[Chief Wanabee]

I took some time last night to have a look through the new vehicle intros for the Detroit Auto Show. This Kia was one of the very few that wasn't just plain ugly - in fact I think it looks great. I see design elements of Jaguar, which is a pretty good place to copy design from. It's based on the Genesis large platform, so it's a big car by today's standards - bigger than what I'd need or want.

Would I ever own a Kia? I don't know... there's a few things that would concern me. Beyond the depreciation, is the dealer experience. I doubt that Kia and Hyundai are really prepared to offer a sales and service experience that reflects a $52k sticker. My shopping experience from a couple years ago says no...and that was in the $35k zone, looking at SUVs.

[flyingn]

sorry. This vs the Kia..

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFhWAWzTqb...ang-GT350R.JPG

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by flyingn

For the price of the Kia you could buy a NEW GT350 mustang with the flat plane crank 8500 rpm v8! LOL

Totally different use case. As much as I'd like it to be, a GT350 is not a car I could use daily with my family.

[vidguy]

I am in the market for modern car after driving the 75 Formula for the last 7 or 8 years. Thinking Mid SUV. I went and test drove the Kia Sorrento SX Limited AWD as well as others, Honda, Audi, Ford, Infiniti.
Kia offered for the top of the line Sorrento. $42,000ish.
I agree the sales treatment was like going to Sears compared to Audi where you first talk to a "Product Specialist" read summer College intern young lady. Or Toyota where they had an entire Cafe. We walked into the Toyota Dealership and smelled... BACON!! Dayam...
I asked a family at the table waiting if they could walk out of a car dealership that smelled like Bacon..

I actually liked it. The V6 had good power.

It has all the features of cars costing $5-$10k more. Infotainment actually is easy to use with logical sensible knobs and real buttons for climate control..

Seats were good. Good room in the second heated seats row for pals.
Styling SO-SO.
Drove nice, good power safety features. Long Warranty, Actually rated well by owners on all the car and research sites... but I just can't get past the Badge..

Compare it to the Toyota Highlander and the KIA has added safety and convenience features and some other niceties for the same money.
Was quoted $42,400 for a 2016 Highlander Limited Platinum (loaded)
$42,100 for the Kia Sorento SXL AWD (loaded)

The Kia had heated rear seats, Lane correction, not just warning, Pano Moonroof, Android Auto and Carplay (i think that makes the navigation and info part of infotainment somewhat future proof) 360 camera, nicer appointments inside then the Highlander which I thought seemed to exhibit a higher amount of hard surfaces. And the 10 Year warranty.
But the Toyota is a Toyota.. 3yr/36mo warranty.

The Kia does seem like a good value proposition. If you find their recent cars rated poorly by owners, I'd like to see that data.
Yes you take the Depreciation Hit. But you pay less up-front for the same product as far as features are concerned.
I see research that indicates owner frustration with both KIA and Toyota in terms of warranty service.

My wife says Buy the Kia if I like it, But I can't pull the trigger...

[flyingn]

Toyota vs. Kia? wow. Its not even a comparison. If the Kia was $10k less, maybe. Wait till you see what happens during trade in time. NO ONE wants a used Kia

[Will]

For that money I'd much rather have a low mileage Lexus is-f

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by vidguy

I am in the market for modern car after driving the 75 Formula for the last 7 or 8 years. Thinking Mid SUV. I went and test drove the Kia Sorrento SX Limited AWD as well as others, Honda, Audi, Ford, Infiniti.
Kia offered for the top of the line Sorrento. $42,000ish.
I agree the sales treatment was like going to Sears compared to Audi where you first talk to a "Product Specialist" read summer College intern young lady. Or Toyota where they had an entire Cafe. We walked into the Toyota Dealership and smelled... BACON!! Dayam...
I asked a family at the table waiting if they could walk out of a car dealership that smelled like Bacon..

I actually liked it. The V6 had good power.

It has all the features of cars costing $5-$10k more. Infotainment actually is easy to use with logical sensible knobs and real buttons for climate control..

Seats were good. Good room in the second heated seats row for pals.
Styling SO-SO.
Drove nice, good power safety features. Long Warranty, Actually rated well by owners on all the car and research sites... but I just can't get past the Badge..

Compare it to the Toyota Highlander and the KIA has added safety and convenience features and some other niceties for the same money.
Was quoted $42,400 for a 2016 Highlander Limited Platinum (loaded)
$42,100 for the Kia Sorento SXL AWD (loaded)

The Kia had heated rear seats, Lane correction, not just warning, Pano Moonroof, Android Auto and Carplay (i think that makes the navigation and info part of infotainment somewhat future proof) 360 camera, nicer appointments inside then the Highlander which I thought seemed to exhibit a higher amount of hard surfaces. And the 10 Year warranty.
But the Toyota is a Toyota.. 3yr/36mo warranty.

The Kia does seem like a good value proposition. If you find their recent cars rated poorly by owners, I'd like to see that data.
Yes you take the Depreciation Hit. But you pay less up-front for the same product as far as features are concerned.
I see research that indicates owner frustration with both KIA and Toyota in terms of warranty service.

My wife says Buy the Kia if I like it, But I can't pull the trigger...

Consider a slightly used car?
Log onto the CarMax website and look at the 2015 Lexus RX350. Less than 30K miles and between $30/35K.

[vidguy]

Thanks David.
I have looked at the used RX. Great vehicle with great reliability.. We went to Carmax as you suggested and it was a good experience because you can walk the lot and get into every vehicle without a salesperson following you.
We checked out a variety.

Lightly used may be what I do...

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by David Jones

Consider a slightly used car?
Log onto the CarMax website and look at the 2015 Lexus RX350. Less than 30K miles and between $30/35K.

I've done the 'lightly used' thing with Toyota trucks....and it works for me. I end up keeping them 15-25 years and they just keep running and running. No reason to pay retail and take the depreciation hit. Last year picked up a loaded '05 Tundra 4x4 with 61k miles for less than half the original price. It does everything well, and is the same size as the new Tacomas, but with much better interior room and seating. The new Tundras are just too damn big for what I do (4x4 camping). Kia has upped their game, much like Datsun and Toyota and Honda did 35-40 years ago. The market is still there. I understand that Kia's main stylist came to them from Audi, which would explain the excellent styling of their sportier offerings. Have a few co-workers who bought new Kias, drove them for 100k miles without issue, and traded them in for another one. Works for them. I like Toyotas, though, and feel that a Toyota with 200k on the clock is a better vehicle with more life left in it than a Kia or Hyundai with half that mileage...and as a mechanic who has worked on them all, this pretty much bears out all the time. I would never, ever, buy a new Kia SUV that was priced the same as a similar Toyota product.....In two years, there will be no comparison between the two in quality or value, and as stated, check the resale numbers on even 10 year old Toyotas. Ten year old Kias? They're in the boneyards, not still on the road.

[mgarblik]

Originally Posted by flyingn

Toyota vs. Kia? wow. Its not even a comparison. If the Kia was $10k less, maybe. Wait till you see what happens during trade in time. NO ONE wants a used Kia

My advice if you are serious about buying a Hyundai or Kia is to go out and drive a used one with 35-50K miles on it first. It is eye opening and just incredible how fast they disintegrate.
I don't mean they quit and leave you stuck on the side of the road necessarily. It's just that the seats break down, the ride quality goes away, electronic gear has weird glitches or quits entirely. Like I said in an earlier post, it's like these cars are just a facsimile of the cars they try to imitate. By the time the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty is up the car is a throw away. A lease may be a decent option, after 3 years there is still some car left. Honda and Toyota are just much tougher and much better quality in each and every tiny piece they are made of. Not a personal fan of them either, but they do at least hold up.

[Jim Doran]

Originally Posted by vidguy

I am in the market for modern car after driving the 75 Formula for the last 7 or 8 years. Thinking Mid SUV. I went and test drove the Kia Sorrento SX Limited AWD as well as others, Honda, Audi, Ford, Infiniti.

My wife says Buy the Kia if I like it, But I can't pull the trigger...

A Kia Sorento ? Really ? How do you go from your formula to a marshmallow SUV.

Man up and buy a muscle car or sports car. Don't care what brand, or 2 door or 4 door, but sheesh, Why not just buy a camry, honda, or subaru, or worse, a pickup truck as your daily driver, if your resigned to driving a turd daily.

OK, I'm better now.

[70 bird]

52k?? no way. mustang gt with a coyote 435hp.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by 70 bird

52k?? no way. mustang gt with a coyote 435hp.

Not a 4dr performance sedan as previously mentioned.

But I agree, $52,000 for any Kia is too much.

If you were going to go with a Pony Car to $52,000, why settle for a Mustang?

Go with a 50th anniversary 50th anniversary Camaro convertible with 455 HP for less than $52 grand...

[BDHABT]

Originally Posted by Captainofiron

+1

I have a Hyundai Veloster Turbo as my daily driver and its great on gas and when I need to the turbo kicks in and pulls hard

quality is so so, but definitely better than the interior on my 97 WS6 haha

My wife has the same car;loves it.

She's had it for 44k;no issues.

After being at the same independent garage for the last 25 years,I would much rather work on/own a Hyundai or Kia than ANYTHING European;now those are some first class junks.

[David Jones]

Originally Posted by 70 bird

52k?? no way. mustang gt with a coyote 435hp.

Absolutely. Great car. Fabulous engine.

[vidguy]

You made me pi$$ my pants and crap my jeans. I'm better now too! HA

Originally Posted by Jim Doran

A Kia Sorento ? Really ? How do you go from your formula to a marshmallow SUV.

Man up and buy a muscle car or sports car. Don't care what brand, or 2 door or 4 door, but sheesh, Why not just buy a camry, honda, or subaru, or worse, a pickup truck as your daily driver, if your resigned to driving a turd daily.

OK, I'm better now.

[vidguy]

The Kia is $42,000 not $52,000.. Ok, typing that is starting to sound even more crazy...
$42,000 for a KIA...
I do need something I can haul junk in Or I'd be all over a flat crank Mustang...

[flyingn]

GREAT Advice.. 100% true too

Originally Posted by mgarblik

My advice if you are serious about buying a Hyundai or Kia is to go out and drive a used one with 35-50K miles on it first. It is eye opening and just incredible how fast they disintegrate.
I don't mean they quit and leave you stuck on the side of the road necessarily. It's just that the seats break down, the ride quality goes away, electronic gear has weird glitches or quits entirely. Like I said in an earlier post, it's like these cars are just a facsimile of the cars they try to imitate. By the time the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty is up the car is a throw away. A lease may be a decent option, after 3 years there is still some car left. Honda and Toyota are just much tougher and much better quality in each and every tiny piece they are made of. Not a personal fan of them either, but they do at least hold up.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Jim Doran

Power will come from two engines, with the range-topping 365-hp turbo 3.3-liter V-6 making that version the most powerful roadgoing Kia yet;

Actually, the Kia K900 has had a 420hp 5.0 V-8 for a few years now.

[NeighborsComplaint]

I've owned 4 Hyundais ... XG 300, Azera, Sonata Turbo (290HP) and I am back into an Azera again. All have been great cars and Imput 50,000 trouble free miles on each one before trading. The XG300 got brakes and tires, Azera1 got 4 tires, Sonata Turbo got front tires. Azera2 has 20K miles. Maintenance costs? Just tired, gas, oil and filters. Dealer always provides a loaner but the cars have never been in the dealership long enough to warrant one.

I am a big fan of Hyundai.