Which Kia Cadenza years should you avoid?

2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Kia Cadenza model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Kia Cadenza?

2015 is the best-scoring Kia Cadenza model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 73.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Kia Cadenza have?

5 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Kia Cadenza model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Kia Cadenza years to avoid

Across 3 scored model years, the 2014 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Kia Cadenza Full report

Grade 2014–2017

2014 vs model median 1.5×

Model median3× median

Engine 5

Body & Interior 5

Electrical 3

Avoid

2014

Best

2015 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Kia Cadenza
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2014	1.49×	32	D
2015	0.52×	11	B
2017	1.00×	19	C

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2014 D 32 reports · median 18,315 mi

Engine 5

When accelerating from a stop, if done in a start, stop, restart fashion, it does not immediately re-accelerate. This condition can occur when stopping prior to pulling out into traffic. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Body & Interior 5

I purchased a kia cadenza in sept. 2014. One of the reasons that I selected this vehicle was the safety record of the vehicle. This kia cadenza came with dual front and rear seat-mounted side airbags. On jan. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 3

The "smart key" for this vehicle is a new design, released for the 2013 kdm kia k7, and has a release button where the plastic key/remote part may be removed to expose a metal center-cut key that can be used on the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

4 crash · 8 injuries

2017 C 19 reports · median 15,500 mi

Tires & Wheels 4

I have 4 hancook ventis s1 noble 2+ tires on my 2017 kia cadenza. The size and dot numbers are 245/45r18 96v dot 5mef 1a h 0217 I have a bubble, in the sidewall, in one tire that may be the result of a crack in the… owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Brakes 3

Brake issue: I had an accident due to a brake failure on this car. I was driving very slowly going downhill (speeds 0 to 10 MPH) in a line of cars stopping and going, stopping and going many times. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Fuel System 2

Shortly after filling fuel tank a strong raw fuel odor emanated from the left side of the vehicle near the fuel door. The smell was most pronounced outside the vehicle. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

5 crash · 2 injuries

The best year for the Cadenza

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2015 is the best-scoring Cadenza model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 73.7 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2015	0.52×	11	B
2017	1.00×	19	C
2014	1.49×	32	D

Recalls

5 campaigns on record, 2 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
23V652000 Park it	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE	2014, 2015	1,730,192
21V137000 Park it	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE	2017	379,931
22V158000	VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD	2014, 2015	30,362
14V289000	WHEELS	2014	3,107
17V190000	SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS	2017	47

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2014 were reported at a median of 18,315 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Kia Cadenza years should you avoid?: 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Kia Cadenza model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Kia Cadenza?: 2015 is the best-scoring Kia Cadenza model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 73.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Kia Cadenza have?: 5 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Kia Cadenza model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2014 Cadenza

Complaints in window: 32
Severity-weighted: 57.5
Model median (weighted): 38
vs model median: 1.49×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 5
Open investigations: 1

Score 46.8 D