If Kia's SUVs are not that dependable, how come they are still in the business?

Question

People kept telling me that Kia makes "crappy" SUVs, that raise an interesting question. If that is the case, how come they are still in the competition with the big boys like Ford, GM,Toyota etc.? I mean this is a harsh world, if you can't cut it with the big boys then they are going to swallow you alive!!! Therefore Kia is doing something right to stay in the race.Please help and Merry Christmas to you all!!!

Answer 1

Well.... KIA did file for bankruptcy.... fortunately for them, Hyundai bought it after a fierce bidding war with the likes of GM & FORD.

I think what attracts buyers to KIA is their affordability and styling. They are some of the best looking cars on the road. Their reliability has improved lots since Hyundai incorporated their technology in it.

Would I buy a KIA? Probably not.... but they are a great value to a lot of people.

Answer 2

I work at a dealership that USED to sell KIA's. When we sold them, they would sell based on they were VERY cheap, and they are backed with a 10 yr warrentee. Why are they backed by a 10 yr warr??? Well, because it is needed. We also serviced them, and I seen many repeat customers come in for service. Not for general maintenance, but for repairs like door handles falling off, or SES lights coming on all the time. They are junky cars, but they are cheap.

They are still in business because people don't know how undependable they really are, and they are cheap. Many people can't afford a higher priced SUV, so they buy a KIA. Yes, the warrentee is for 10 yrs, but you will NEED it. Quite often.

When in the KIA business, we had nothing but unsatisfied customers. It was our biggest headache.

Just recently, there was a study on compact cars (I know you're talking about SUV's, but this is just another example of how crappy KIA's are) and there crash safest. KIA Rio ranked last, right behind Hynda (which is product of KIA.)

The word is spreading that KIA is junk. When people call and I tell them we are no longer a KIA dealer, they say "No wonder why you sold it, my car is a piece of junk." We also work and sell other cars, but I haven't heard anything so negative as I did for KIA.

I would personally rather buy a car for more $$, then to have to take all sorts of time off of work to bring my car in for service every week. KIA will go down. We are not the only ones that have sold the KIA franchise.

Answer 3

They used to not be that good, kinda like Honda and Toyota in the 1960's, but now I think the Kia Sorento is a good looking Crossover-SUV, although it seems to want to rip off the Lexus RS300 look a bit. Hyundai was in the same boat in the early 1990's and 1980's. I think Hyundai and Kia both own large stakes in each others company, which is why you see them share alot of technology.

Answer 4

I'd look at resources like J.D. Powers and consumer reports (they have a 2007 buying guide) to look at Kia' s dependability. Kia tends to offer long warranties because there is a notion that they are not very dependable. But because of the warranty, they are able to attract many buyers who otherwise wouldn't buy a Kia. Hyundai is a good example of this. Many years ago, they started offering very long standard warranties because they weren't dependable. But they slowly became more dependable and now they have a reputation as a car builder that makes some (relatively) dependable models. Once again, research the dependability. Go look at consumer reports for yourself, and use their dependability as a guide to help you select a car. You'll be glad you did.

Answer 5

Sorry, I don't agree.
I bought a Kia Sorento SUV when they first came out (2001), and just traded it in 3 months ago. In over 5 years I put 86,000 miles on it...took it camping and on trips to the mountains dozens of times, drove it in snow, rain, sand, mud, etc. Used it to drive to work and back every day, used it to haul stuff from home depot, small appliances, you name it.
In all that time, I had 1 problem -- a flat tire when I was in a parking lot (not Kia's fault, a screw went into the tire). Called the Kia number I had for roadside assistance, they came and changed the tire for me for free (I was in nice clothes).
That's it -- not a single other problem. It was good-looking, rock solid, no rattles or funny noises, ran perfectly, got good mileage, the finish held up nicely, and it was very comfortable.
I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.
There's a pic at the link below of my baby at Mt. Lassen in 2003. I loved that car!
Only traded it in to get a Mazda MX-5 brand new :)

Answer 6

Kias are good cars, especially the Optima, Sportage, Sorento, and Sedona. The Sedona (minivan) is rated the safest ever tested by the IIHS. Owners of Kias just love their vehicles because they are reliable, built well, and a good value for the money.

Answer 7

kia's are an entry level auto. nice, but kinda on the basic side. had a buddy that works at a kia dealership, and says that people dont fix them as they break. reason is, they aren't really worth fixing. they just trade them in if they get too broken.

Answer 8

i own a repair shop,and there as dependable as any other SUV on the market right now,and they back there,s with a ten year warranty ,so they cant be that bad,,i have worked on a few of them,and there good vehicles ,you have to drive them right they wont take being abused,,but then most vehicles wont last long like that,,but there as good as anything else on the road today,,good luck,i hope this help,s.,,have a good x-mas.

Answer 9

Two words: Low Price

Personally I won't drive a car whose name is an acronym for "Killed in Action".