 I worked as a mechanic for several years so have personally maintained my cars and those of my family for over 35 years. I was never enthusiastic about owning an off-make like Kia; however, we inherited one w/90k miles and thought we'd give it a try. Bottom line is that this vehicle has the highest cost of ownership of any car I have owned. I spent more on it in the first six months than on my '99 Civic over the entire 15 years - which I sold when this lump of trash came along. Listing of issues: brakes, electronics, alignment, brakes again, engine gaskets, primary electric, climate control, interior finishes. Had to replace all brake calipers and resurface/grind rotors, which lasted about 5k miles before they warped again (despite following recommended wheel torques; I think the rotors are made from flimsy, untempered sheet metal...). The braking system causes vehicle to steer poorly, requiring more effort, when slowing to turn into a driveway, parking lot, or intersection.  Interior materials are cheap - the carpeting in cargo area split and zippers peeled away from rest of materials during routine cleaning/vacuuming. Both key fobs malfunctioned, running down the battery after cycling the door locks overnight. The radio is also a real treat. FM band picks up 5-10 stations in the area for about a mile before they fade out, while the AM band sounds like a Geiger counter in a fallout zone. Engine is designed such that oil remains against the gaskets in the upper end - which causes them to become brittle and shrink, which over time fills the interior with choking oily fumes. The plastic (non-repairable) inlet port on the radiator broke and required replacement. I have had to replace headlight bulbs twice (and no, I didn't touch the bulbs with bare hands). The engine coil packs began to blow - one after the other - over the course of a week, requiring replacement of the entire set, as well as associated components. The air conditioner compressor has begun to leak (the car is from Washington state so it wasn't used much) and has required specialized repair and sealing materials. This is just a partial list; however, I figure the cost in just materials over past year comes out to about $4 per mile - and that's not considering the abysmal fuel economy, which hovers between 15.5 and 17.5 - shocking b/c it's worse than an Escalade, Navigator, or Expedition.  SO - I cannot say that I am satisfied or impressed by the performance, reliability or overall value of my '03 Kia Sorento. I will NEVER own another Kia.