Kia Sorrento


The Kia Sorrento is a modern, stylish, SUV with a 2.2-litre diesel engine that has a turbo to give it additional power and speed. Modern versions have tinted back windows with touchscreen radio on the dashboard with Bluetooth capability. They are sleek cars with a well-shaped chassis that makes them similar in usability to the Mazda CX series and Nissan Qashqai.

What Leads to the Low Resale Value?

With list prices of over £30,000 for even the most basic model, rising to nearly £43,000, this vehicle is expensive and this is reflected by the large number of discount deals available. If you have bought one from new it will depreciate at a very fast rate. Some studies have reported that the car depreciates by about 42% over the first three years. This means you will get a used vehicle at a much lower price. Eventually, these vehicles get to a level where the depreciation rate becomes much lower, and investing in a used car will allow you to enjoy this benefit.

The Difference in Price between New and Old?

The price of a used car will depend on the mileage. For £18000, the vehicle would have covered about 50,000 miles. For £32,000, you might get a top of the range model which would have covered about 3,000 miles - a saving off list price of over £10,000!

Performance on the Road

The car can reach 60 miles per hour from zero in 9.6 seconds, meaning that it is a good performer on the road, and is quite fast. It has a very effective suspension system; however, it does have a firm ride feel, and it has a bad steering feel.

Fuel Economy

The Kia Sorrento has a claimed consumption of 41.5 miles per gallon for the 2.2l diesel engine which makes it about average amongst cars of it's class.

Reliability

Around 20% of owners have reported problems in their first year of ownership. However the seven years warranty should mean that any faults within this period should be rectified by the manufacturer.

Cons of Owning a Secondhand Kia Sorrento

The resale values are quite low, despite the long warranty. This should even out over time though. As an SUV the one that you are looking to buy may have been roughly treated and used extensively off-road so some knowledge of it's past would be useful before you part with any cash.

Why Buy One?

The price is extremely attractive, given that the vehicle has a reasonable reliability record. It's a four-wheel drive, and it has modern technology on its dashboard, giving you many of the luxuries that are found in modern cars. The space with the van-like load bay is a plus.

Conclusion

A used Kia Sorrento could be good purchase because of its affordable price. Just make sure that it has been looked after well in the past: an AA inspection may be a good investment. If the dealer won't allow this then look elsewhere.