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Does anyone tow with their 2016 Sorento?

79K views 103 replies 43 participants last post by  artrageous 
#1 ·
I bought my Sorento so I can buy a pop-up camper. I traded a 2011 Ford Fusion which I really did like quite a bit because it was finally time to get a camper (I've wanted one for years). I haven't yet bought my pop-up (it is hard to find a good one for a reasonable price in June and July).

Anyway, I towed for the first time Friday. I rented a motorcycle trailer from Uhaul which is 550LBS empty. With the motorcycle it was probably around 1150LBS. My Sorento (FWD V6) didn't even notice it was there. Acceleration and braking seemed completely the same as normal even with the extra 1100-1200LBS behind it.

Tomorrow, I'm heading out to look at a couple pop-ups in the 1800-2000LB dry weight/2800-2900LB GVWR range (a 2007 Starcraft 2406 and a 2014 Rockwood 1950). After the "practice tow" Friday, I'm pretty confident that this will be a terrific combo with my FWD V6 Sorento, especially since I'll be going with a camper with trailer brakes (I would consider one without brakes if I went about 500-600 LBS lighter). As a single guy, who may occasionally go with one other person in my car, I think this will work well (it is unlikely that I'll go over the GVWR of the pop-up even if I packed everything in the camper and left nothing in the cargo area of my Sorento).

So, anyone here use their Sorento for towing (especially pop-ups)? How do you like its performance under load? Any thoughts on the type of combo I'm thinking about with my Sorento? I do know how tow capacities work - only the camper and 150LB driver are considered and it is based upon level ground at Sea Level, everything else must be subtracted from the weight limits - I'm more interested in people who have driven their Sorento with a trailer (esp. a camper) as opposed to looking at the theoretical numbers.
 
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#3 ·
I have towed my little 14' trailer a couple times, it weighs about 800# with the toolbox on it. My wife has the 2.0T and that thing doesn't care. The torque on the Turbo is dang peppy for a 2.0. We are looking at a Yamaha Viking VI SXS and she will tow that in the KST and I will pull the 28' camper in the truck. Once I load it up I'm sure it wont have much of a struggle.

The one thing I would like to see is Hawk come out with some pads for the Sorento. The factory pads are ok but I run Hawk's on all past and present vehicles and miss the better braking. Also disappointing to see the front calipers are single piston.
 
#5 ·
Hi, I have learnt in US You have too stick to a towing regulation for the Car.
In UK. there are regulations. Your Sorento can tow 750 KG unbraked and 2000kg with brakes, and we only have 2,2diesel version. They are the top towing car in UK in the Budget.
Check out UK websites.

Jeff
 
#6 · (Edited)
I bought a pop up a bit over a week ago (2003 Starcraft 2406, dry weight of around 2000 and GVWR around 2800LBS). I bought it near Philly so it was about 100 miles to get it home. I went camping in it last weekend and it was about 50 miles each way.

From what I've seen so far, the Sorento makes a terrific tow vehicle when used within its capabilities. Sure, pick up wasn't quite what it would be without the trailer, and revs were higher, but it wasn't bad. Braking was fine (I do have trailer brakes). At speeds under 70mph it was perfectly stable, though it may have felt a little uncomfortable the couple times I crept towards 75 (generally, the guideline is that you should not go over 60-65mph when towing anyway, and at "appropriate" towing speeds it was totally stable). I probably lost about 5-7mpg towing v. the same trip without the camper.

I'm less worried about the lack of an additional auxiliary transmission cooler. Even though on most towing forums I've found most people claim they would never tow without one, every time I spoke to the dealer or Kia customer service, I was told I didn't need one. At the campground, I ran into someone towing an Aliner pop up (similar weights) with his 2015 Sorento and he was the general manager of a local Kia dealer. He has done some pretty extensive towing with his, and has a Canada trip planned, and he says that it absolutely does not need an aftermarket auxiliary cooler added.

So, I am more than pleased with the towing performance of my Sorento so far. My only regret is that I didn't get AWD which would have bumped the tow rating from 3500LBS to 5K (I have the V6 and I would have gone with the V6 if I went AWD too). That would have allowed me some room to upgrade in the future should I decide I want a highwall pop up or a hybrid travel trailer.
 
#7 ·
I sure hope it can tow more than that. I am buying mine because it can tow 5,000 lbs. My trailer is about 3,000 lbs and I like to be comfortable. I thought transmission cooler would be automatically included on a vehicle that can tow 3,500 and above. I am very surprise the 2016 Sorento with a V6 would not have it.
 
#8 ·
Hello Jeff It is an accepted fact that the Sorento will tow 2 tonnes or tons that would be loaded weight of no more than 2 1/2 on any incline of road surface without additional coolers. The test in Uk and Europe will give incline ability for this weight I believe for inclines up to 1/5.
The two wheel drive will only effect you on wet sites or slippery roads as long as you observe the tongue weight at towing height . Do not exceed 75 kg.
My advice would be never to buy any trailer without brakes. The systems supplied by Kia are very safe but a trailer without brakes is a pendulum waiting to cause destruction. when you least expect it.
The automatic for towing are probably better than manual as Kia safety and protection systems take out human errors of driving.

Jeff
 
#9 ·
I purchased a V6 AWD specifically for towing. According to the manual 5,000 lbs is the limit when properly equipped. The definition of 'properly equipped' according to Kia customer service is a genuine Kia tow hitch, dealer installed of course. We'll see how all of this plays out. I'm planning on towing a 17 to 22 foot camper, at some point.
 
#10 ·
While I'm sure it would "TOW" the 17+ foot camper I would bet MPG is gonna take a huge hit and stability might get a little hairy. When you start towing something equal too or heavier than the tow vehicle....well it gets fun. I have a 28' bumper pull and I leave that for the F-150. Now some bikes and quads, sure the 2.0T doesn't care.
 
#12 ·
My recommendation: go to a specialist for the wire harness. It will cost you $100 or even less and they know what they are doing. The hitch is very low on the Sorento, in my opinion, and the dealer will likely put the harness under the hitch, which will put it extremely low to the ground. Specialists will have a better harness (mine did) that will attach at the same height than the hitch. Much better job. I will send you a picture.

If the price of installation included the hitch, ask for a refund on the harness telling them this wait is unacceptable.

My dealer did a p... poor job and I had everything double checked by a hitch specialist. They made a hole at the bottom of my trunk and did not seal it. They put in a fuse that was not strong enough for the trailer and brake controller. They put the wire together and taped it, which is insufficient on a vibrating vehicle. They installed a four wire harness outside and put the 7 wire in my trunk telling me to shut the door on top of it if I needed it. Have you seen the size of the wire for a seven wire harness??? I had it all fixed at the hitch specialist and made the dealer pay for it.
 
#14 ·
Your sorento dose not have a frame it's a unibody front wheel drive or all wheel drive it's not a RWD wheel drive truck witch has a full frame. So towing with a sorento is very limited it's not worth the money to get a tow package witch is a oil and trans cooler and wiring harness and a hitch because if you say you can tow 5,000 lbs and that includes everybody and everything you can take in the vechiale. If you wanted a tow vechiale should of got a truck, also if you tow anything and it's not set. Up to tow and you damage anything your warranty might not cover the repair it only cover normal were and tear. Also anyone who tows with a 4 banger is crazy imo.
 
#21 ·
I previously towed a 19 ft ultralite tandem trailer that weighed 3200 pds dry and about 3600pds wet with my 2013 Sorento with the V6 and it was no problem at speeds of 100KPH or about 60 MPH but gas mileage was bad but I expected that with the load and wind resistance . I just purchased a 2016 LX Plus AWD with the V6 which should safely tow the same trailer . I use an electric brake controller, equalizer bars and a sway bar with the rig . The new Sorento feels more solid and is supposed to have more torque and hp so I`m looking forward to see how it performs this summer with the trailer. My dealer said i did not need to add a trans cooler just a 5000pd hitch and the other equipment i use already. U haul sells the hitch for a very reasonable price and it has 7 mounting bolts for the frame of the car, looks very solid ! here is a pic of my 3013 and my camper !
 
#24 ·
Real towing experience

Well, we got out new trailer a few weeks back. A 25 Ft Gulf Stream Vista. 4,000 lbs dry, about 4,500 lbs loaded with my wife in the vehicle with me.

I had an RPod before (3,000 lbs dry) and a 2015 Escape (3,500 lbs towing capability according to specs but only a V4 turbo). We originally bought the Kia for the R-Pod but my wife decided to buy a bigger trailer...

Took the Vista out of the dealer and drove it home. I was concerned. It seemed to pull quite a bit. The day was very windy (front wind). 2.5 hours drive. 22 ltrs to 100 km. I didn't knw the wind was making such a difference, but it was very strong.

We the took it out on a camping trip last weekend. The wind was light both ways. 2.5 hour drive each way. I was very impressed. I could easily go 90 - 95 km/h with no difficulty. It downshifted going up hill, but nothing out of the ordinary. Turned out to be 17.5 ltr/100 km both ways. Very very impressed. My Escape was doing 20 ltr/100 km with the 3,000 lbs R-Pod. Talked to a friend who is towing a 5,500 lbs trailer with a F150, and he does 28 ltr/100 km with his. So the Kia is doing extremely well.

I have a very good brake controller and the trailer has double axles. So the braking is very smooth. I had to take my time to adjust it properly, but once done, it didn't feel like the trailer was pushing or pulling at all. I had to brake quickly a few times and the response was great.

I also have a centre-line weight distribution hitch which includes a sway control system. That is a cool system which doesn't make the annoying noise of the chain system, and I don't need to take it off to back up. The result was a very straight set-up and very little sway (except on that very high wind day).

All and all, I am extremely impressed with the Kia. I would not drive 3,000 km with it to go camping, but within 3 or 4 hours of our home, I have no issue. The only thing is I really like it at 90-95 km/h. When it goes to 100, the mileage changes quite a bit (probably to around 20 lrs/100 km). But in really don't mind going slower. I avoid the 100km/h highway with single lanes, so I can take my time. Four lane highway are fine as the people in a rush can go around me ;).

Discussed all of this with my dealer and he only recommended doing more frequent oil changes on the engine. So I will do one more during the camping season. Other than that, couldn't be more satisfied.

Bottom line is: have the right equipment, properly installed and verified (I had mine installed by a dealer but verified by a trailer hitch expert), and take your time. Towing will change the way you drive. You can't expect to take off like nothing is behind you. But if you are smart and safe, I believe this little SUV is a nice towing vehicle.
 
#25 ·
Well, we got out new trailer a few weeks back. A 25 Ft Gulf Stream Vista. 4,000 lbs dry, about 4,500 lbs loaded with my wife in the vehicle with me.

I had an RPod before (3,000 lbs dry) and a 2015 Escape (3,500 lbs towing capability according to specs but only a V4 turbo). We originally bought the Kia for the R-Pod but my wife decided to buy a bigger trailer...

Took the Vista out of the dealer and drove it home. I was concerned. It seemed to pull quite a bit. The day was very windy (front wind). 2.5 hours drive. 22 ltrs to 100 km. I didn't knw the wind was making such a difference, but it was very strong.

We the took it out on a camping trip last weekend. The wind was light both ways. 2.5 hour drive each way. I was very impressed. I could easily go 90 - 95 km/h with no difficulty. It downshifted going up hill, but nothing out of the ordinary. Turned out to be 17.5 ltr/100 km both ways. Very very impressed. My Escape was doing 20 ltr/100 km with the 3,000 lbs R-Pod. Talked to a friend who is towing a 5,500 lbs trailer with a F150, and he does 28 ltr/100 km with his. So the Kia is doing extremely well.

I have a very good brake controller and the trailer has double axles. So the braking is very smooth. I had to take my time to adjust it properly, but once done, it didn't feel like the trailer was pushing or pulling at all. I had to brake quickly a few times and the response was great.

I also have a centre-line weight distribution hitch which includes a sway control system. That is a cool system which doesn't make the annoying noise of the chain system, and I don't need to take it off to back up. The result was a very straight set-up and very little sway (except on that very high wind day).

All and all, I am extremely impressed with the Kia. I would not drive 3,000 km with it to go camping, but within 3 or 4 hours of our home, I have no issue. The only thing is I really like it at 90-95 km/h. When it goes to 100, the mileage changes quite a bit (probably to around 20 lrs/100 km). But in really don't mind going slower. I avoid the 100km/h highway with single lanes, so I can take my time. Four lane highway are fine as the people in a rush can go around me ;).

Discussed all of this with my dealer and he only recommended doing more frequent oil changes on the engine. So I will do one more during the camping season. Other than that, couldn't be more satisfied.

Bottom line is: have the right equipment, properly installed and verified (I had mine installed by a dealer but verified by a trailer hitch expert), and take your time. Towing will change the way you drive. You can't expect to take off like nothing is behind you. But if you are smart and safe, I believe this little SUV is a nice towing vehicle.
Newbie needing advice here. Let me know if I've set of any alarm bells.

So what is the hitch (tongue?)weight of your RV? We have been looking at Gulfstream Vintage Cruisers. We love the bigger one, but it's dry weight is 4325 lbs, with a hitch weight of 480. It is the only one with tandem axles however, which seems so much safer. The other one we liked is only 2900 lbs dry, with a hitch weight of 380.

Also, what kind of place do you go to to get a seven wire harness installed?

Guess I should confirm that I am driving a 2017 Sorento SX/AWD. LOVE IT better than my husband's BMW.
 
#28 ·
Quote: My vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is 2,550kg (5,610 lbs) - This means that the weight INSIDE my vehicle cannot exceed 5,610 lbs. This includes driver, passengers, fuels, cargo, weight of vehicle, BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER.

My vehicle's Towing Capacity is 5,000 lbs. Therefore, whatever I am TOWING cannot exceed 5,000lbs.

So, does that mean my vehicle has the potential to "move" weight equaling a total of 5,610 + 5,000 = 10,610 lbs? (car, people, cargo, trailer, etc.)

If your GVWR of your TV (Tow vehicle) is 5,610 pounds then you are partially correct. You can take the listed weight of the vehicle but then fluids, passengers, cargo, plus your trailer's tongue weight has to be added into the total. You can't forget that the tongue weight on the back of your TV counts.

The absolute best way to see EXACTLY where you are at is simple and will cost you $10.00. Get everything hooked up and filled up for camping. Drive to the nearest truck stop with a scale (Pilot, Flying J, Loves, etc.). First weigh your whole rig, the ticket they give you will break it down by axle weights if you are long enough. Then pull off the scale and unhook your trailer. Drive back on the scale with you and your passengers in the TV and get your second weight. Go inside and get your printout tickets.

This will give you the exact numbers and it only takes 15 or 20 minutes. When we were traveling full time in our 5th wheel I would run across the scales at least once a year just to make sure I was good.
 
#29 · (Edited)
For the amount of towing that they'll be doing (3-4 hours) that is unnecessary hubris. The car won't suddenly disintegrate into pieces just because they will be 100-200 lb over the manufacturer weight rating. A lot also depends on terrain. Sorento can pull much heavier load safely in Florida compared to Sierra Nevada. KIA provides their towing capacity rating based on varied terrain, they can't possibly say what is safe to tow in flatlands vs hills vs mountain passes.
But my general advise always when towing close to max capacity is to go slow and steady. That reduces dynamic load on a car, reduces transmission wear and just makes the whole towing experience safer for everybody.
 
#32 ·
Was just going to throw this into the conversation. I really didn't want to deal with the wiring nightmare that comes with installing trailer brake controllers on vehicles that aren't pre wired for them. I read some good things about the Tekonsha - Prodigy RF trailer brake controller so I thought I would go in that direction. It's costly BUT, I can swap it between trailers and boat.
 
#33 ·
I have a 2017 Sorento V6 AWD and plan to tow a ~4000 lb trailer (not yet purchased). I'm getting a brake controller (Tekonsha Prodigy) and hitch installed soon. From some pictures I've seen, it looks like the brake controller includes a cigarette-pack-size box to mount somewhere near the driver's knee on the firewall below the steering wheel. Anybody have photos of how they mounted it? Any suggestions?
Thanks!
 
#38 ·
Taresa, I just purchased a 2018 193BHS to tow with my 2016 Sorento SX AWD. We did a trial run with a slightly smaller trailer and had no problems so we felt comfortable purchasing the 193BHS. The trailer we rented to test was 20' 6" long and 85" wide and about 3100 pounds loaded. The 193BHS is 22' long and 90" wide and will be closer to 3700 pounds loaded. We didn't want anything wider than 90" since the Sorento isn't very wide by tow-vehicle standards. While the 193BHS is a bit bigger and heavier than our rental was, it's also more aerodynamic.

Overall our Sorento did just fine, but I'm not going to claim that I didn't notice the trailer. The engine revved a little higher and our mileage dropped substantially. We averaged about 14 MPG while towing along country highways (versus the 28 we would otherwise get). Driving along at about 55 MPH was no problem and is probably where we'll be at most of the time.

I may be able to take out the trailer on the weekend of the 13th. If I do, I'll report back my experiences.
 
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