So far Kia>>>Honda..My experience

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Mom's 2007 Kia Sedona 148,000 miles

-Left Valve Cover Gasket leak
-Brake light switch

Sisters 2008 Honda Odyssey 154,000 miles

-A/C Compressor
-Alternator
-Starter
-Power steering pump Leak
-Control arm bushings
-Engine mounts
-Sliding door jammed up
-Oil burning
-Trans slipping

Both bought in 2011 and my sister paid 6k more, would have never believed it before.
 
My mom's Kia Spectra - 330,000km - 2 Oxygen sensors, brakes, tires, battery.

Then she goes and buys a Dodge Journey and it has had 5 recalls and minor things broken like the folding sunglass holder, one door lock, rear wiper that seems to come on, on its own. (40,000km on hers)

My Journey has been less than stealar as well. (2 Alternators, Light almost caught fire, 5 recalls, A/C that doesn't work properly - 80,000km)

My Hyundai Santa Fe. Super reliable with minimal replacements up until 535,000km (Oxygen Sensors, Alternator, Starter, Battery) A/C still worked!
 
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Hyundai and Kia make great cars, probably on average not quite up to par with the Japanese but close enough.

I bought my 2015 Sonata in February for $10k. The cheapest 2015+ Camry within 100miles was $14k cheapest, 2015+ Accord was $16k. Cheapest 2015 Cruze (yuck) was $11k.

My car's engine and transmission could both go out tomorrow and after salvage low mileage replacements installed, I'd still be ahead.

I don't think they'll both blow tomorrow though.
 
My 03 Spectra had 229k when I got rid of it. Only work It had was a transmission change. And the usual maintenance items. The original trans had 174k on it and had the original fluid and metal shavings in it. IMO the weakest part the 00-03 spectra was the auto trans, the manual rock solid.
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
My mom's Kia Spectra - 330,000km - 2 Oxygen sensors, brakes, tires, battery.

Then she goes and buys a Dodge Journey and it has had 5 recalls and minor things broken like the folding sunglass holder, one door lock, rear wiper that seems to come on, on its own. (40,000km on hers)

My Journey has been less than stealar as well. (2 Alternators, Light almost caught fire, 5 recalls, A/C that doesn't work properly - 80,000km)

My Hyundai Santa Fe. Super reliable with minimal replacements up until 535,000km (Oxygen Sensors, Alternator, Starter, Battery) A/C still worked!

And you didn't get another Santa Fe just because of Direct Injection?
 
Originally Posted By: StevieC
My mom's Kia Spectra - 330,000km - 2 Oxygen sensors, brakes, tires, battery.

Then she goes and buys a Dodge Journey and it has had 5 recalls and minor things broken like the folding sunglass holder, one door lock, rear wiper that seems to come on, on its own. (40,000km on hers)

My Journey has been less than stealar as well. (2 Alternators, Light almost caught fire, 5 recalls, A/C that doesn't work properly - 80,000km)

My Hyundai Santa Fe. Super reliable with minimal replacements up until 535,000km (Oxygen Sensors, Alternator, Starter, Battery) A/C still worked!



The Sedona I swear it shifts like new and the 3.8 engine feels powerful, I think it will hit 200k easily. I'm impressed by the low overall cost so far.
 
No actually I was in a pinch and needed a vehicle for work and the Santa Fe I would have had to order but the Journey was on the lot. My dad's Chrysler retiree discount came into play and well I shouldn't have listened. There is also limited vehicles that my bad back co-operates with so a lot of other choices were out because of uncomfortable seat positions.

We all make bad decisions at times. This was mine.
lol.gif
 
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If the 06-10+(?) Sedona didn't look so awfully cheap, we would have considered it as a family hauler. We had an '07 Sedona as a service vehicle where I worked a few years ago; it ran and rode fine, but I felt like I was riding in something where they just did a whole bunch of cost cutting. The newer ones look sharp, but I can't get past those years' interiors. The radio/center console and instrument panel are especially painful to look at.
 
Originally Posted By: JBinTX30
My 03 Spectra had 229k when I got rid of it. Only work It had was a transmission change. And the usual maintenance items. The original trans had 174k on it and had the original fluid and metal shavings in it. IMO the weakest part the 00-03 spectra was the auto trans, the manual rock solid.


174K without a fluid change and it was a weak point? My mom's said to change at 60,000 miles (100,000km)
 
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Originally Posted By: 92saturnsl2
If the 06-09(?) Sedona didn't look so awfully cheap, we would have considered it as a family hauler. We had an '07 Sedona as a service vehicle where I worked a few years ago; it ran and rode fine, but I felt like I was riding in something where they just did a whole bunch of cost cutting. The newer ones look sharp, but I can't get past those years' interiors. The radio/center console and instrument panel are especially painful to look at.


Agree it does look cheap inside, Odyssey way nicer interior and it has a better ride.
 
The attitude of the driver has a lot to do with reliability of the vehicle.
Mom driving > Sister driving.
 
Originally Posted By: laserred96gt
The attitude of the driver has a lot to do with reliability of the vehicle.
Mom driving > Sister driving.
Even driving a car like a race car it's whole life isn't going to change the life of the a/c compressor, alternator, starter, power steering pump, or burning oil. Might contribute to the others but I doubt it.

People always say if you take care of a car it'll last a long time. I don't believe that. Standard maintenance of course but on some cars stereos burning out, throttle bodies dying, steering racks going out, catalytic converters, etc. it doesn't matter how much love you have for a car, those items will die whenever they want to.
 
Watch because of this post the kia dies tomorrow and the odyssey keeps slippin it's way to 200k lol
 
I think Kia and Hyundai stuff is great if you want something that all you do is drive. I think they look cooler than Japanese cars.
 
Just about to hit 14k miles with my Elantra (owned since May). I'm actually really impressed with the car. Lifetime gas mileage of just a hair over 37 mpg and no complaints to speak of outside of it's shift patterns. It seems to really want to hold high RPMs on an incline, which bothers me. That said, most of my driving is highway so it's life has been pretty easy thus far. I've spent a lot of time in and around Civics and Corollas and the Elantra is just as good as any of those these days and cheaper too.
 
Let me know when you hit 250+k miles and then I will believe Kia over Japanese vehicles. That generation of Honda has some horrible issues with transmissions for sure though. I have 281k miles on our sienna with original Engine and transmission. Another poster on here has 380k on his sienna. Also if the Sedona of that generation wasn't so but ugly I would have considered it. The newer ones are very nice...might just have to consider it.
 
Hyundai / Kia has come a long way for sure! They make some great cars. I have driven the new Sonata and found it to be numb. Most people don't care about that in this class, but it's something to consider.
 
They may make decent cars but a Sonata rides nowhere near as good as a Camry. I feel like the engine compartments arent as well thought out (hard to work on compared to japanese cars). But hey, if it lasts and you enjoy driving it, who am I to judge? Comes down to personal preference. I guess I havent been that impressed with any Hyundai/Kia I've ever driven.
 
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