Kia Problems

I have spoken to Kia and the company says it has replaced the steering rack and power steering and that it believes the car is operating correctly. It has not been able to identify any brake fault.

It’s a good car that has failed to proceed, although there are still some in dealer stocks that should be sharply priced. Also expect some fleet cars with low kilometres to come on to the market in the next few months.

If you have records showing when you reported it to the Ford dealer I would think you have some claim, although it's a little unclear because you've since had it worked on by other people. I think you'll be battling to get any compensation, but by all means give it a go.

The Sorento has a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Auto safety braking is great to have but it will be some years before it is fitted to all new models.

The three cars you name all have merit, none has any major issue to be concerned about and all fit your needs, but you will have to shop around to find them within your age and budget limits.

The often-overlooked Rondo is a good car that would definitely do the job for you.

Like you I doubt very much that changing to higher octane fuel will have any affect on the problem as you describe it. It seems likely that it’s a problem with the idle setting and that’s where they should be looking. Follow the dealer’s advice and run two fills of 95-octane fuel through it, so you can rule that out as a solution when you take it back. The only thing you can do is to keep the pressure up on the dealer, and to register your complaint directly with Kia’s customer assistance people.

The best time to buy is January, when dealers and car companies are trying to clear all their 2015 stock. Just like northern hemisphere horses, they all get a year older on January 1. A free auto upgrade is one of the typical baits these days, since more than 90 per cent of people buy an auto and companies can offer an effective $1500 value boost.

The Sorento has just been voted the 2015 Car of the Year so it gets The Tick from me. There is an all-new CX-9 next year and a Santa Fe update soon. Today, the order is Sorento, Outback, Santa Fe and CX-9.