Are Kia Cars Reliable? Best Models, Pros & Cons 2023

Not only are Kia cars the most reliable on the road right now, but they also have the best warranties in the business, which gives you even more peace of mind. The company’s first U.S. lineup was full of cheaply made cars that didn’t offer anything to buyers other than low prices. 

However, the momentum has swung in the opposite direction, as this has not been the case for more than a decade. The Kia Optima (now called the K5) made it into the top three most reliable midsize cars. J.D. Power reported that owners of these 2019 model-year cars had the lowest number of problems in 2022.

How did Kia manage to get here?

At the beginning of the 2000s, Kia was known for making cheap, boring cars. Since then, Kia has made significant strides in Reliability, and today it is often considered one of the most trustworthy brands and a smart pick for anyone in the market for a low-maintenance car. No car brand has gone from the bottom to the top as quickly as Kia. The company’s leaders knew they had to improve the brand’s quality because it had a bad name that needed to be fixed.

To improve its brand, the Korean company spent billions of dollars on research, development, and production of its cars. However, the formula for the brand’s unwavering dependability will remain under wraps. Between the fiscal years of 2009 and 2021, Kia’s income went up overall. During the 2021 fiscal year, the Kia Motor Corporation made about 61 billion U.S. dollars or 69.9 trillion Korean won.

Best Kia Models in terms of Reliability

The following are the most trustworthy Kia, as rated by J.D. Power. The predicted dependability of these cars was either 4 or 5 out of 5.

  • Kia Sportage
  • Kia Telluride
  • Kia Sorento

Kia Sportage

Source: pakwheels.com

The base price of the 2022 Kia Sportage is $24,090. It has a four-cylinder engine that is 2.4 liters and makes 181 horsepower. In the city, the small SUV gets 25 miles per gallon; on the highway, it gets 32 miles per gallon. There are four different ways to get the Sportage. It also has suitable materials inside the cabin. Kia’s sales numbers show that as of July 2022, the company has sold 64,341 Sportage cars.

Kia Telluride

Source: motortrend.com

Since its debut, the Kia Telluride has been a popular vehicle. It quickly became the leader in its market segment because it gives good value for the money. The base price of the 2022 Kia Telluride is $33,390. It has a V6 engine that is 3.8 liters and makes 291 horsepower. In the city, the midsize SUV gets 20 miles per gallon; on the highway, it gets 26 miles per gallon. So far, in 2022, Kia has sold 55,211 Telluride. In 2021, it sold 54,099 Telluride units. In October 2022, it sold 8,179 Telluride.

Kia Sorento

Source: driver.pk

The base price of the 2022 Kia Sorento is $29,590. It has a four-cylinder engine that is 2.5 liters and makes 191 horsepower. In the city, the Sorento gets 24 miles per gallon, and it gets 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The Sorento’s interior is comfortable, fun to drive, and has good powertrain options. So far, in 2022, Kia has sold 48,518 Sorento cars. In 2021, the car company sold 54,063 cars.

Kia Overall Brand Evaluation

This is not an easy distinction to make. When making these lists, a number of things are taken into account. Find out what that means and why Kia is the best.

Quality of the vehicle

The vehicle itself, of course, plays a role in how reliable it is. A vehicle’s score on this reliability scale will go down if there are problems with the engine, the design, or any other physical flaws. According to repairpal.com, which ranks Reliability based on how often and how much repairs cost, Kia ranks third among all brands.

Customer service

Manufacturers of cars don’t get to clock out once the car rolls off the assembly line. They must ensure quality is met at every step of the process. The public face is important and plays an essential role in establishing Kia’s reputation for Reliability.

Vehicle coverage

The quality of vehicle coverage is another thing that goes into these rankings. This is affected by things like roadside assistance and vehicle warranties. The 10-year/100,000-mile warranty that Kia offers is the best in the business. 

Common problems and maintenance cost of Kia

Nevertheless, not every single one of Kia’s cars is without flaws. In order to help you make the most informed choice about the next vehicle you purchase, we have compiled a list of the most common problems associated with Kia, as well as the associated repair costs.

Kia Sorento Engine Failure

In some 2011 and 2012 Kia Sorento, the engine exploded, which is obviously not ideal. The GDI engine in Kia is to blame, say multiple sources, complaints, and a recall. Since then, Kia has recalled a number of engine parts, but not all cars have been fixed yet.

Repair costs

A number of Kia Sorento customers have reported spending more than $5,000 on engine replacements, despite the fact that the faulty components should be covered by the recall.

Kia Sedona Faulty Alternator

Between the NHTSA and CarComplaints, there have been 353 complaints about the Kia Sedona. Most come from the car’s electrical system, and the alternator is a key part of that. Several people have said that the car’s alternator tends to fry itself, and it’s not cheap to fix. Model years 2006, 2012, and 2015 are most likely to have this problem.

Repair costs

The cost of the new alternator and the work to install it is about $600.

Kia Forte Engine Knocking

Engine knock has been reported in models from 2010 all the way up to 2017. More than 100 people have complained to the NHTSA that their car’s engine knocks. The ignition coils are usually to blame.

Repair costs

Kia Forte owners say that the dealership will charge between $2,500 and $4,500 to fix the engine knock on their Forte.

What else influences a vehicle’s Reliability?

The Reliability and lifespan of a car depend on how well you take care of it, how often you get it serviced, how carefully or recklessly you drive, and whether or not you live in a place with extreme weather that could damage the car’s parts.

Source: dreamstime.com

Your car will last longer if you do preventive maintenance like changing the oil, flushing the fluids, rotating the tires, and cleaning the fuel system. It will also last longer if you keep it out of the harsh desert or tropical sun and away from the salty roads that cause rust in the winter.

FAQs

Are Kia good reliable cars?

Kia was rated as one of the three most reliable brands by RepairPal. When only non-luxury brands were considered, Kia was rated as the second most reliable brand. With a Reliability Rating of 4.0 out of 5, Kia is the third most reliable car brand out of 32. This rating is an average of the scores of 345 different models.

Do Kia vehicles last?

In the hands of a conscientious owner, Kia automobiles should endure up to 200,000 kilometers. According to the reports of Kia owners who provided their vehicles with the necessary maintenance, they could achieve between 200,000 and 250,000 miles and keep them on the road for at least a decade.

Is Toyota or Kia better?

Both Toyota and Kia are known for making cars that are very reliable. A 2019 study by J.D. Power found that Kia has the best initial quality in the United States among non-premium brands. J.D. Power also said that the 2016 Toyota Corolla, Prius, and Prius V, as well as the 2016 Kia Soul, were some of the most reliable cars on the road.

Are Kia expensive to fix?

On average, standard maintenance for a Kia vehicle only costs roughly $474 on an annual basis.

Is it smart to buy a Kia?

Kia was known in the early 2000s for producing low-quality cars at low prices. Since then, Kia’s dependability has gotten a lot better, and now it’s considered one of the most reliable brands and a good choice for drivers who want a low-maintenance car.

Will a Kia last as long as a Honda?

How well you take care of your car, truck, or SUV on the open road will determine how long it lasts. Over the past 10 years, Kia’s Reliability has improved a lot, and it can now compete with Toyota and Honda. It’s not unusual for newer cars to last a lot longer than 200,000 miles. In short, they can last as long as a Honda.

Final Words

In the past few years, the South Korean brand has made its fleet more reliable. Kia didn’t have an easy time getting into the U.S. market or other global markets. Every new Kia comes with a full warranty, which shows how much the company cares about quality. If you’ve been looking for the most reliable car brand, you don’t need to look any further than Kia.

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