We currently own a 2003 Sedona which is a fabulous mini-van. I owned at that time a Ford Explorer which by non uncertain terms was simply a vehicle to get me from point A to B and offer help in inclimate or dicey cirumstances (off road, etc.)
We had to take the Sedona in to get serviced (10,000k) and was given a 2003 Sorento to use for the day until the van was ready. I was totally taken by surprise! The SUV was amazing in some aspects:
1. Ride. It does ride like an SUV but has rear dampeners for the live axle. Many newer SUV's are coming with 4 way independent suspensions but Kia needs to save some on cost and placed dampeners instead of rear indpendents. This is fine with me because coming from an explorer to a Sorento is like switching from a coil spring mattress to a waterbed. Smooth.
2. Amenities. I bought an EX with the Luxury package. It adds:
Delphi premium AM/FM/6 disc-in-dash CD w/ 10 speakers & separate amplifier
Chrome accent door handles and rear garnish
Torque-On-DemandŽ full-time 4WD (mine is 2WD)
Leather-wrapped/wood grain steering wheel
Automatic climate control
Heated front seats
Auto headlamps
Leather seats
The wood grain steering wheel is wrong. 2003 it was offered but not in 2004. Kia's website has this incorrect. I like all leather anyways so it was no big deal.
If you wanted half these items in ANY other SUV (and I did check others - Toyota, Lexus, MB, Jeep, etc.) it would have cost thousands more (the toyota adds 7k to the sticker for everything!)
3. Styling. Yes, it looks like a copy of the Lexus RX300/330. So what. The japanese basically copied everything the USA ever did so why can't the Koreans do the same. It is sleek, stylish and good to look at. The interior adds the same as attention to detail is everywhere!
4. Safety. Drumroll please. This thing has a 5 star side impact crash rating!! Yes. I was shocked too. It has side curtain airbags. This was the feature that sealed the deal for me when I was deciding. We have a child in a car seat and this made me feel so much better. Parents... you won't find this kinda safety on any other SUV excluding maybe the Suburban, Excursion or a friggin BUS for that matter.
5. Price. I made a trade in (my ford was worth so damn little I was mad), had the owner loyalty discount which knocked another 1000 off the price and haggled a bit to make the price a steal for me given what it would cost to buy a comporable vehicle. The RX330's were 40k once you were done with the add-on's. Don't forget TT&L which kicks the price a couple grand more!
All in all this has been a superb choice. I could afford a vehicle with 3 prongs in the ornament or made in Japan by a luxury maker, but status is not me. I actually have more people looking at my vehicle on the inside and outside and then asking me.. "Is this a Kia?" with shocked looks on their faces. I let the oogle a bit and then drive away with the moonroof open and my smile for all to see.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 22,000
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: EX
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