Pulling 19 with Kia Sorrento

[Wetcoastoil]

Hi, new member, happy to join the gang!

We have completed our build sheet on our 2020 19. Was wondering if anyone out there had experience pulling this unit with a Kia Sorrento.

The Sorrento is our current vehicle (2017), is rated for 5,000 lbs towing capacity. We currently pull an older trailer with about 3,000 gvw, with no issues.

Just looking for some feedback on towing with this vehicle if anyone out there has one?

Thanks and hope to see everyone in Osoyoos!

[Duer]

Originally Posted by Wet coast oil

Hi, new member, happy to join the gang!

We have completed our build sheet on our 2020 19. Was wondering if anyone out there had experience pulling this unit with a Kia Sorrento.

The Sorrento is our current vehicle (2017), is rated for 5,000 lbs towing capacity. We currently pull an older trailer with about 3,000 gvw, with no issues.

Just looking for some feedback on towing with this vehicle if anyone out there has one?

Thanks and hope to see everyone in Osoyoos!

Hi Wet coast oil,

All I can offer is a similar situation, I have a Kia Sorento I assume like yours with a V6.
It is my 2nd Kia. I do not own a 19’ Escape but sure would like to... Actually, that’s why I bought my EX V6. I have a few friends that have towed trailers for years. One man that has 1000s of miles towing and is a great advocate of pulling a tandem axle trailer.
A tandem axle will pull a lot smoother than a single axle, plus the redundancy of two tires on each side in the event of a flat will in most cases give you the opportunity to choose where you stop to change the flat.

Now perhaps before I go any further and get too busy running my mouth off,,, I will say I have pulled a 3000 pound utility trailer for hundreds of miles with my current Kia and it does very well, with no issues. This is without a WDH, but it is not a 4000 lb travel trailer.

It would appear since you have already ordered a 19 Escape, it’s too late to turn back now....Just get a good WDH and go for it.... Pull the 19 as light as possible, no extra water and pay attention to the weight and balance. You are with in the towing capacity of your vehicle. Don’t sweat the small stuff....

[GregandTeresa]

We pull our classic Escape 19 with a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, which has similar ratings as your Kia. For now, it does the job just fine, but we are currently doing mostly local camping (within 2 - 4 hours of home), and pulling on flat roads.

But when we do find ourselves in mountains (we towed to Helen GA last year), it really struggles. If we were doing more long distance trips, or towing in mountains more often, we would find a more capable tow vehicle. When we retire in a few years, I expect to upgrade to an F-150 or similar.

[matt]

Originally Posted by Wetcoastoil

Hi, new member, happy to join the gang!

We have completed our build sheet on our 2020 19. Was wondering if anyone out there had experience pulling this unit with a Kia Sorrento.

The Sorrento is our current vehicle (2017), is rated for 5,000 lbs towing capacity. We currently pull an older trailer with about 3,000 gvw, with no issues.

Just looking for some feedback on towing with this vehicle if anyone out there has one?

Thanks and hope to see everyone in Osoyoos!

We towed our previous Lance 1575 with a Kia Sorrento for thousands of miles and we were very happy with it. After a texting driver totaled our Sorrento in 2017 we replaced it with it's Hyundai twin, the Santa Fe. We have now towed our Escape 21 for thousands of miles with V6 Hyundai Santa Fe and we have had no issues. It's been a great combination for us.I will say if I had it to do over again when replacing our totaled Sorrento I wish we would have purchased another Sorrento. They both tow about the same but we both liked our Sorrento better than our Santa Fe.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by matt

We towed our previous Lance 1575 with a Kia Sorrento for thousands of miles and we were very happy with it. After a texting driver totaled our Sorrento in 2017 we replaced it with it's Hyundai twin, the Santa Fe. We have now towed our Escape 21 for thousands of miles with V6 Hyundai Santa Fe and we have had no issues. It's been a great combination for us.I will say if I had it to do over again when replacing our totaled Sorrento I wish we would have purchased another Sorrento. They both tow about the same but we both liked our Sorrento better than our Santa Fe.

My brother recently bought a new Santa Fe to replace his old Santa Fe that went into the self destruct mode . Seems like it would be OK as a commuter vehicle but beyond that ??

[Wetcoastoil]

Thanks for the input Duer, we plan to take it easy and operate as lite as possible. If we have issues in the mountains, will upgrade to an F150 or similar.

[Wetcoastoil]

Thanks Matt,
We love our Sorrento as well. Hope we can tow with this vehicle as my wife hates trucks...will be a hard sell but may be necessary.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Wetcoastoil

Thanks for the input Duer, we plan to take it easy and operate as lite as possible. If we have issues in the mountains, will upgrade to an F150 or similar.

Consider how many miles towing will be mountains, during the lifetime of the vehicle.

Is it really that big of a concern that you arrive at the summit three minutes later than in a more powerful vehicle?

[Duer]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Consider how many miles towing will be mountains, during the lifetime of the vehicle.

Is it really that big of a concern that you arrive at the summit three minutes later than in a more powerful vehicle?

The reality for Canadians is more expensive gasoline, especially with the carbon tax.
What makes economic sense to me is I can drive my V6 as my daily driver at 30 mpg, if I stay off the throttle. Now that is rather hard to argue. However, saying that pulling up a hill with 4500 lbs well it’s going to drink the fuel and run hot!!! As well, I believe that if it’s hot you will need to wait til things cool of. Outside air temperature and density altitude have an affect on everything from airplanes to autos.

Plan your trip, be flexible.

[gbaglo]

Do what you want.

[neamster]

We drive a 2016 Kia Sorrento V6 with a 19 foot Escape. Nothing but good things. We chose this combo as we wanted a tow vehicle that could be our chief vehicle for all seasons. so far it has worked well. We get 11.3 litres when not towing, which is not great, but is okay. We have never has any tow issues.

This may not be a solution
Hi for all, but for us, towing within a four month window, and using the Sorrento as our main vehicle for the rest of the year, it works well.

[Wetcoastoil]

Thanks for the input neamster. That makes sense. We hope to use our Sorrento as a family car as well.

[neamster]

AS we live in an in the Okanagan Valley, we are either towing with the Kia Sorrento over the Coquihalla or over the Rockies every time we travel any distance.. We just take it easy, and have never had any trouble with brakes or with overheating or with anything else. Those Ford 150's can pass us all day long if they like, it's not a race.

[Doug2000]

Use a Weight Distribution Hitch
Use a scanner to monitor trans temps, I used a Scangauge2
Use a good brake controller
Pack as light as is practical
Don't go above 5000', stay away from Colorado

Here is my experience with the 4Runner

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...nce-13422.html

Follow TravellingRobert on YouTube, he started off with a KIA, his videos are very good, especially his Key West RV videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4cPAJQJUsw

[Duer]

Originally Posted by neamster

We drive a 2016 Kia Sorrento V6 with a 19 foot Escape. Nothing but good things. We chose this combo as we wanted a tow vehicle that could be our chief vehicle for all seasons. so far it has worked well. We get 11.3 litres when not towing, which is not great, but is okay. We have never has any tow issues.

This may not be a solution
Hi for all, but for us, towing within a four month window, and using the Sorrento as our main vehicle for the rest of the year, it works well.

Hi Neamster,

Wow, It’s great to finally hear someone towing a 19 with a Kia Sorento. Thank you for sharing your success with your Escape / Kia combo. The first that I have seen. Basically you’re using the 19 as it was designed with SUV as a TV should that be desired.

[SilverSlim61]

Did you use a hitch extension since the hitch sits so low?

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by SilverSlim61

Did you use a hitch extension since the hitch sits so low?

Be careful with extensions, they reduce your hitch capacity.....

[Wetcoastoil]

I have never used a hitch extension towing with the Sorrento, but a weight distribution hitch is a must. No problem towing anywhere on Vancouver Island.
I have since changed tow vehicles, like so many others on this forum, and now use an F150 for towing and use the Sorrento as my daily driver.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by SilverSlim61

Did you use a hitch extension since the hitch sits so low?

An extension is not used to determine the ball height. In hitches, an "extension" places the ball much further rearward (which is bad).

The height is determined by the correct choice of ball mount (or weight distributing hitch shank), with the required drop or rise dimension.

[Jeanman]

We spent 2 years and a half living full time in our 2018 21’. Pulling with a 2018 Kia Sorento SX. We went to Mexico on the Pacific coast twice, crossed Canada four times. Averaged 13.5 liters/ 100km on long runs. Only good memories