Kia Cadenza Reliability
281 NHTSA complaints (2014–2019). Complaint rate: 121.0 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2014–2015 Kia Cadenza. The 2018–2019 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Kia Cadenza Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 58 | 0.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 33 | 0.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 31 | 3.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 23 | 0.0% |
| STEERING | 16 | 0.0% |
| VISIBILITY | 13 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 18.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 10 | 0.0% |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 9 | 0.0% |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 9 | 11.1% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014AVOID | — | 146 | 4 | 3 | View 2014View→ |
| 2015AVOID | — | 64 | 1 | 2 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016GOOD | — | 18 | 0 | — | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | — | 42 | 5 | 2 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 7 | 0 | — | View 2018View→ |
| 2019GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | — | View 2019View→ |
See also: Kia Cadenzaaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Kia Cadenza?
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