Reliable Auto DB

2018 Kia Cadenza reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Cadenza over 9 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Cadenza years here — under the median of the other years, which is 1. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

2014 Kia Cadenza
Photo by EuroCarGT, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

7

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 7) and Air bags (1).

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Cadenza has 32 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 5 complaints, 0 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Kia Cadenza. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Brake control module 2021-03-04 · NHTSA campaign 21V137000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.

Complaints by component (7 total)

Engine
5
Air bags
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12018120194202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The airbag light randomly came on 2 weeks ago and stayed on , indicating that the airbags would not deploy in the event of an accident. I called my mechanic, who confirmed it was not a warranty item. My car only has…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-07-01
  • "Complete engine failure due to rods and bearings (same as all other Kia engine recalls currently active). Ironically my car wasn’t included in the recall. Also I’ve noticed that Hyundai has extended the warranty for…"
    Engine · filed 2025-11-18
  • "No prior issues/light on dashboard as the car was just serviced for coolant hose replacement. On my way home from work, the car stalled and loss power at the light. The signs were giving engine failure due to losing…"
    Engine · filed 2025-11-16
  • "Vehicle has been properly maintained and at 78k miles, while at a stop sign, the engine seized. No warning signs from vehicle appeared."
    Engine · filed 2025-09-09
  • "Failure of Oil Pressure Sensor resulting in oil leaking into wiring harness, this is the same problem with 3.3L engines in other models that KIA has extended coverage. I contacted KIA Customer Care and was told they…"
    Engine · filed 2025-02-04

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Kia Cadenza 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Cadenza 3.3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Front-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

Second generation (YG), 2017–2020
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-30 (preferred; all temps) , 6.9 qt capacity
Tire size P245/45R18 (Technology), P245/40R19 (Limited)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 17V-190 covers certain 2017 Cadenza vehicles whose brake vacuum hose may kink and reduce braking performance. Recall 21V-137 covers certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles: the HECU electrical circuit may short-circuit and cause an engine-compartment fire. That campaign lists 379,931 vehicles across those models. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until dealers replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Kia Cadenza Next year 2019 Kia Cadenza See every Kia Cadenza model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Kia Cadenza reliable?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Cadenza over 9 years — 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Cadenza years here — under the median of the other years, which is 1. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

What are common problems with a 2018 Kia Cadenza?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 7) and Air bags (1).

Is the 2018 Kia Cadenza more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Cadenza has 32 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 5 complaints, 0 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Kia Cadenza been recalled?

The 2018 Kia Cadenza has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Kia Cadenza?

Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 2018 Kia Cadenza with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Kia Cadenza get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Kia Cadenza is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2018 Kia Cadenza?

Second generation (YG, 2017-2020).

What oil does a Kia Cadenza take?

5W-30 preferred for all temperatures; VG (~6 qt) and YG (~6.9 qt) capacities differ by generation.

What does recall 22V-158 cover on the Cadenza?

All 2014-2016 Cadenza vehicles: the front windshield may not have been properly bonded during manufacturing. See the NHTSA campaign for the remedy.