This 2017 Kia Sorento Is Still Running the Stock V6 at 715,000 Miles. What’s Your Excuse?

The third-generation Kia Sorento is not known for reliability. Severe engine failures and excessive oil consumption, maybe, but not reliability. So how in the world has this guy driven his 2017 Sorento more than 715,000 miles over the past decade? If you ask him, the answer is simple: “Maintenance.”

Arthur Rutaquio is a rideshare driver in Southern California. He shuttles folks between San Diego and LAX daily, racking up the miles in a hurry. His Sorento has the 3.3-liter Lambda V6 rather than the troublesome Theta II turbocharged four-cylinder, which is a plus, but it still took work to get it this far. So much is clear from the maintenance record Rutaquio sent me.

And before I get into it, I want to mention that Rutaquio services his Sorento independently. A mechanic friend of his—Denny Nguyen at A&P Auto Tech in San Diego—does the work. When I asked if it had ever been to a dealership, Rutaquio told me no, citing “trust issues.” Can’t blame him there.

Anyhow, this Sorento is meticulously cared for. The oil is changed every 10,000 miles, and Rutaquio says he has tested all kinds of lubricants from Mobil 1 and Castrol to Pennzoil and Redline. “The cheapest oil I would put is Valvoline extended life,” he told me. “And then, if I have the money, Royal Purple or Amsoil with a mix of Lucas oil stabilizer.”

While the stock V6 is still going strong, the factory transmission went out at 580,000 miles or so. Rutaquio replaced that and kept on truckin’. He rebuilds the front suspension “every 200,000 to 250,000” miles, while the rear gets attention every 100,000 to 150,000 miles. He also has to replace “the pesky oil pressure sensor” every 200,000 to 250,000 miles. Finally, the Kia has gone through two alternators, a starter, a water pump, a throttle body, and a set of injectors.

When I asked Rutaquio what he would say to someone who criticizes Hyundais and Kias for poor reliability, he said, “They are not doing their due diligence. A car needs maintenance.” Avoiding models that are known to be problematic helps, too, as Sorentos with the V6 don’t suffer from the same issues as the turbo four-cylinders.

Not only has Rutaquio driven the car to LAX hundreds of times, but he has also driven it cross-country from San Diego to Orlando, Florida, and back. It’s a true road warrior—one as tough as any Toyota or Honda or what have you. Just because it isn’t the typical choice doesn’t make it a bad one, and he hopes to reach a million miles with the Kia.

For his sake, I hope it happens.

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