Kia Sorento extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
+1 more
Kia Sorentos are known to have average reliability, so extended warranty options could offer extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Kia Sorento warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Kia Sorentos come with a five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Sorento ranged from $1,227.96 to $2,223.17 a year. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightKia has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Sorento gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightKia Sorento extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Sorento comes with. For context, Kia Sorentos come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A five-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 4-year-old truck with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 40,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Kia Sorento, you have two options:
- Buy the official Kia extended warranty, called Kia Distinction VSC.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your truck to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Regardless of whether you go with an extended warranty from a dealer or a third-party provider, you’ll typically get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans are less expensive, but the coverage they provide may leave you no option but to pay out of pocket for pricey repairs.
Without significant savings, having to deal with a massive repair bill can be disastrous. A ConsumerAffairs investigation found that most drivers surveyed couldn't afford to pay cash for a $1,000 repair bill, and 13% of respondents had no way to deal with a bill that large — even with credit.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Kia Sorento extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $2,223.17 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Kia Sorento registered in Austin, Texas, with 65,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,227.96 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Kia extended warranty is called Kia Distinction VSC, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Kia dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Sorento with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Kia Sorento were more expensive by comparison.
Prices for an extended auto warranty can vary a lot by company. Shop around to make sure that you're not getting overcharged.
Note that the quotes above were for comprehensive coverage and therefore more expensive. If you just need a powertrain warranty, the annual price will be lower.
Remember that some extended warranty plans, particularly those from manufacturers, start from the date that the original owner purchased the car. In such a case, if you're getting a "seven-year/100,000-mile" warranty and the factory warranty is three-year/36,000 miles, you're really paying for four years or 64,000 miles (whichever comes first) of additional coverage.
Is a Kia Sorento extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Kia Sorento extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Kia as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Kia 8th out of 29 car brands for overall dependability.
As for the Sorento specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers reported issues with their Kia Sorentos.
“My Kia Sorento engine seized on the highway with no warning lights while the car was running smoothly,” according to Lindsay in Illinois.
My 2020 Kia Sorento’s engine died at only 37k miles.”
Whitney in Georgia also reported engine issues: “My 2020 Kia Sorento’s engine died at only 37k miles.”
“I have a 2016 Kia Sorento with 88,000 miles on it,” reported Courtney from Indiana in a similar story. “Last December (5 months ago now) while driving down the road the engine blew up.”
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Kia Sorento maintenance suggest that an extended warranty is a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Kia Sorento extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Kia Sorento Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
