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Congrats on the new purchase. KIA has definitely come a long way and is headed in the right direction with consumers. Taking a look at the interior in a new Sorento and it looks to be pretty well done:
In regards to the JD Power information Jeep is once again down near the bottom and not a real surprise. I'm still cross shopping the new RDX with the Grand Cherokee (a slightly odd comparison I know) and just can't bring myself to believe that dropping close to $50k on a Chrysler is going to be a good idea. However I really like the new GC overall as another 5 seater option but again I don't want to deal with problems that appear to be plaguing these vehicles along with their less than stellar dealer network.
"and just can't bring myself to believe that dropping close to $50k on a Chrysler "
I test drove the Grand Cherokee when I was shopping the 2013 RDX, and I loved the interior (great fit & finish and materials) and the ride. Passenger seat was fully adjustable. It had a greater towing capacity than the Acura, but the Jeep 6 cylinder was not exciting, and the V-8 was fast, but a gas hog. At the end of the day I said exactly what you said "$50K on a Chrysler?". Even after the $4k to $5K discount on the Jeep, I could not buy it. I still look at them and sit in them, but I won't buy one. I will look at the Infinity QX-70. They have a 328HP engine that should be fun.
hand-filer....Congrats on your new Sorento! I have to agree that the Koreans have made lots of progress in the last few years and their designs are really nice.
Hopefully you will stick around and contribute to this forum....The same I am still doing despite having traded my TL for a non TLX
Hey Weather thanks! I took my Dad for a ride today. He's an 86 year old car nut and is now a KIA fan.
Originally Posted by weather
hand-filer....Congrats on your new Sorento! I have to agree that the Koreans have made lots of progress in the last few years and their designs are really nice.
Hopefully you will stick around and contribute to this forum....The same I am still doing despite having traded my TL for a non TLX
Kia has come along impressively in the past few years, with innovative products, improved reliability, and increasing sales to match. With all that said, I was shocked to discover that a fully tricked-out 2016 Sorrento would cost about as much as an RDX. Is the Sorrento priced too high -- or is the RDX a bargain?
Kia has come along impressively in the past few years, with innovative products, improved reliability, and increasing sales to match. With all that said, I was shocked to discover that a fully tricked-out 2016 Sorrento would cost about as much as an RDX. Is the Sorrento priced too high -- or is the RDX a bargain?
Both IMO. although I would imagine the Sorento has more negotiating room in the price.
I consider the Sorento to be the better bargain.
More feature content, better fit and finish, better infotainment interface, better ride, better looking inside and out, quieter, better warranty etc, etc.
The RDX didn't live up to my expectations and at the end of the day if you're not happy with your ride get rid of it and move on. So I did.
Kia has come along impressively in the past few years, with innovative products, improved reliability, and increasing sales to match. With all that said, I was shocked to discover that a fully tricked-out 2016 Sorrento would cost about as much as an RDX. Is the Sorrento priced too high -- or is the RDX a bargain?
The sorento is actually priced very competitively, in fact somewhat of a bargain in its' class. It has more features than a Toyota highlander and looks better, but is 4-6k less. The RDX is supposed to be Acura's entry level SUV and IMHO is over priced.
Has anybody looked at comparable resale values for both vehicles?
It's too early to say for 2016 models, or even 2015 accurately. But if you look at ownership costs for 2014 models, the Sorento is clearly the better value.
Below is a comparison of the loaded 2014 models. It's not a good comparison from a content perspective because the Sorento has a lot more features included at the price. Operating costs per mile are essentially the same, and there is less than $100 difference in the 5-year TCO. Note the Kia has lower maintenance and repair costs.
Considering the 2016 RDX is a refresh while the Sorento is all new, it's safe to assume the value equation will shift even more in Kia's favor.
The Japanese brands seem to have poo-poo'd the Koreans as serious competition. The domestics brands looked at Honda and Toyota similarly a couple generations ago, and Lexus didn't appear to be any real threat to the Germans once upon a time. Funny how things change.
It's too early to say for 2016 models, or even 2015 accurately. But if you look at ownership costs for 2014 models, the Sorento is clearly the better value.
Below is a comparison of the loaded 2014 models. It's not a good comparison from a content perspective because the Sorento has a lot more features included at the price. Operating costs per mile are essentially the same, and there is less than $100 difference in the 5-year TCO. Note the Kia has lower maintenance and repair costs.
Considering the 2016 RDX is a refresh while the Sorento is all new, it's safe to assume the value equation will shift even more in Kia's favor.
The Japanese brands seem to have poo-poo'd the Koreans as serious competition. The domestics brands looked at Honda and Toyota similarly a couple generations ago, and Lexus didn't appear to be any real threat to the Germans once upon a time. Funny how things change.
Where I live, the RDX has lost approximately 25% of the value in the first year, the Kia sorento has lost around 35-40%. So not quite sure, but after about 5-10 years, I can bet that the RDX will hold better resale value UNLESS Kia and Hyundai have a dramatic change in public perception and therefor altering even past resale values.
I haven't yet sat in a 2016 sorento, but judging by pics and reviews, interior quality looks stunning, they have soft touch all over the dash and even all the way down the doors. The seats look amazing and the features and overall upscale fit and finish is really nice as well.
I have no issues with driving either a Kia or a Hyundai, but find the idea of the K900 beating the Mercedes s-class a little hard to swallow. I know Kia has been working HARD and the new Hyundai Genesis is honestly nothing short of opulence, but really....s-class lost?
I stopped in at a friends yesterday. He's a car enthusiast much like myself but with a disposable income that allows him to buy pretty much whatever he wants. He has a new Escalade on order and currently owns a 2015 Tahoe.
I took him for a ride and his comments were wow and wow and a few more wows. I think he was pretty blown away by the interior.
I'm still in discovery mode and having a blast in the process.
I'm averaging 19.6 MPG (US) 100% city driving thus far. Lots of stop and go for break-in and getting into the boost once in a while.
I stopped in at a friends yesterday. He's a car enthusiast much like myself but with a disposable income that allows him to buy pretty much whatever he wants. He has a new Escalade on order and currently owns a 2015 Tahoe.
I took him for a ride and his comments were wow and wow and a few more wows. I think he was pretty blown away by the interior.
I'm still in discovery mode and having a blast in the process.
I'm averaging 19.6 MPG (US) 100% city driving thus far. Lots of stop and go for break-in and getting into the boost once in a while.
Ugh I need to go drop by the dealership already! I really want to see and TOUCH the new Sorento interior so badly it isn't even funny. Just been too busy and sick (never take health fore granted ever). It looks stunning in pictures and quality reports have been really really good.
I hope you feel better soon. As a cancer survivor I can relate to your sage advice.
Originally Posted by RDX10
Ugh I need to go drop by the dealership already! I really want to see and TOUCH the new Sorento interior so badly it isn't even funny. Just been too busy and sick (never take health fore granted ever). It looks stunning in pictures and quality reports have been really really good.
I hope you feel better soon. As a cancer survivor I can relate to your sage advice.
Thank you very much! I am glad you beat cancer and I hope you will never ever go through that again and that no one has to either. I swear money cannot buy happiness, if I was given 1 million dollars right now, it wouldn't make me any happier honestly.
Just completed the deal on a 2016 Sorento SX 2.0T.
I tried my best to like the RDX but the rough noisy ride has been a sore point from the beginning and Acura is never going to come through with a fix let alone acknowledge that there is an issue.
Lessons were learned in that a 10-20 minute test drive is not long enough. I had a loaner for an entire day and put it through it's paces before I signed off on the deal.
I really like the KIA for it's quiet comfortable ride, features and upscale interior. It feels real solid! I'm also kinda partial to the styling.
Some might find it strange to go from an Acura to a KIA and that's fine. It's never been about brand cachet, I just buy what I like and hopefully it works out for the best. The KIA feels pretty darn upscale by the way.
It's been over a month now since your purchase. Any surprises or disappointments?
How would you rate Sorento's I-4 cylinder turbo engine vs. RDX's V6 engine?
Are the front ventilated seats similar or better than the RDX ventilated seats?
It's been over a month now since your purchase. Any surprises or disappointments?
How would you rate Sorento's I-4 cylinder turbo engine vs. RDX's V6 engine?
Are the front ventilated seats similar or better than the RDX ventilated seats?
There is no denying that the Honda V6 is a very good motor, VCM aside. The RDX was indeed a bit quicker but it's also around 400 pounds lighter.
The 2.0 Turbo's strong point is torque and overall it's a pretty smooth engine all the way to redline. Fuel economy has been better than expected and overall no regrets with this choice.
I cant speak for the RDX ventilated seats, they seem to function fairly well in the Sorento. How quickly they begin to provide a cooling effect is dependent on the temperature inside the vehicle. Typically I am feeling the relief in about 2 minutes and I find myself turning the control down to the 1st or 2nd setting after about 5 minutes.The AC is very good and cools the interior down quickly.
The Kia Sorento is definitely a good competitor compared to RDX. Many people here are correct. Kia has come a long way in terms of a competitive auto maker; however, they are not quite where they should be.
The following are my advice to new Kia owners (coming from driving Acura). My apologies in advance if I sound too critical.
1. Kia Paint - Kia is very very prone to rusting. If you get a rock chip, whether it is surface or down to bare metal, fill and fix it right away or else you will see evidence of rust within weeks.
2. Tires - Kia has a tendency to include very cheap tires. The Nexen CP671 on the Kia Forte are the WORST tires I have ever own. They are so bad that Nexen should be put out of business. When installed and properly inflated, they are dangerous on light snow, rain, they are suicidal on ice, and provides poor handling even on dry roads. I am not sure if AWD can get you out of trouble if you have poor tires.
3. Handling - Kia cars are not designed as performance cars like Acura. Unlike Acuras, the stock cars can reach their handling limit very quickly. In other words, if your Acura can make it through the hairpin turn, don't expect a Kia can do the same without your passengers screaming for dear life.
4. Service / Maintenance - Double check all work done at the dealerships. I heard bad stories. Take note of tire pressure and torque on rim lug nuts.
5. Warranty - Read the fine print on warranty. Some parts are covered longer and some are not. Furthermore, their logistics on replacement parts might not be as good as Acuras. We had the reverse camera died on us during warranty and it took Kia almost 2 months to get the part in because it was backordered. A happy ending is that the replacement camera was an improvement over the first one; nevertheless it was a bit frustrating.
At end, the Kia Sorento is a great car and I am sure it will bring lots of enjoyment for you. When you become bored of it, you can always come back to Acura
The Kia Sorento is definitely a good competitor compared to RDX. Many people here are correct. Kia has come a long way in terms of a competitive auto maker; however, they are not quite where they should be. Neither is Acura.
The following are my advice to new Kia owners (coming from driving Acura). My apologies in advance if I sound too critical. No problem, we're all entitled to our opinions
1. Kia Paint - Kia is very very prone to rusting. If you get a rock chip, whether it is surface or down to bare metal, fill and fix it right away or else you will see evidence of rust within weeks. My coworker has a 2013 Sorento, the paint is mint.
2. Tires - Kia has a tendency to include very cheap tires. The Nexen CP671 on the Kia Forte are the WORST tires I have ever own. They are so bad that Nexen should be put out of business. When installed and properly inflated, they are dangerous on light snow, rain, they are suicidal on ice, and provides poor handling even on dry roads. I am not sure if AWD can get you out of trouble if you have poor tires.
3. Handling - Kia cars are not designed as performance cars like Acura. Unlike Acuras, the stock cars can reach their handling limit very quickly. In other words, if your Acura can make it through the hairpin turn, don't expect a Kia can do the same without your passengers screaming for dear life.
4. Service / Maintenance - Double check all work done at the dealerships. I heard bad stories. Take note of tire pressure and torque on rim lug nuts. The Sorento comes equipped with Michelin Premier LTX tires, not a cheap tire.Having owned both I'd say the Sorento is the superior handling vehicle, neither is stellar.I like that the electric assist is applied at the rack rather than at the steering column, it provides better feedback and doesn't feel as numb on center.I also prefer the lockable AWD to the reactive AWD which doesn't react all too well in the winter.
5. Warranty - Read the fine print on warranty. Some parts are covered longer and some are not. Furthermore, their logistics on replacement parts might not be as good as Acuras. We had the reverse camera died on us during warranty and it took Kia almost 2 months to get the part in because it was backordered. A happy ending is that the replacement camera was an improvement over the first one; nevertheless it was a bit frustrating. I've read it in its entirety; I'm okay with it.
At end, the Kia Sorento is a great car and I am sure it will bring lots of enjoyment for you. When you become bored of it, you can always come back to Acura Highly unlikely given my experiences with the RDX.
These are my opinions at this time and they may also change over time.
Talked with ex-girlfriend today. She called to say she was buying a new car (Nissan) because of problem with her 2013 Sorento...frame broke!!!! I doubt this is common issue, but it does raise questions. I didn't see it but she said dealer said it was a clean break all the way through right side frame member. Said they've never seen anything like it before. No damage evident to frame, just broke. Dealership sells Nissan also, so they gave her option they would fix car under warranty or give her generous trade toward new vehicle. Weird issue for sure.
With that said, I did have to repair the frame of a 1960's vintage Mercury (full size) whose frame separated from corrosion. We used steel plates and bolts to repair the car so he could drive it to the junk yard.
Talked with ex-girlfriend today. She called to say she was buying a new car (Nissan) because of problem with her 2013 Sorento...frame broke!!!! I doubt this is common issue, but it does raise questions. I didn't see it but she said dealer said it was a clean break all the way through right side frame member. Said they've never seen anything like it before. No damage evident to frame, just broke. Dealership sells Nissan also, so they gave her option they would fix car under warranty or give her generous trade toward new vehicle. Weird issue for sure.
Tell her to file a complaint with NHTSA. That's a serious safety issue if it actually happened. For the record hers would be the first with that issue.
Tell her to file a complaint with NHTSA. That's a serious safety issue if it actually happened. For the record hers would be the first with that issue.
First of all, your insinuation that I made this up is obvious and expected from you.
Second, if you try a search you will find that there are numerous complaints of older products
having frame issues. Doesn't mean newer products have same issue.
Her car was 10 yrs old and falls into the search results timeframe.
First of all, your insinuation that I made this up is obvious and expected from you.
Second, if you try a search you will find that there are numerous complaints of older products
having frame issues. Doesn't mean newer products have same issue.
Her car was 10 yrs old and falls into the search results timeframe.
06-19-2015, 07:17 AM
