Seven-seat SUV with unbeatable warranty value
The Sorento undercuts premium seven-seat rivals like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Skoda Kodiaq by thousands on the used market, with third-gen (2015-2020) examples from around £12,000-£18,000. Kia's industry-leading seven-year warranty transfers to second owners, making it one of the safest used SUV buys in the UK. New prices start from £43,725, but heavy depreciation of 50-55% over five years makes used examples exceptional value.
We track 8 known issues across the Kia Sorento range, including 2 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Kia Sorento? Enter the reg to see which of our 8 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
UM (2010–2020) — Engine options included the 2.2 CRDi. Our database flags 4 known issues on this generation, 1 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Engine recall.
The Theta II petrol engine fitted to some second-generation Sorentos is subject to a critical manufacturer recall due to potential catastrophic engine failure. Manufacturing defects in the connecting rod bearings can cause sudden engine seizure without warning, potentially while driving at speed. This recall affects specific production runs and engine serial numbers. Unrecalled vehicles pose a significant safety risk and may suffer complete engine failure at any mileage.
If bearing failure occurs, the engine will seize suddenly and completely, potentially causing loss of power steering and braking assistance while driving. This creates a significant safety hazard. Engine replacement costs £8,000-£12,000. Vehicles subject to unresolved recalls may be uninsurable.
Listen for any unusual knocking, tapping or rattling from the engine at idle and under load. Check the oil for metal particles or discolouration. On higher-mileage examples, a professional compression test can reveal internal wear before it becomes critical.
The first-generation Sorento suffers from severe structural corrosion in the load-bearing areas around subframe, spring, and suspension mounting points. MOT data shows this model fails at 548.9 times the national fleet average for prescribed area structural weakening. The corrosion typically starts internally and may not be visible until the structure is significantly compromised. This affects vehicle safety and controllability, making it one of the most serious defects found on this generation.
Severe structural corrosion can compromise vehicle safety and make the vehicle dangerous to drive. In extreme cases, suspension mounting points can separate from the body structure. Most structural corrosion failures result in immediate MOT failure and require extensive welding repairs costing £1,500-£4,000, often exceeding the vehicle's value.
Inspect the wheel arches, sills, jacking points and door bottoms carefully. Press gently on sills to check for soft spots. Look underneath for corrosion on structural components. Check the MOT history for corrosion-related advisories or failures.
The D4HB 2.2-litre diesel engine suffers from turbocharger failures, typically manifesting as bearing wear in the turbo's rotating assembly. This is often caused by oil starvation due to blocked oil feed lines or delayed oil changes, but can also occur due to ingestion of debris through a failed air filter. Failure usually develops gradually with increasing smoke and reducing boost pressure, but can be sudden if the compressor wheel disintegrates. This is one of the most commonly reported faults on the second-generation Sorento diesel.
Complete turbo failure results in severe loss of power and potential engine damage if debris enters the cylinders. A replacement turbocharger including fitting typically costs £1,200-£2,000. The vehicle remains driveable but with significantly reduced performance and poor fuel economy.
During a test drive, check for hesitation, lack of power or unusual whining from the turbo area. Watch for blue or white smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration. Check the oil condition and service history — turbos rely on clean oil.
The diesel particulate filter (DPF) on the D4HB engine blocks with soot if the vehicle is mainly used for short journeys or stop-start driving. The system requires regular high-temperature regeneration cycles which only occur during sustained motorway driving. When blocked, the DPF warning light illuminates and the vehicle enters limp mode. This is particularly common on vehicles used primarily for school runs or urban driving where the DPF cannot reach the temperatures needed for automatic regeneration.
A completely blocked DPF causes the vehicle to enter limp mode with severe power reduction. Professional regeneration costs £150-£300, but severely blocked filters may require replacement at £800-£1,500. Continued driving with a blocked DPF can cause engine damage.
Ask about the car's typical usage — short urban journeys prevent DPF regeneration. Check for DPF warning lights and ask about any previous regeneration issues. A forced regeneration at a garage costs far less than a DPF replacement.
Both generations of Sorento show extremely high MOT failure rates for parking brake efficiency, failing at up to 571.0 times the national fleet average. The handbrake mechanism suffers from cable stretch, seized adjusters, and corroded linkages. The rear brake shoes and drums also wear unevenly, reducing parking brake effectiveness. This is one of the most statistically significant defects across all Sorento variants and affects safety when parking on slopes.
Poor handbrake efficiency is an immediate MOT failure and creates a safety risk when parking on slopes. The vehicle may roll away when parked. Typical repairs involve cable adjustment, replacement, or rear brake refurbishment costing £200-£600.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
For the full breakdown of all 8 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Kia Sorento common problems page.
Based on 203k real DVSA MOT tests, the Kia Sorento fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is restriction in free movement of the braking system at 213x the fleet average, followed by towbar fault (189x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Kia Sorento MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 10k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
The bigger-ticket items to budget for include automatic transmission fluid (£200–£300).
See the full Kia Sorento service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Kia Sorento has some well-documented weak points, including 2 safety-critical issues that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable. 2017-2020 third-generation models are the sweet spot: Kia had resolved the major engine defects by this point, build quality is strong, and the 2.2 CRDi diesel with eight-speed auto is a refined combination. Avoid 2011 and 2013 models due to engine recalls and transmission issues. Fourth-gen 2021+ hybrids are excellent but command a premium.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Kia Sorento, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 8 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 8 known Kia Sorento issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.