For a long time, Hyundai and Kia had the benefit of longer warranties. For a decade, we took care of any problems that arose. That was the major benefit. Eliminating it gave them the advantage back, but it was for naught. There have been too many drastic redesigns of the cars themselves. Consumables including oil, cabin air filters, and model-specific filters are model-and year-specific. All of them are unique, while some are cartridges and some are add-ons. Various even down to the wiper blades. From 2019 to 2021, my two Sorentos went through a wiper replacement. Because of this ongoing evolution, consumables are both scarce and costly.
And then there are the modifications that prevent theft. My insurance company has threatened to cancel my coverage until I update my daughters' Seltos, and they have sent me at least four consecutive notifications about this. That causes the vehicle to be held at the dealership for one day every time.
So far, my CX90 encounters have been much more consistent. Because it has been on the market for over a decade and is standard for most models, aftermarket oil filters are easy to get. For$120, I got a maintenance kit from the dealer that had new wiper blades, an oil filter with oil, and filters for the cabin and intake air. For Kia, the same parts are only available individually, necessitating visits to both the dealer and two other auto parts stores. It cost more than $300. Everyone else's Seltos was that. The age is starting to show on my 2019 Sorento. In your opinion, what will take its place?
When it comes to snow handling, my criteria are whether it's possible to drive away from the curb after the ploughs have passed and how it manages to navigate streets with several snow drifts. Pretty much the same for all three.
My apologies if this is completely irrelevant.