Anyone have a KIA sorrento?

travelmad

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Anyone use one for towing? How do you find it? Been researching for hours, and there seems to be loads of really positive reviews! What kind of trouble have you had? Thanks
 
We are on our second Sorrento and love them, we don't find them brill for 4wd capabilities but great for towing. We tow an Equitrek with 595 kg and 475kg horses on board and it pulls a treat. We are now in a quandary as to what to replace ours with, as sadly the new shape Sorrento is a "sporty" design and it's towing capabilities have been reduced dramatically. Fabby value for money as well!
 
i do too, no problems, but it doesn't do very many mpg, its an auto though, if I were to get another it would be a manual.
 
I've a 57 plate Sorrento that I have had from new. It tows an Ifor Williams 110 with my 17.2 aboard, plus it's also used to tow a large caravan (Bailey Unicorn). I find its an excellent towing vehicle. We've had virtually no trouble with ours other than a glitch when the gearbox reverse selector fork went, but the main dealer said that it was the only one they had ever had with the problem (Internet search backs that up because it seems very rare on the Sorrento).

The older models like mine tow up to 3.5 ton but I understand the new models have a lower towing capacity.

I would definately buy one again without a moments hesitation.

Hope that helps.
 
I have one. It's a 2004 plate. Tows 3tonnes I am informed. Brilliant for towing but not so good 4wd unless you change the tyres for decent all terrain ones. I have Goodridge's on mine now and the difference is startling. I have an equitrek and it doesn't know it's there with 2 Arabs aboard. Mine is an auto and I am getting about 28MPH towing and a bit more without
 
oh and believe the towing capacity of mine to be 2800kg, should tell you on the plate under the bonnet i think
 
Hmm I have been thinking about upsizing to one of these but I thought they were comparatively not too bad fuel wise? Any alternative cars to investigate? I liked the look of Kia as I could afford one about 8 years old and I know it will have been looked after for 7 years in warranty, history would be a bit more mysterious with another make...
 
I just swapped my 05 plated Renault Grand scenic 1600 unleaded for a Kia Sorento 2.5 litre Diesel automatic and it's better on fuel than my Scenic!!!!! But it's a bit thirsty when towing x
 
Hi, my mam owns one tows my trailer up and down the country with out Equi trek space treka L which is no light trailer and never misses a beat so I think there really good towing vehicles which we bought it for :) and she has the automatic gearbox in it which I think helps in towing Hope this helps
 
I have one. A 54 plate XE auto. Good tow car, relatively nice to drive compared to some other 4x4's I've owned.

They are generally though to be pretty reliable although I have had a few issues with mine - knackered turbo, clogged egr valve, leaking autobox sump and a few other issues which have cost me over £2k in the last 4 months to sort. I think I'm just unlucky though!
 
Fab cars, although do need to find older ones for the towing capacity. Broke down recently & had to get recovered, recovery driver said he doesn't pick many up & when he does its usually something simple, he was right - water had got in fuel filter, frozen & cracked it, back on road within the hour & very little money spent.
Tows brilliantly too.
 
Ours was an absolute nightmare. We bought it from a franchised dealer with a warranty and a brand new MoT. Luckily we found out it was a death trap before it let us down and before the warranty expired. It would have taken over £5k to sort, about what it cost to buy. There is a known fault with
 
Sorry phone!

With the prop shaft and universal joint. There were several people who had experienced similar issues on the owners forum.

Frighteningly the dealer took it back and chucked it into an auction so it is still out there somewhere.
 
I have an '04 reg XS manual. Love it. In the couple of years that I've had it I've only had to have oil filter replaced (touching wood I haven't jinxed it!!)
I couldn't tell you what I get fuel wise MPG. It was a noticeable difference after a little hatchback but when I compared overall running costs with friend who as a Range Rover I came out on top. I checked out quite a lot of reviews etc when I was looking & for my money it worked out overall the best for me
 
07 Diesel auto here.Towed an Ifor 505,2 ponies,4 people and all the associated stuff out of a muddy field many a time with no effort at all.I love mine and have had it a year now.
 
06 Diesel Auto here. Was supposed to be our towing/winter car but since my mini blew up, it's my every day car too. Am spending a full twice as much on fuel (weekly bill £100 compared to £50 in the mini), so reckon it averages 20mpg when not towing.

Haven't actually towed a horse with it (still learning, first attempt tomorrow!) but towing it empty is easy peasy and it's a nice comfy car with all the mod cons (leather/heated seats, electric windows, a/c etc) and loads of space, for not much money. Would recommend!
 
Thanks everyone. I think I will go for an 04 or 05 - on the grounds that 03 was the first year and there are always first year niggles! That should give me 2800 towing capacity, and the official fuel economy is not bad for those years ... Got to be better than the 21 year old pajero I have been driving! Tax and insurance also seem pretty good.

So next question.... Manual or automatic??? :) I went automatic last time as I was afraid I didn't know enough bout towing and needed an automatic... But would manual be more fuel efficient?
 
I have an auto but I would definitely have a manual next time. I don't feel as much in control in icy conditions with the auto. For towing though, if that is all you do with it, the auto is the better of the two IMO.
 
The manual is considerably better fuel economy, lower insurance and half the road tax (£270ish) than the automatic (£440ish). Manual tows 2.8 tonnes and automatic tows 3.5 tonnes. The manual one I have has a manual option to go from 2wd to 4wd but some have automatic 2/4wd selection as necessary. So select the features that are important to you!
 
The manual is considerably better fuel economy, lower insurance and half the road tax (£270ish) than the automatic (£440ish). Manual tows 2.8 tonnes and automatic tows 3.5 tonnes. The manual one I have has a manual option to go from 2wd to 4wd but some have automatic 2/4wd selection as necessary. So select the features that are important to you!

I have just taxed my auto and it was £270 not £440
 
Literally just bought one - got it last Friday. 03 plate diesel manual. Not sure of spec. We've only heard good things about them. Friend has one and raves about it. He does a lot of towing of calves etc and says its brilliant.

Went hunting in it on Sat and it towed really well. Ours is only for short journeys - OH to go 8 mile round trip to work every day and me to use for hunting etc.

So far so good. Although we have lost trailer key so trailer still hitched on after Sat!!! OH has had to go to work with trailer as well today!!
 
We have an 04 plate and it is great- tows really well, even with my 18hh horse.

We are getting a brand new one this year- think it will hit forecourts next month so hopefully test driving in the next few weeks :)
 
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