Kia Cadenza Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2014 draws 9.55 complaints per run and the 2019 1, a 9.6-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age, so 73.9% land after the 5-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 62 complaints, typically at 7.2 years.

Kia Cadenza years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Kia Cadenza — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2019	1	5	5	yes
2018	1.17	7	6	yes
2017	2	32	16	yes
2016	1.44	13	9	yes
2015	3.62	47	13	yes
2014	9.55	105	11	yes

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 6 Kia Cadenza years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2014, 2015, 2017; the three worth hunting are 2019, 2018, 2016.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Kia Cadenza — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	8	3.9%	covered
1 year	13	10.1%	covered
2 years	11	15.5%	covered
3 years	8	19.3%	covered
4 years	14	26.1%	covered
5 years	9	30.4%	you pay
6 years	22	41.1%	you pay
7 years	33	57%	you pay
8 years	29	71%	you pay
9 years	38	89.4%	you pay
10 years	14	96.1%	you pay
11 years	7	99.5%	you pay
12 years	1	100%	you pay

ROWS 13·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Only 26.1% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 73.9% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (10 years / 100,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 30% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Engine at 7.2 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Kia Cadenza — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	62	7.2 yrs	—	2
Service Brakes	34	7.2 yrs	2	—
Electrical System	33	6.4 yrs	—	5
Unknown Or Other	32	6.3 yrs	1	2
Hydraulic	23	8.4 yrs	—	—
Visibility	22	7 yrs	—	—
Steering	18	6.6 yrs	—	—
Structure	10	4.3 yrs	1	—

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Cadenza's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Charger draws 4.56, the Chrysler 300 4.11 and the Kia K5 3.08, against 3.48 for the Cadenza.

FIG.05·Kia Cadenza — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Cadenza	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Dodge Charger	5,784	133	1983–2026
Chrysler 300	6,171	86	1999–2026
Kia K5	486	21	2021–2026
Hyundai Sonata	16,220	152	1989–2026
Chevrolet Impala	10,373	98	1981–2026
Lincoln Continental	2,687	80	1981–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Kia Cadenza

Recalls12 campaigns Fuel economy23 mpg best Common problems217 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space16 cu ft Used prices126 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2014–2020

Frequently asked questions

Is the Kia Cadenza reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.48 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Cadenza years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2014, 2015, 2017. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2019, 2018, 2016. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Cadenza problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 7.2 years, followed by Service Brakes.

Will the warranty cover Cadenza problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 5 years / 60,000 miles, and only 26.1% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 30% of the complaints here.

Is the Cadenza more reliable than the Dodge Charger?

Yes: 3.48 complaints per production run for the Cadenza against 4.56 for the Dodge Charger.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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