Used Kia Sorento 2020-present reliability
Category: Large SUV
The Kia Sorento exceeds in many areas, especially practicality, economy and equipment. It's a great used buy
What should I look for in a used Kia Sorento 4x4?
On the whole, the Sorento is a solid and sensible large SUV, usually bought by people who look after their cars well. Check the interior for signs of wear and tear and the alloy wheels for any kerb damage.
What are the most common problems with a used Kia Sorento 4x4?
As of writing, the current Sorento has experienced the following recalls.
Reason for recall
The High-Pressure Electric Oil Pump within the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault.
Reason for recall
A fault has been identified in the manufacture of the front L/H seatbelt pre-tensioner.
Reason for recall
Poor moulding of the plastic fuel tank by a temporary supplier can lead to a potential fuel leak.
Check with your local Kia dealer that all remedial work has been carried out on these recalls.
Is a used Kia Sorento 4x4 reliable?
The current Sorento finsihded in seventh place out of 12 cars in the 7-seater class in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey. That's an impressive result, and a good indication of how this latest generation should hold up over time.
Kia as a brand performed well in the survey, too. It finished 12th out of 34 manufacturers featured with a good overall score of 93.4%.
Used Kia Sorento reliability: the owners' view
As part of our annual Reliability Survey, What Car? readers reported largely positive experiences with the reliability of the Sorento, with both petrol and diesel models earning praise.
Many owners highlighted the car's dependable performance, with relatively few incidents of mechanical or electrical faults. Where issues did arise, they were typically minor; for example, they were mainly glitches in the infotainment system and therefore they did not significantly affect the driving experience.
Dealer service also received favourable feedback, with many readers commending Kia’s efficiency and professionalism in handling repairs. The seven-year warranty was often mentioned as a reassuring factor, and several owners appreciated the minimal cost of any necessary fixes due to warranty coverage. A few readers noted minor delays in parts availability, but these instances were not widespread.
Overall, owners described the Sorento as a reliable and well-supported choice, with Kia’s dealer network providing attentive and effective service for any issues that arose.
