Maintaining the factory-recommended maintenance plan and taking care of problems as soon as they appear are the best ways to maintain your Kia in good working order. Any material or workmanship flaws should be covered by the Kia guarantee that comes with new and certified pre-owned cars, but these protections ultimately run out.
If your car needs repairs after the first warranty period has passed, an extended warranty might assist cover the cost of such unforeseen expenses. Kia has an extended warranty that may be purchased directly from the company, but you can also acquire coverage from third parties.
Independent extended warranty providers frequently provide more options for coverage, older vehicle coverage, a larger network of repair facilities, and more comprehensive benefits. Endurance and CarShield are two companies that we suggest.
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Endurance: Best Coverage
Up to 8 years or 200,000+ miles of additional warranty coverage are possible with Endurance. Additionally, Endurance offers some of the market’s most comprehensive contracts. There are five different coverage options available, ranging from straightforward powertrain coverage to complete bumper-to-bumper warranty protection.
CarShield: Best Value
Additionally, CarShield provides extended warranty protection for cars with up to 300,000 miles on the odometer, potentially doubling the Kia factory warranty’s scope of coverage. CarShield offers a solid reputation in the market, a wide range of coverage options, and some of the most affordable contracts available.
For more information, see our comprehensive CarShield review. To get a free, no-risk CarShield quote, click the button below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kia is a dependable automaker. Overall, Kia receives a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 on RepairPal, placing it third overall (out of 32 brands).
Both Kia and Toyota are well-known for their dependability, and both have a 4.0 out of 5.0 RepairPal reliability rating. Kias may be marginally more reliable, while RepairPal puts Toyota seventh overall and Kia third.
Kias require an average of 0.2 unforeseen repair shop visits year, according to RepairPal. This is half of the 0.4 visits per year average for all brands. You have a one in five risk of needing an unforeseen repair each year, according to this statistic.
Previously, the Kia name was associated with low-cost, subpar vehicles. This is partly because the brand’s automobiles had a lot of issues when it first appeared in the United States. Since then, Kia has made fleet improvements and has earned a reputation for having great reliability.
Yes, Kias have a reputation for lasting just as long as other trustworthy cars like Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota. Although the powertrain is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty for up to 100,000 miles, many owners keep their Kias for much longer.
Are Kia engines trustworthy?
To obtain their overall reliability ratings, the RepairPal team considers a number of different variables. Simply put, your out-of-pocket ownership expenditures will be cheaper the more dependable your car is. The cost, frequency, and severity of repairs are some of these variables. In order to calculate an individual brand’s total RepairPal reliability rating, these categories are averaged.
In the RepairPal reliability rankings, Kia came in at number three, including second place when only non-luxury brands were included. The Kia Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, placing it third among all car brands out of 32. This evaluation is based on the average of 345 different models.
“Kia had three well-liked models, including the Soul, Rio, and Forte, in the top 30 with Excellent ratings. The Optima and Sorento, two of its most well-liked cars, kept their Excellent rankings within the top 100.
Are Kia engines durable?
People used to love to despise Kia as a brand. Although Kia is now known for producing high-quality cars like the Telluride, the South Korean carmaker has had a difficult past. You may have be aware that Kia has turned the corner and is now one of the most well-known brands on the international market.
There are undoubtedly plenty of Kia models available if you’re interested in purchasing one. However, some individuals may still remember Kia’s previous reputation for being unreliable, leading them to wonder: How long do Kias last?
In this article, we’ll examine the typical lifespan of Kia automobiles. How many miles should your Kia last? Is it a dependable, enduring brand? Which Kias have the longest lifespan and are the most dependable? These inquiries and others will be addressed.
How Far and Long Can You Drive a Kia?
What’s the real scoop on how long Kias last? Kia vehicles are predicted to last up to 200,000 kilometers when driven responsibly. Owners that provided their Kias with the necessary TLC report that they were able to get 200,000 to 250,000 miles out of them and keep them on the road for ten years or longer.
Of course, each driver’s experience with car longevity will be different (pardon the pun). Numerous elements, such as ownership maintenance and driving conditions, have an impact on longevity.
While the more modern Kia lines can clock 200,000+ miles on the odometer, the earlier Kias from around 20 years ago won’t win any medals for dependability.
These figures are competitive with brands like Honda and Toyota. For instance, Reader’s Digest claims that the Kia Rio subcompact sedan can reach 250,000 miles, while J.D. Power rates its dependability well.
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Kias Reliability Ratings
The general reliability of a vehicle is one of the most important variables affecting its longevity. This raises the issue, are Kias trustworthy? How durable are Kias?
In a nutshell: Kia is a trustworthy company. Please, though, don’t take our word for it; instead, let us direct you to the professionals.
Kia has a reliability score that is above average. Although Kia first gained a reputation for being unreliable when it entered the American market, the South Korean manufacturer has since gotten its act together and is now one of the most dependable companies.
It currently ranks as the third most reliable car brand on the market with a RepairPal dependability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0. Only Honda and Acura, two businesses renowned for their legendary dependability, can surpass Kia.
With a low yearly repair cost of $474 as opposed to the country’s average of $652 for all models, Kia also received top marks for cost of ownership. Kia vehicles stay on the road longer than many brands thanks to 0.2 times as many unscheduled maintenance visits per year and a 10% likelihood of significant repairs.
Which Kias are the Most Reliable?
Kia sells premium automobiles for reasonable pricing. Like many automakers, Kia has some models that are better engineered than others. A vehicle has a better probability of remaining on the road and traveling farther if it is more dependable. Some of the most dependable Kias that will last you a long time are listed below:
Kia Rio
As basic a mode of transportation as you can find is the Kia Rio. The Rio won’t blow anyone away, but it provides adequate comfort, usefulness, and acceptable fuel efficiency at a fair price. The base Rio models are quite basic, but the higher trims are fully equipped cars that do the job admirably.
The Kia Rio will last you for a very long time with the right care and maintenance thanks to the combination of Kia’s top-tier guarantee and excellent safety ratings. As previously noted, some Rio owners asserted that their tiny car had logged 250,000 miles.
A quick check of RepairPal reveals that the Rio ranks 6th out of 21 subcompact cars with a dependability rating of 4.5 out of 5.0.
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Kia Soul
The boxy sheet metal Kia Soul is a big-hearted vehicle that usually draws attention. The Soul, however, is more than simply a quirky SUV since it has great utility, great fuel economy, and a ton of contemporary technology. Although many individuals find the base trim to be a little too basic, the Soul’s low price is undoubtedly its biggest selling point.
The Kia Soul requires proper care and maintenance, just like any other vehicle. The Soul may travel up to 200,000 miles and even more if you give it the proper care. The Soul will reward you with 1013 years of dependable service if you maintain your oil changes and dealership servicing.
Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage belongs in the classy subcompact SUV category. If you’re searching for a chic and versatile suburban SUV, the Sportage is a good choice. It’s not just one of the more visually appealing subcompact SUVs on the market; it’s also lavishly furnished with contemporary features and cutting-edge safety technologies. The Sportage is an SUV that will last even though it doesn’t have a powerful performance.
Again, assuming the Sportage is well-maintained, it should have no issue reaching 200,000 miles or more. Many Sportage owners with more over 200,000 miles on the odometer can be found if you visit some well-known automotive forums. Kia offers 5-year/60,000-mile standard and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties, so you can drive more miles with greater confidence.
According to RepairPal, the Sportage is ranked sixth out of 26 compact SUVs with a dependability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0.
Make Your Kias Last
How durable are Kias? Actually, as the owner, it will also depend on you. It would be beneficial if you drove carefully and responsibly, in addition to adhering to your routine maintenance plan and taking care of repair concerns as soon as they arise.
You might not be particularly knowledgeable about your car’s brakes unless you’re a mechanic or a super-committed auto enthusiast. How much time do they usually last? How frequently should brakes be replaced? We have solutions.
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Are Kia’s engines problematic?
A fuse can be changed by a dealer. The control modules will also be examined by Hyundai dealers, who will replace them if necessary. Hyundai will mail notification letters starting April 5, and Kia will send them March 31.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says owners should to www.nhtsa.gov and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to check if their automobile is being recalled.
According to Hyundai, the company “acts rapidly and efficiently to recall the vehicle and remedy the fault at no cost to impacted customers” when it discovers a safety flaw.
Drivers may notice or smell warning indications, according to Kia. The antilock brake warning light could come on, and they could smell something burning or melting, or see smoke coming from the engine compartment.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration intensified a number of investigations into the engine compartment fires that have plagued the Korean automakers, leading to Tuesday’s recalls.
In December, the organization combined two 2017 investigations into a brand-new engineering examination that covered more than 3 million automobiles from the model years 2011 through 2016. At that time, the NHTSA had gotten 161 reports of engine fires, some of which had happened in recalled cars.
The first recall from the companies due to engine failures and fires stretches to September 2015. Since then they have issued at least eight more recalls for a range of engine concerns, according to NHTSA documents.
The agency says it’s reviewing whether past recalls covered enough automobiles. The effectiveness of earlier recalls will also be evaluated, as well as the long-term viability of linked programs and non-safety field operations being carried out by Hyundai and Kia.
The automakers claimed to have carried out a number of recalls to address engine problems at the time, including recalls, new engine monitoring technology, and offering extended warranties.
The recalls announced on Tuesday are different from the engine failure issue that led to the majority of the prior Hyundai-Kia fire recalls, according to Michael Brooks, chief counsel for the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety. “Although NHTSA has the power to force a recall and maybe a buyback of all impacted vehicles, the distinct fire flaws that have plagued millions of Hyundai cars across multiple model years makes this a very difficult process,” he said.
Because Kia and Hyundai took too long to recall more than 1 million vehicles with potentially dangerous engines, the NHTSA announced in November 2020 that they would be forced to pay $137 million in fines and make other safety measures. The penalties ended an earlier investigation on the companies’ actions involving multiple model recalls going back to the 2011 model year.
For safety performance measures, Kia was required to pay $27 million and put $16 million into them. As long as Kia complies with safety requirements, a further $27 million payment will be postponed, according to NHTSA.
Despite denying the U.S. accusations, Kia claimed it wished to avoid a drawn-out legal battle.
Since 2015, Hyundai and Kia have issued more than 30 U.S. recalls for fire and engine-related issues, according to data gathered by the Center for Auto Safety. More than 20 models, totaling more than 8.4 million cars, from the model years 2006 through 2021 are included in the recalls.
A large number of recalls included production flaws that prevented oil from passing past the engine block. Many of them need pricey engine replacements.
Additionally, 3.7 million vehicles from Hyundai and Kia were the target of a U.S. “product enhancement program” to install software warning drivers of potential engine issues.
Who builds the Kia engines?
Hyundai and Kia produce their own engines, and a recent manufacturing fault may result in the premature death of more than 1 million of those engines.
For the same problem, Hyundai and Kia made separate recall announcements. About 572,000 examples of the 2013-2014 Santa Fe and 2013-2014 Sonata are included in Hyundai’s recall. About 618,160 units of the 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento, and 2011-2013 Sportage are included in Kia’s recall.
One of two enginesa 2.4-liter, direct-injected, naturally aspirated I4 or a 2.0-liter, turbocharged I4powers each of the involved vehicles. The motors’ various production dates range from 2010 to 2014.
The problem is due to manufacturing mistakes. It appears that metal debris in the crankshaft oil passageways wasn’t properly wiped out, and a second mistake led to surface roughness in the crankpins (crank journals). The connecting rod bearings, which enable the connecting rods to move freely, may receive less oil as a result of these two issues.
The engine may begin to knock as the bearing ages from contacting a rough surface without lubrication. The engine may seize up and be doomed to the scrap heap if the driver doesn’t understand what’s wrong and the bearings fail. If the engine seizes while the car is moving, it also poses a safety risk.
In May, notice will be given to dealers and owners, the latter by first-class mail. Owners must visit the dealership so that mechanics can examine and perhaps replace the engine. Owners who have previously paid for repairs must follow certain procedures in order to receive reimbursement from Hyundai or Kia.
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