Kia Cadenza years to avoid (and the best years)

204 NHTSA owner complaints and 5 recalls across 4 model years, 2014 to 2017. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

204complaints
5recalls
8reported crashes
6reported fires
12reported injuries

Which Kia Cadenza years should you avoid?

No Kia Cadenza model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Kia Cadenza year has 40 complaints on file. The busiest year is the 2014 (110).

What are the best Kia Cadenza years?

The Kia Cadenza years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2016 (14), 2017 (32) and 2015 (48). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	vs typical year	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2017	32	0.8×	2	4	1	Few red flags	Engine
2016	14	0.3×	2	0	0	Few red flags	Wipers and visibility
2015	48	1.2×	2	1	3	Few red flags	Engine
2014	110	2.8×	3	3	8	Some concerns to check	Engine

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 2 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Other systems2 (100%)

Recalls (5)

Brakes · 23V652000 · Sep 2023 · model years 2014, 2015, 2016
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Body & glass · 22V158000 · Mar 2022 · model years 2014, 2015, 2016
A front windshield that detaches from a vehicle can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Brakes · 21V137000 · Mar 2021 · model year 2017
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Brakes · 17V190000 · Mar 2017 · model year 2017
Reduced braking performance can lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 14V289000 · May 2014 · model year 2014
A wheel fracture could cause the circular rim to separate, resulting in a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.