2019 Kia Cadenza reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Kia Cadenza holds 5 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 0 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

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 5), then Exterior lighting (1) and Hydraulic brakes (1).

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Cadenza has 7 complaints, 1 per year, and the 2020 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Kia Cadenza. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

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 (5 total)

Engine

Exterior lighting

Hydraulic brakes

Lane departure

Steering

Tires

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"While operating the vehicle, the engine suffered a catastrophic internal mechanical failure, resulting in an immediate and dangerous loss of motive power on the road. A subsequent physical diagnostic scan at an…"
Engine · filed 2026-08-06
"I picked up my Cadenza from the repair shop. They were repairing the sunroof controls because the sunroof was not operating properly. I was 24 miles away from the shop headed home from Temple, TX to Waxahachie, TX on…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-17
"The contact owns a 2019 Kia Cadenza. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, upon starting the vehicle later, the contact noticed that…"
Tires, Engine · filed 2026-06-08
"Hello, I wasn't notified of the recall on my vehicle. The steering wheel is extremely hard to turn and all of the system lights are on."
Steering, Exterior lighting, Lane departure · filed 2022-08-26
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA CADENZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V137000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT…"
Hydraulic brakes · filed 2021-05-11

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2019 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	27	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 2018 Kia Cadenza See every Kia Cadenza model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Kia Cadenza reliable?

What are common problems with a 2019 Kia Cadenza?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 5), then Exterior lighting (1) and Hydraulic brakes (1).

Is the 2019 Kia Cadenza more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 Cadenza has 7 complaints, 1 per year, and the 2020 has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Kia Cadenza been recalled?

The 2019 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 2019 Kia Cadenza?

Owners have filed 5 complaints about the 2019 Kia Cadenza with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Kia Cadenza get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 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.