The Viral TikTok Star Kia Probably Wasn't Expecting

Kia is going viral in a way it probably wasn't expecting, and it's all thanks to a TikTok star who's been adamantly promoting its SUV. A TikTok video featuring a very passionate Kia owner is making waves around the internet. So, some might be wondering, what kind of vehicle can make its owner happy enough to tell the whole world about it? It seems like New York documentarian and TikTok user by the name of New York Niko has found just the car, and the proud owner to go along with it.

The guy's name is Joe "Big Joe" Gambino, an Italian from New York who's currently best known for being very vocal about his Kia Sorento. Of course, the Sorento isn't anything new as Kia's constantly been producing these mid-sized SUVs for two decades now. Last year, the South Korean automaker officially unveiled its latest iteration, with pricing ranging from $29,490 to up to $47,890. The Sorento might not exactly be Concourse d'Elegance material, but Gambino has a lot of nice things to say about it.

NewYorkNiko's video featuring Gambino managed to reach over 2.1 million hits, and given the Kia owner's enthusiasm, it's easy to see why. In the TikTok video, Joe can be seen giving a salesman-like pitch on why to buy a 2022 Kia Sorento. Joe eagerly points out what sold him on it, including its 22-inch rims, bucket seats, panoramic roofs, and a dashboard that "looks like NASA." 

This isn't the first time Gambino personally promoted the SUV either. One of his TikTok videos almost looks like an official advertisement, with Joe saying its interior is like being "in outer space," even ending it with a statement proclaiming you'd have to be "out of your mind not to consider this car."

Gambino claims people have been giving him flak for driving a Sorento, saying "what, I gotta drive a Cadillac or Mercedes because I gotta impress people?" He passionately defended his ride of choice saying Kia "has come a long way," and that the Sorento is a "beautiful ride." He also makes a point to suggest that he feels like a Kia Sorento drives better than a Mercedes Benz. 

When Gambino was asked in an interview about what the words Kia Sorento meant to him, he responded, "it's the car of cars." In fact, the TikTok star is usually seen posting content from inside his Sorento. If this kind of dedication to a single product doesn't make Kia consider Joe as head of its marketing department, who knows what will?