2003 Kia Sorento

The 2003-2009 Kia Sorento is the BL generation and, unusually for a vehicle that later became a unibody crossover, it was built on a body-on-frame chassis with a low-range transfer case and a solid rear axle in early years. Engines were a 3.5-liter V6 and, from 2007, a 3.8-liter V6, paired with a five-speed manual or a four- and later five-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive was standard with four-wheel drive optional.

The frame-based layout gave the first Sorento genuine off-road and towing capability that its successors abandoned entirely, which is the main reason it retains a following. Interior quality was competitive for the price but well behind the class leaders. The XM generation that followed in 2011 moved to a unibody crossover platform.

As a used buy, the BL Sorento is a capable and inexpensive older SUV, but its age brings the usual concerns. Corrosion on the frame and body is the dominant structural issue and should govern the purchase decision on any vehicle from a salted-road region. Timing belt service on the 3.5-liter V6 is a scheduled item that is expensive to neglect. The 3.8-liter introduced for 2007 uses a timing chain. Fuel economy is poor by modern standards and is the main practical drawback.