Kia Problems

While Kia rate their Soul small car for towing 550kg of unbraked trailer, or an optimistic 1100kg of trailer equipped with brakes, these are theoretical maximum possible loads. The reality is that you will be pushing the friendship even towing a small box trailer, let alone a boat, with a Kia Soul.

You should be able to get an example of the current crop of large seven-seat SUVs for under $40k, and we recommend the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe, in that order. 

You'll also be able to get a new mid-size SUV for well under that price, with Mitsubishi offering the base Outlander with seven seats for $29,990 drive away at the moment. 

You can also get the Honda  CR-V VTi-L for just under $40k and the Nissan X-Trail. Our pick would be the Honda, but bear in mind it lacks a lot of active safety equipment fitted standard to the other brands.

The Holden Spark has been discontinued in Australia, with the company citing low volume as the main issue. But if that doesn't deter you, it's still a solid buy at under $15,000. Dealers have plenty of stock still on showroom floors, and you can get really good prices on 2017-plate models for less than $15k, drive-away. Shop for the LT if this is the car you like most, because it has a better features list than the LS.

Probably best to steer clear of the regular Barina, which is admittedly bigger, but definitely not better. The current-generation model could find its way to the automotive graveyard this year, too. 

The Mirage isn't as good as either the Barina or Spark, so unless you just want a very inexpensive car, it's not high on our recommendation list. The Yaris is lagging behind the times in terms of features, but there's a reason it's a go-to for many budget car buyers: it's a strong offering for space and comfort. 

All of that said, the Kia Picanto is the budget car we'd most likely recommend, because it has a strong and long warranty and is the only one in the mix with auto emergency braking (AEB). Plus it has a reversing camera as standard (the base model Spark doesn't). 

Certainly change the oil and oil filter, and the air filter. You could also replace the coolant, and even change the radiator hoses and clamps. Have the air conditioning serviced, and maybe replace the fluid. Check the brakes for wear and replace if they’re down, replace the brake fluid. Also check the tyres, including the spare, for wear and any signs of damage, and replace if they need it. Obviously set the tyre pressure to the correct pressure for the load it will have.

Check for the Kia dealers that will be in towns along your way, so you can have it serviced if needed while you are away. And regularly check all fluids on the trip.

While some vehicle keys can be programmed at home almost all contemporary vehicles use a smart key system that requires a qualified locksmith or car dealership to code the key to your particular car using specialist software.

The Kia Sorento GT-Line, Sport, SLi and Si are all seven-seat vehicles.

The tappets are not adjustable, and it’s not normal that they are noisy. It’s hard to know what has happened as a result of it standing for so long. Have a mechanic check the tappets.

Modern Korean cars have come a long way since they burst onto the Australian market as entry-level runabouts 30 years ago. When properly serviced and taken care of the Kia Soul shouldn't be any less reliable than a comparable Japanese vehicle, though I have heard of some issues in America (in cold states) where cabin vent tubes can become blocked leading to the demisters struggling to clear the windows quickly.

The entire Sorento range sold in Australia are seven-seat models.