If you are a “middle income” family, is buying a Kia a good idea? The increasingly stylish looking Kias have something of the Skoda about them; appealing to the car buyer lead by their head rather than what the neighbours might say.
But for this strategy to work, the cars also need to be good value in terms of running costs, have gadget-laden specifications and be enjoyable to own.
On a daily commute you will find that the Sorento diesel engine is a little agricultural at low speed, but on the motorway refinement improves and you will never want for power. It also gives you 42 MPG.
The gear change feels a bit cheap, but it’s about the only thing that does. The buttons are all Volkswagen-like, as are the quality plastics and while it may seem like an odd thing to be affected by, I was impressed by the quality of the boot carpet. Like a salesman whose shoes are so well-buffed they reflect the sun into your eyes, I felt it showed a level of commitment to quality.
On the open road, don’t be tricked by the quality ride, it is unwise to enter a corner too quickly because the steering feels a little disconnected and things will get choppy pretty fast if you are over-ambitous. But then the Sorento is not meant to be a sports car.
There is excellent head and leg room all round and the driving position is totally adjustable. It’s a big car, with the kind of generous boot that a family needs. Despite it’s size and swoopy-but-sharp-edged design, all round visibility is good (helped by big mirrors) which means supermarket parking is no problem.
Gadget-wise, I have only one complaint. Even the entry level has air conditioning as standard. The KX-2 specification has climate control and oh-so-soft leather seats that really start to make you feel like you are in a premium car. My one gripe is with the most fundamental gadget – the radio. Which cuts out a lot in inner cities, it’s wildly irritating (happens in all the current Kias) and can’t be that hard for an international car company to fix.
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| Kia Sorento dash |
Kia Sorento boot |
That aside, the Sorento works as a family wagon on a day-to-day basis and I suspect it would be as enjoyable to own as something like the surprisingly pleasant Peugeot 4007. But how will your wallet fair?
I worry that Kia may be being disingenuous with their 7 year ‘manufacturing defect’ warranty. I don’t believe they will deal with a claim for – let’s say – a leaking shock absorber in the same way if the car is 5 years old compared to a 5 month old car. The latter will be paid for without quibble I should think, but at 5 years old owners could be disappointed to hear the problem is wear and tear, not a manufacturing defect.
Only time will tell if running a Kia for 7 years is actually cheaper in terms of repair bills than anything else. But there can be no denying that it says something confident about their manufacturing quality which should not be dismissed.
So, should Mr and Mr Jones buy it, or like Mr and Mrs Smith next door, a more credible badge like Nissan’s Qash Qai? Well, it rather comes down to price...
What’s the market like?
A new Sorento is £20,000 - £28,000 and after 3 years will be worth around £12,000. When this new model reaches 3 years old, there will probably be around 500 on the used market at any one time and their depreciation will continue to hover between 13 and 19% per annum. So if you buy a new, or nearly new one now, you shouldn’t have a problem selling it on. But the second owner probably gets the better value deal.
What else can this budget buy?
A nearly new Sorento will be £1,500 - £3,000 more than a Peugeot 4007. But then if you sell it when it’s 3 years old, the Sorento will be will be about £1,000 less. So overall, your depreciation bill will be a lot bigger.
Likewise a Nissan QashQai+2 is in the same price bracket but is cheaper nearly new and usually hangs on to a bit more value over a couple of years.
Summary
A good value, large 4x4 that now looks stylish too.