from some of the overly intrusive safety warnings.However recently all external door handles have become loose. I returned the car to the dealer Port Macquarie Kia who told me all Kia & Hyundai vehicles are the same and this is normal. I regard this answer as ridiculous and… Read more
if this is the case there should be a recall. Has anyone else experienced this absurd situation? This is my daily driver and in all other respects is great.
Overkill on all the unessacary features – There is no emergency cable for the fuel door for when it gets jammed and trust me it'll jam more than once and you will stand there life an idiot at the servo with no fuel and no way of putting it in. This car does not stop beeping at you or vibrating at you every second it gets. Complete overkill on all the features makes its incredibly… Read more
frustrating to drive. You can't lock the bloody thing without doing the correct process of park, handbrake and I still can't work out what else. The car handles well and is nice enough to drive but there is no permanent way to turn the ridiculous features off. If you don't hold the steering wheel in the correct manner it's beeps at you and says you need a coffee break. All this makes it very frustrating and I'm not able to relax driving the car.
Find out how Kia Sorento MQ4 compares to other Large / 7 Seater SUVs
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Unreliable and unimpressive – My Kia is a 2021 AWD diesel model with 17K on the odometer. I have had it since new. For the last 2 months it has intermittently lost power and spluttered during normal acceleration. Trying to book it in for service has been a nightmare. Most dealerships have a 3-4 week wait due to unrelated recalls on other KIA models. I was astounded by this and… Read more
joked with the dealerships that it would end up coming in on the back of a tow truck. That has now happened. My car completely lost power on a freeway and I will be without it until KIA finally get the time to repair it. I would expect a trouble free run from a brand new car. And I would expect a manufacturer to be able to provide at least a basic level of service if not. KIA has miserably failed in both areas.
Extremely bad after care service – I’m enjoying my Sorrento it’s the after care service that’s appalling. I was sent a letter today after a warning light came on my dashboard a week ago. It was a recall notice that was to replace a low pressure fuel hose clamp which as the letter states may result in engine fire, risk of accident, injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road… Read more
users.I got a rude man Nick in service who said it’s not really a matter of urgency. Will do it next week. I rang another Kia dealership who said they can do it in a month. No apologies I just hope my family is safe in this car until they find a repair time!!
Can't supply parts – I purchased my Kia in October 2021 and a stone hit my windscreen in November 2021. I have been waiting on a replacement windscreen since November 2021 and was just called today and said the windscreens they had shipped were defective, and it will be another 4-6 weeks until a windscreen is provided. At this point i will have been waiting 6 months. … Read more
Beautiful car but Kia have offered no resolution and no care in the world for plight, they have ignored calls, haven't communicated and do not care. I wouldn't buy this care again if you paid me.
Worth the Expense – As I travel in excess of 40th per year looked for a vehicle that was safe and comfortable. Kia fitted the criteria that I wanted with more. Safety is covered comprehensively Driver Assistance very comprehensive , Lacking Auto wipers 2000kg towing cap a bit low, Fuel economy very good ( Mostly freeway driving ) Extra rear sets great for grandchildren a bit tight for adults. Show details
Safest vehicle I have ever driven – Long trips talking my grandchildren to sporting events often 400k round trip weekly Short trips shopping 3 times per week…. Serviced as per manufactures recommendations + intermediate services if travelled on flooded or excessive dusty roads Show details
best car i have owned – I use the car everyday commuting to work, general everyday use. The servicing is as per the Kia schedule. Purchased 2020 the Black special addition, very spacious its a 7 seater with 7 years warranty. Drove to Sunshine Coast xmas 2020 and it was the best drive, did the trip in 1 day on 1 tank of fuel it does not get any better than that. Show details
Most unreliable car and unprofessional service delivery to resolve the problem!! – We bought a brand new Kia Sorento GT AWD top model in Feb 2021 with no discount offered. This is second time, our car broke. First time, it did not start, called the roadside assistance and they told us that the headlights were left turned on, however, we always kept the settings on auto. Second time, it broke on 23rd June. Just post doing the… Read more
weekly groceries, I attempted to unlock the boot with no luck, apparently, warning on the screen indicated errors and instructions, which I followed at-least 25-30 times with no luck.
I had to call my husband in meetings to come and fix, my brother tried to figure out with nil success. Husband called Kia straightway and they advised roadside assistance will be there within 45 minutes, which came nearly after two hours; the guy could not diagnose the problem and advised that car needs to be towed away to the Service Centre. Husband had to cancel his meetings to come back just to ensure that they tow the car properly as we spent a lot on this one and did not want to take any risk. Tow truck came after few hours of wait and continuous calling as they never bothered to update. After car being towed away, they advised us they would diagnose the problem today and will get back to us and if they can’t, it won’t happen until 5th July due to their fully busy schedule.
They still cannot figure out what is wrong, we are the one chasing for an update with no help in return. Our work commitments were getting compromised because of their unprofessional behaviors. Husband called them multiple times to request them for a rental car which they were never willing to offer. After many calls, they told us that they only have Kia Sportage available, take it or leave it. We spent $67000 to buy this 7- seater car to accommodate our family needs and this is what they rudely offer to us. We tried to negotiate with them and after several calls, they gave us Holden Captiva which is not a clear replacement for 70k price tag. Left with no option, husband had to take it to work for one day. Apparently, that car had a single USB which never worked. Seriously, we are paying big installments for Kia Sorento and this is what we have to drive. Are they going to pay the installments since the car is broken and with them.
I would never take a risk to drive that car with my little one with me.
I had to take a day off from work because of this. Being a healthcare worker, it is just stupid to take a day off unnecessarily in this world pandemic time when they are needed to be at the work as the top most priority.
We give them a call everyday for an update and in return there response is that they are unable to figure out and had to call senior technician to diagnose the problem, with no ETA to fix it.
Husband ended up going in person to their office yesterday and the technician advised him that he could not diagnose the problem and he thinks he can’t figure out and also, they have to park the car in the yard uncovered as they can’t keep it on service bay to block them. We have always parked our car in secured and covered locked garage, and this is how they are treating it.
They tell you big stories about their cars when you go to buy, and then they provide such an unprofessional service and don’t even know how to fix their own cars.
We contacted the KIA Australia as well( had to wait around an hour to get hold of) and got advised that they would investigate this matter, have not received any call or any update from them.
We also sent them an email requesting for an update with no reply yet. It is so stressful and frustrating for us that we spent hard earned money on this car and now KIA doesn’t want to resolve the issue.
We will be fighting to get our money back, can’t be taking risk of keeping this car anymore as what if it gets broken where there are network issues and difficult to get help.
Great car apart from the electrics – Purchased a demo MY17 Sorento GT Line with 1000km on the clock. Car was brilliant.... the best I had ever owned... until 12 months ago. Then all sorts of weird electrical things started going wrong with it. Too many issues to list but the critical one is that the car would turn itself on.... yes I kid you not.... by itself in the middle of the… Read more
night. Not the engine but it would power up all of the electrics and blaze away with the headlights. The neighbours got used to this and would let me know when they saw it.... but in the past year it left me stranded 4 times when no one caught it and I came out in the morning to start the car but the battery was completely flat.
Went to multiple Kia dealers about this... most thought I was mad and couldn't see anything wrong with the car. Made a faraday cage for the keys in case they were going screwy... this did nothing. The roadside assist guys that came out whenever my battery was flat had never heard of anything like this in their careers. Auto electrician could find nothing wrong either.
There were multiple other weird electric things happening intermittently on seemingly unrelated systems.... but the killer was the car leaving me stranded multiple times. I need reliability.
Cut my losses..... sold it and bought a Mitsubishi Paid to Sport. This will be my fifth Mitsubishi and they have always been bulletproof for me.
Everyone loved it in family – Kia is doing great day by day and their new cars are good quality built with so many features and backed by 7 year warrenty. I did alot of search for 7 seaters and Choosed it over new santa fe active as Sorrento sport has leather seats 7 year warranty and 8 inch display and i am getting it for only 1% finance. ( i still liked santa fe more… Read more
though) but at the end santa fe is costing me $15k more with intrests. Everyone i family loved it and it still feels new after 10 months
Find out how Kia Sorento MQ4 compares to other Large / 7 Seater SUVs
Know better, choose better.
Wise choice! – As a mechanic obviously my experience working with all sorts of makes and models has a big impact on what we buy when time comes to upgrade. We were looking for an SUV, didn't need a 4WD, just something large enough for a family of 4 (plus 2 dogs) and all our luggage for family holidays. The Sorento is a good car, even a very good car. For me… Read more
the most impressive thing is the driveline. The R series diesel is a cracker, a proven performer that does everything well and unlike a lot of other brands stands the test of time. 8 speed auto is perfectly matched to the engine, space, safety and tech, not to mention class leading warranty.
Hard to see a reason to buy anything else. Good deals on run out Sorrento"s made our decision easier when comparing to it's cousin Hyundai Santa Fe.
An absolutely excellent machine – I have recently received a new GT Line as a company car and was going to leave a review earlier about just how great this machine is. Everything works, everything is in the right place, all controls make sense, it's extremely comfortable, easy to drive - its just a seriously great SUV. We love it. Then last week my son was T-boned in the drivers… Read more
side door at an intersection. All side airbags went off and the car flipped on its side sliding down the highway till it came to an abrupt halt, smashing the rear window (he climbed out the back). So with 5,000 km on the clock, it's written off. Without a doubt the front side airbags, the side curtain airbags and the KIA's super solid construction, saved him from even getting a scratch. So thankful! We've just picked up our next GT Line Sorento! Hope to get more than 5,000 km out of this one....
All the bells and whistles and such a delight to drive – We have the top of the line GT Line so you would expect everything in it but even the base model comes packed with features. Great to drive and even though it’s diesel you can hardly hear it or notice it. If on really coarse bitumen there can be quite a bit of tyre noise at times and if you want to tow with it I’d do my sums first ( mainly due to… Read more
the tow ball weight) but they would be the only negatives I can think of. Everything else is brilliant and far outweigh these 2 things that aren’t really an issue. I’d happily buy another one
The best 7-seater SUV by far – If you're in the market for one of the later model Sorentos then don't bother reading the reviews about the models prior to 2015, they're VASTLY different cars now! After a lot of research I decided to lay down my hard earned on a 2018 Kia Sorento Sport AWD (diesel). I managed to negotiate a great deal on a demo model that had only 80km on the… Read more
clock. To describe the driving experience, it feels like it glides on the road, steering is silky smooth, and it's got more power than you need. Suspension feels plush, yet rigid enough not to cause any body roll around corners. It's quiet on the inside, and the interior feels luxurious and built to last.
Apart from it's stylish European (Audi) like looks, what we love about it particularly is how roomy it is in all three rows and cargo area yet it's not an overly huge car at all.
Time will tell as to whether it is reliable like our old 2008 Toyota RAV4, but with a 7-year unlimited km warrenty and capped price servicing I'm feeling pretty confident about that. By the way, it took a lot for me not to buy another Toyota after the Rav never ever missed a beat for 10 years and it's functional design, but the new Rav4, Kluger, and Fortuner have got nothin on the Kia Sorento for style, functionality and overall value. If you buy a Sorento you will love it too I'm sure!
Best car I've driven in my life! – I use this car for surfing, carting grand children (7 seats on demand), long trips and work. So far so good, no, correction, it's excellent! It's early days but who's stressing with a 7 year warranty to fall back on? Not one other company offers that warranty that I know of! Confidence in their own engineering was important to me. It's cheap… Read more
as chips to run, has a brilliant sound system, full leather seating, an AWD and 4WD option with a manual diff lock. Important for beach surfing)
I often go to Sydney from Qld to see my mum and it glides all the way. The twin Turbo gets you out of trouble and in fact, was a surprise.
There are some tricked up electricals too but I'm sold on everything else really. Oh, and parts are easily accessible and affordable unlike its opposition.
Sorento GT – Recently purchased a Sorento GT.. Initial reaction was WOW, after living with the vehicle for a month now you realise whilst quality is up there, you need to be wary of a couple of things that may annoy you after a while. I noticed a lot of "road noise" from the 19" wheels on GT model, i've read that the 18' and 17' don't suffer from this. The… Read more
standard tyres are Hankook, I think i'll swap out for Michelin or something quieter. The new 8 speed transmission is really smooth, although I notice around 60kph it gets a bit confused which gear it should be in and chooses 3 different spots before settling in place, It also feels quite disconnected when going downhill I think this is a characteristic of this transmission rather than a fault - It also may well be because the vehicle is still new and all parts are still settling in. I had a really poor dealership experience which turned me off a little bit, but it's not the cars fault. I would prefer this offering over anything from Germany as I believe it would be more reliable in the long term. If you purchase this vehicle for mainly city driving or short trips, you should note the GT only comes in Diesel and is fitted with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and will need a regular run of 20+ mins at a temp hot enough to burn the ash. The dealers tend not to tell you this, but it is not a problem for myself as I have mixed driving but city dwellers may want to consider the petrol version (although not an option in GT!) As said above the Hankook tyres are crap they're really noisy in this model which is a shame as they have fitted so much sound deadening material. The rear brakes are noisy at low speed also but this could be due to being new, time will tell I guess. At the end of the day a vehicle maker will not back their product with a 7 year warranty if they think they will see you all the time with vehicle problems, I note at this goes for the diesel model as with other makers the "DPF" is not covered under warranty, so if you clog this up and the dealership cannot clean/unblock it, it will cost $1000's of dollars to replace so keep this in mind when choosing this vehicle.
Great Car! – 55000 KM UPDATE (1/06/2022) --------------------- Had to replace original Kumho tyres at 40000KM as the side walls started cracking. Driver seat was replaced under warranty as one of the sensors started coming up through seat. Door seal and sunroof noise has mostly gone away....whatever was causing the noise mush have worn out or weathered! … Read more
Other than that dealer is updating maps during every service. Have an issue where driving mode automatically changes from sport to comfort when car is restarted. This does not happen in Eco or comfort modes.
20000 KM UPDATE (10/07/2019) --------------------- Isolated the noise source to rubber seals on doors and sunroof. From other Kia forums I also found out that this product (rubber care stick) fixes this noise for a few weeks. https://www.velind-aerosol.de/en/car-care-more/care-care/gummipflegestift
17000 KM UPDATE (15/04/2019) --------------------- There is minor vibration/rattling noise from doors & sunroof when travelling on slightly rough roads. Smooth roads and long rides on highways are quiet. Seems like the noise is coming from door & sunroof seals/rails!
Service went smooth, however dealer couldn't fix the noise issue (in other words dealer didn't care about it). Dealer also did not update the map during service, I had to do it myself.
Kumho Crugen Premium tyres are CHEAP & CRAP quality! One of them have developed a small crack after climbing on a car park kerb at very slow speed.
3000KM UPDATE: ------------------------- We started hearing some minor rattles from about 2000km on the odo, seems to be coming from the sunroof on passenger side rails. Dealer couldn't identify anything during 1st service at 2500km. Doing some googling, it seems like rails need some periodic lubrication.
INITIAL REVIEW ----------------------- We were planning to buy a Toyota RAV4 and on the way to test drive one we dropped into a Kia dealership to test drive a Kia Sorento. To our surprise the Kia was miles ahead in comfort, space, quietness, handling and technology compared to Toyota Rav4. The Toyota looked like a basic rental car - there is no technological development compared to my Toyota Camry CSX from 1998, there was infact less features in the RAV4 GXL than my 1998 Camry.
Sorento GT-Line build quality is excellent and diesel engine is giving me 9L/100Km mileage. This is almost same as our other car 2011 Corolla. The LED backed dash is very easy to see during day and night (I struggle to see the dash info on my corolla during day as it is too dark). Car is also easy to park since it has a 360 degree camera!
After having the car for 2 weeks we feel that we have made the right choice. A car with similar features from a Japanese brand would cost $20K more and a German one would be double the price! Kia also comes with capped price servicing for 7 years!
I’m a Kia owner. Get over it – After much research for over a year, I changed from wanting a second hand Discovery or Audi Q7 to purchasing the Kia Sorento GT-Line, and I’m glad I did. Ask me 5 years ago if I’d have purchased a Kia, let alone any car made in South Korea I’d have likely punched you in the face. It took a lot of reading, MANY test drives and some sleepless… Read more
nights grappling with becoming a Kia owner, but common sense kept putting the Kia on top of the list.
This is the first brand new car I’ve ever bought. I’ve always owned Holden’s and Fords, an archaic mindset that others should be released from the shackles. I thought if I’m going to buy a Kia, it has to be the best damn one they’ve got. So I went the GT-Line variant.
The Kia is a pleasant surprise.we have two small kids, there is ample room and the quality of the interior is good, leather seats are comfortable and the overall feel is refined. There is enough torque down low in the 2.2 Diesel engine to give it some punch, but is very good on fuel. I’m very happy I bought the diesel.
When it came down to what cars I was going to buy it was between the Mazda CX-9 and this one. The Mazda, also a very good car just didnt compete in included extras. The Kia has heated seat and steering wheel, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, GPS, huge sunroof, lane departure warnings, cross traffic warnings and I’m probably forgetting a couple but to have received all that in the Mazda I’d have spent an extra $20K on top of the Kia.
With that a 7 year warranty, capped price servicing and an all over smart vehicle the Kia won hands down.
The only thing I wished I’d have done was to wait for the 2018 model which comes with an updated package and even more extras such as Apple play. If I’m going to gripe about anything, and that is the wheels, they look terrible and I’m considering buying new ones, or powder coating them. Also the grille is a bit how’s your father. One thing they’ve improved on the new model.
Anyway, I can’t recommend this vehicle enough. If you’re having second thoughts in buying a Killed In Action then leave them at the sales yard door. It really is a good vehicle and I’m very happy we went down this route. Good luck with your search!
April 2019 - I’ve now owned this vehicle for 2 years. Have not had one issue with it, I still stand by everything in the original post.
Amazing car! Best automobile decision – Great performer on road, Highway drive provides me a great fuel economy too. Apple play not available even in the top most model (GT version), Only disappointment I have! Never an issue and the 7-year warranty is the best in market anyway. Interiors dual tone could be extended into other colours to attract more attention. Show details
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Another complaint. Sensors are faulty, it's so far taken a month for Kia to still not get to me… Read more (+1 reply)