CTC Review: 2009 Kia Borrego EX V8

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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Funny (well, not funny-haha) how Kia reminds me of Hyundai. To me, Kia is the brand nobody wants to touch and the one that needs to compete on price, just like Hyundai had to do barely five years ago.  Now that Hyundai is up there with the Toyotas and Hondas and GMs of the world on my list of car manufacturers to choose from, let's see if Kia can make the list.  More...

[Wolverine]

Thx for the review.

PS. The "Read the article" link on the top panel isn't working, it redirects to the front page of the forum.

[Thinking Out Loud]

I prefer the slippery lines of the Santa Fe, of the two cousins. 

Does the Fe come with the motor?

[wing]

They are not the same.  The SantaFe is a unitbody this is body on frame.  I don't think they are related at all.

[airbalancer]

Also is not the Borrego larger?

[wing]

Seems so haven't checked measurements but it is big.

[stickshift]

They are not the same.  The SantaFe is a unitbody this is body on frame.  I don't think they are related at all.

Nope. Santa Fe and Borrego are totally different trucks. This one is a rear-drive based truck, while the Santa Fe is a front-drive based "truck."

[Thinking Out Loud]

So, will Hyundai add a 'Genesis' version of this vehicle to it's stable?   

[airbalancer]

how does it compare to a Vera Cruz?

[wing]

Larger and heavier and as Chris said this is a RWD based truck not a FWD based cute-ute that is overblown.  This is a true truck in every sense.

[STi]

Nice looking Kia Explorer err Borrego!

[ktm525]

Nice looking Kia Explorer err Borrego!

  Great first post. A slightly smoothed over Explorer for sure.

[conwelpic]

"What I see is an extremely impressive interior: all the knobs, switches and buttons are not only placed well, but they look good, they feel good and they do not seem cheap by any stretch of the imagination."

that's what I felt with my KIA, its that 'mind set' and it's the past history to get over and realize what great strides they have made.  I admit I did have reservations before purchasing my Rondo, but now after one years ownership its solid with no squeaks or rattles and no mechanical problems and everything functioning ok.

In a recent 2008 Consumers Report study KIA was ranked 10th on a list of 34 with regards to reliability.

[wing]

Nice looking Kia Explorer err Borrego!

I agree

[sailor723]

Larger and heavier and as Chris said this is a RWD based truck not a FWD based cute-ute that is overblown.  This is a true truck in every sense.

Don't tell Jeremy Cato....He included the Borrego in a list of "crossovers" in a recent Globe article! 

[smuook]

James, check your tire pressure!  My Borrego was delivered with between 42-45psi in all the tires.  I didn't believe it so I measured it with two different gauges... sure enough it was set 10+ psi above the manufacturers rating!  Ooops.  When you relieve pressure to 32psi it has a much more agreeable ride... albiet it's no BMW.  The harshness is definitely gone though.

[wing]

I will check the pressures but what I feel is most definitely suspension and chassis harshness.

[smuook]

The recommended pressure on the b-pillar label is 32psi... the max pressure on the Hankook RA07 tire is 44psi. as printed on the tire.  I think Kia was inflating to the MAX rating vice the recommended rating (at least in my case).

[smuook]

Update, a member of Kia Forum told me that Kia's are shipped with 40+ psi in the tires and the dealer is supposed to set it correctly on the PDI.

[wing]

This is typical of dealers, you pay the $1200 pdi for them to check air pressures and wash the car and they don't do either properly.  Anyways, I checked the pressures today but unfortunately it was after being bounced around all day.  They were all at 40psi I dropped them down to 32, I'll drive the car again before being done with it and I'll update.