Three different factories produce Kia Sorentos: the Chu Lai Plant in Vietnam, the Hwaseong Plant in South Korea, and the West Point Assembly Plant in West Point, Georgia, in the United States. For a certain region, each plant creates Sorentos, which are then delivered to the corresponding markets.
The three factories where the Kia Sorento is now produced are not the only ones that produce the vehicle.
The Sorento has been made in numerous nations over the years, including Malaysia, Russia, Algeria, Egypt, and Pakistan.
In This Article...
Who manufactures the Kia Sorento?
United States-made The Telluride three-row SUV, Sorento mid-size SUV, and Optima mid-size sedan are the three models that are produced in the United States (just the gas-only version). At Kia’s assembly factory in West Point, Georgia, all three are made.
What’s wrong with the Kia Sorento?
Customers have experienced a number of issues with the Kia Sorento since it has been advertised and sold by Kia. These models share costly issues with one another. The following model years should be avoided: 2004, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.
Common difficulties include those with the engine, the electrical system, the airbags, the seat belts, the lights, and the body or paint.
Engine failure is the most serious problem that these Kia Sorento models have. When most consumers have traveled an average of 62,000 miles, something happens. They could end up costing you more money in repairs, so we advise avoiding them.
Which Year Models of Kia Sorento Are Safe to Buy Used?
Production of the Kia Sorento has been going on for approximately 20 years. Not all of the models that are released, like many other cars in its market class, are flawless right out of the factory. Some people have flaws. Despite this, you have a selection of others. This is particularly true if you want to stay away from those already listed.
The following list of reliable Kia Sorento model years includes:
- Kia Sorento 2003
- Kia Sorento from 2005
- Kia Sorento from 2007
- Kia Sorento 2008
- Kia Sorento from 2009
- Kia Sorento 2010
- Kia Sorento 2015
- Kia Sorento 2017
- Kia Sorento from 2018
- Kia Sorento for 2019
- Kia Sorento 2020
- Kia Sorento 2021
The years 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 are among the safest Kia Sorento model years to purchase. Compared to the earlier mentioned model years, these have minimal complaints.
The worst issues with many of them were engine issues, a broken air conditioner compressor, electrical issues, light issues, and AC/heater issues. Most of them are also inexpensive to fix minor problems. However, they are among the minority of car owners.
The worst car troubles in early generations include crankshaft problems, frequent lighting system failures, and broken parts. It’s important to remember that these issues only occur in cars with more than 90,000 miles on the odometer.
A few owners are also affected by the problems. They are less likely to happen in a Sorento with little mileage and good maintenance. The models from 2007 to 2010 and 2015 to 2021 are the least problematic. The year 2016 is an outlier; it is less dependable than the other years in the following years.
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Which Kia Sorento Years to Avoid
The aforementioned Kia Sorento model years should easily accommodate your family’s needs and daily driving requirements. You need a dependable automobile in addition to one with excellent handling, a luxurious interior, and lots of attractive amenities. Here, we go into greater detail regarding the model years that weren’t chosen.
Steer clear of the following Kia Sorento model years:
- Kia Sorento from 2004
- Kia Sorento from 2006
- Kia Sorento from 2011
- Kia Sorento 2012
- Kia Sorento 2013
- Kia Sorento 2014
- Kia Sorento 2016
These model years frequently experience issues with their engines, electrical systems, lighting, seat belts and airbags, and body and paint. These affect everyone, and numerous users have noted concerns that are essentially the same.
You should steer clear of the 2011 Kia Sorento the most. It tops the list for having the most owner complaints. It is most likely to experience brakes issues, drivetrain issues, airbag and seat belt issues, and engine issues.
An engine failure at 77,000 miles cost the most money of all issues reported for the 2011 model year. Fixing this issue will cost $4,600. Other serious issues include an airbag problem that cost $2,000 to fix at 92,000 miles and a door issue that cost $400 to fix at 94,000 miles.
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The 2016 Kia Sorento is another vehicle you should completely avoid. In comparison to other models with lower mileage, it has more issues and costs more to repair. The most common issues are with the engine, then the steering, body/paint, and lights.
The engine has experienced the worst reported failure at 62,000 kilometers. Repairing this cost $6,100. Other owners reported having to pay up to $600 to fix wiring that rodents had gnawed. At 22,000 miles, one user’s car stalled while accelerating.
Common Kia Sorento Problems
One of the greatest warranties for cars is offered by Kia. But that doesn’t mean you should be any less critical, especially when it comes to reliability concerns. The most typical Kia Sorento issues, spanning all model years, are listed below:
- Engine issues – The Sorento’s engine frequently fails, which is a common dependability problem. The engine failure, which was primarily reported in 2011, 2016, and 2017 models, was caused by a leaky head gasket, which mixed engine oil and coolant. These liquids when combined can seriously harm engines.
- Frustrated owners reported that the Sorento’s doors won’t open when reached from the outside, which is more unpleasant than dangerous. Additionally, defective door handles made users of the child-lock feature even more irate. Owners of 2011 Sorentos make up the majority of the complaints.
- Burning out of headlight bulbs: Numerous customers noted that the headlight bulbs on Sorento models from 2002 to 2009 were particularly prone to premature failure. Additionally, several stories claimed that additional headlamp component parts were also melted. There should have been a recall for this dependability problem, but there wasn’t one. Owners were required to purchase replacement bulbs for between $100 and $600.
Kia Sorento Problem Counts by Year
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What factories produce Kia Sorentos?
On August 28, 2014, Kia Motors unveiled the third-generation Sorento in South Korea. Later, the car debuted in Europe at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. According to configuration, the third-generation Sorento is available in either a 5-seater or a 7-seater version and shares a platform with the third-generation Kia Carnival. It is lower for better handling and 95mm longer than the previous edition. According to Kia, its high tensile steel has a rigidity strengthening of 14%, and the Sorento received a favorable IIHS evaluation in the small overlap crash test. At the assembly plant in West Point, Georgia, the Sorento is still made in the US.
Three different engines are offered: a 3.3-liter Lambda IIV6 with 290 horsepower (294 horsepower; 216 kW), a 2.4-liter GDiI4 with 190 horsepower (193 horsepower; 142 kW), and a 2.0-liter turbo I4 with 240 horsepower (243 horsepower; 179 kW). There is also a 2.2-liter CRDi diesel engine with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT).
A six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission is available for the third-generation Sorento. Either an all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive system is used.
Where are the Kia engines made?
DETROIT A top corporate executive revealed that Kia Motors Corp. has long-term ambitions to develop its own engines at the assembly facility currently under construction in West Point, Georgia.
In October, work on the $1 billion Kia facility started. Beginning of production is anticipated for late 2009. Which vehicle will be produced there hasn’t been disclosed by the corporation.
In an interview at the Detroit car show, Ian Beavis, vice president of marketing for Kia Motors America, stated that the Georgia facility will eventually make its own engines. He added that no deadline had been specified.
Currently, Kia employs engines produced by the global joint venture of Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and DaimlerChrysler AG, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, and Hyundai Motor Co. in Korea.
In the meantime, Kia is reconsidering its initial intentions to use engines from the nearby Alabama facility of its sibling company Hyundai.
Len Hunt, COO of Kia Motors America, stated during a previous interview at the car show that “those plans haven’t been completed.”
Kia Motors Corp. broke ground on the Georgia manufacturing facility. The Korean carmaker will use engines made by Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama LLC, located 80 miles away in Montgomery, Alabama, according to President Chung Eui Sun.
300,000 four- and six-cylinder engines can be produced annually at the two-year-old Hyundai plant for the Santa Fe SUVs and Sonata sedans that are assembled there.
Sharing engines with Hyundai in Alabama would need an expansion of the engine shop given that Kia aims to build 300,000 vehicles annually at the Georgia factory.
Officials at the Hyundai facility, according to a spokeswoman, have repeatedly stated they are unaware of the proposal.
Kia has not specified the types of automobiles it will make in Georgia, and Hunt claimed he “really” has no idea.
Hunt stated that he would like to see the plant produce the brand’s high-volume models as well as export cars to markets in Latin America.
The Spectra, also referred to as the Cerato in some areas, is Kia’s best-selling car both internationally and domestically. The Spectra sold 72,557 units in the United States last year, up from 56,088 in 2005.
The Sedona minivan, which sold 57,018 units in the US last year, is in second place after the Spectra.
In the United States, the Sportage SUV sold 37,071 units in 2006, up from 29,009 in 2005.
Are all Kias produced there?
The three following places are where they are made, is the answer. Seoul, South Korea, is home to the headquarters. the American factory located in West Point, Georgia. Another manufacturing facility in Slovakia’s Zilina.
What models of Kia are produced in Georgia?
The Telluride CUV, the Sorento CUV, and the K5 midsize sedan are the three models we produce in Georgia.
At this facility, we currently build 340,000 vehicles annually while working three shifts a day, round-the-clock.
The United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Pacific countries are just a few of the places we transport vehicles to for sales.
How can I find out where my Kia was made?
Let’s delve more deeply into the process of decoding and gain a better understanding of how to identify things like the type, brand, country of manufacture, and the year of manufacture.
It should be mentioned that the Americans (engineers of the SAE Association), who established the customs of North American manufacturers, once developed the standard of a distinctive Kia VIN number.
What else provides the manufacturer and consumer with a standard? The purchaser firstly receives a brand-new vehicle, as shown by the Kia VIN number decoder’s confirmation of the manufacture year. The potential buyer will undoubtedly pay attention to this information if you are selling your car. The company, on the other hand, was able to sell almost all of its vehicles before the new year began. This is significant for big businesses, as you are aware.
So, how can I tell a car’s production year from its chassis number? You may determine which plant produced the Kia automobile by decoding the first three digits of the VIN code. The brand and kind of the car are determined by the next four digits. The ninth character is usually left blank, however the tenth and occasionally the eleventh positions allow for the determination of the car’s production date. The production year sign is located on the 11th position of the VIN code in American factories.