Kia didn’t get a great start in the United States, it’s been a steady growth from the beginning. In recent years, Kia has established itself as a major player as a go-to brand for reliable and long-lasting vehicles.
Material quality and overall craftsmanship of their vehicles are on par with any major manufacturer. Their lineup in the past decade has been nothing short of impressive.
From bestsellers like the Sportage and optima to the boxy but adorable soul, Kia seems to know what they’re doing. But at what price does the consumer pay for all this. Are they all good looks and great interior, or are they genuinely great cars? Let’s find it out!
Is Kia Expensive to Maintain?
Kia’s vehicles are known to be very reliable. Most costs are associated with the annual service. Average service costs across Kia’s lineup is $497, the industry average annual repair cost is $652, which is $155 below the industry average.
Kia is committed to excellence and producing the best vehicles it can. This is also reflected by the warranty they give, which is currently the best in the automotive industry. It includes:
- 5 year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- 10 year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
- 5 year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty
- 5 year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan
Kia is so confident in their products that they offer such a great warranty for all new cars sold. But no matter how great a carmaker is, things will go wrong with their cars. It’s inevitable, parts will get old, worn, or faulty and these are where some repairs may come in.
Also read: Why are Kias Cheap? Because They’re Unreliable?
How Much Does Kia Repair Cost in 5 Years Timeframe?
Kia’s vehicles share many parts across different models. Therefore, similar costs are associated with repairing them. Common problems found in some of them are also highlighted with the cost to fix them.
A list of common problems associated with 5 Kia models is listed below, with the total price needed to fix them. A smaller table is also attached to each model, showing some regular maintenance costs incurred by some owners after 5 years. Bad engines are excluded as they cost a lot and greatly increase the overall repair price.
Kia Forte:
- Running rough early around 10,000 miles, can be fixed by changing ignition coil for a few hundred dollars.
- Improperly sealed taillight allows water in, easy replace $700.
- Bad ignition coil $230
- Faulty exterior lights $300
- Transmission repair around 56,000 miles $800.
Total: $2,130
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total |
| Maintenance | $609 | $393 | $1,334 | $372 | $1,335 | $4,043 |
Kia Soul
- Faulty suspension $900
- Electrical Issues: price varies greatly from $110 to $995
- Brakes Applying Randomly $300
- Steering Column fix $800.
Total: $2500+
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total |
| Maintenance | $677 | $538 | $1,467 | $543 | $1,496 | $4,721 |
Kia Optima:
- Door Locks Malfunction $100.
- Faulty Throttle Position Switch $180.
- Outdated Transmission software
- Weak alternator $610.
- Failure of AC Compressor Clutch $380.
- Faulty fuel pressure hose $280.
- Failing steering column $500.
- No Sound from Speakers.
Total: $2,050
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total |
| Maintenance | $595 | $454 | $1,401 | $434 | $1,329 | $4,213 |
Trending Video: How to Easily Bring Back to Life any Old Car Battery and Save Tons of Money (click to watch)
Kia Sorento
- Faulty door locks $236.
- Burning headlamps $140.
- Noisy AC compressor $150.
- Timing chain repair $600.
- Faulty ignition coil $230.
- Bad crankshaft pulley bolts $350.
Total: $1,700
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total |
| Maintenance | $599 | $436 | $1,634 | $436 | $1,842 | $4,947 |
Also read: Kia vs. Hyundai: Resale Value (8 Models Compared)
Kia Sportage
- Transmission issues $150.
- Noisy AC $700.
- Fuel leak/tank replacement $800.
- Brake problems $200.
- Water leaks $490.
- Exhaust leak $100.
- Bad fuel filters $130.
Total $2,570
| Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Total |
| Maintenance | $780 | $454 | $1,578 | $554 | $1,528 | $4,894 |
How Expensive is Kia Insurance?
Accidents are bound to happen eventually and in most cases, it may not be our fault. Insurance makes sure your car has coverage in case of an accident. You pay a monthly premium to make sure you can be able to get your car fixed. If the car is totaled, money will be made available for you to get a new one.
Insurance is required by every vehicle owner. It is a law in most modern countries. Rates are determined by several factors which include age, location, driving history, and vehicle type.
These factors allow insurance companies to come up with numbers that make sense to you and the company to help insure your vehicle. Here are 5 examples of insurance rates paid on some Kia models. This shows the monthly and yearly payment and how that payment looks in 5 years:
| Vehicles | Per month | Per year | 5 years |
| Kia Forte | $117 | $1,404 | $7,020 |
| Kia Soul | $112 | $1,344 | $6,720 |
| Kia Optima | $96 | $1,162 | $5,810 |
| Kia Sorento | $110.70 | $1,328 | $6,640 |
| Kia Sportage | $135 | $1,620 | $8,100 |
How Much Do You Lose on Kia Depreciation?
Just like any large-scale manufacturer, Kia’s cars lose a significant amount of value, at almost 29% in the first year. After 5 years, that number rises to 60%. This means a car worth $30,000 in a year would be worth about $23,000 and in 5 years would only be worth $12,000.
The examples listed here are based on the most popular trim, each with its original MSRP, current average sale price, and depreciation percentage since 2015.
- Kia Forte: $19,390
Used prices currently start at $6,000 but most for sale, but most nice ones are between $8,000 and $9,000. This sits at 58% depreciation.
- Kia Soul: $20,790
A lot of these sat at $8,000 which seemed to be the right price to pay from a soul from this year. This is a 61.5% depreciation, but most of these cars are still in great shape.
- Kia Optima: $24,340
For the price, this is one of the best sedans to get. Looks very modern and has a lot of modern safety tech. For the price range of $9,000 and $10,000, I’d buy this in a heartbeat. Depreciation is a bit over 60%.
- Kia Sorento: $26,700
$12,000 and honestly looks as great as the optima and looks great for a 5-year-old SUV, hasn’t aged a bit. 55% depreciation.
- Kia Sportage: $23,400
This seems to be the best performing in terms of depreciation as it saw around a 49% decline, sitting around $11,000-$13,000 for the good ones.
Also read: 8 Best Kia Cars with Panoramic Sunroof (with Pictures)
How Much Should You Expect to Pay for Kia’s Fuel?
How often you drive will determine how much you spend on fuel. Refueling is going to be part of an ongoing cost. You need fuel in your car to drive it. No fuel means the car will go nowhere, and fuel costs money.
The table below shows the average MPG of each vehicle. The average monthly mileage is 1,400 miles but for this study, I use 2,000 miles. These metrics will be used to determine how much you will spend on fuel on a per month, per year basis, and after 5 years. The average gas price is $3.4 per gallon.
Is Kia Servicing Expensive?
No, Kia servicing is priced very well. The benefit of producing so many cars is that parts are shared across many models. This allows parts to cost less and be readily available.
| Service | Starting At: |
| Semi-Synthetic Oil Change Stinger Lube, Oil, and Filter | $39.95 $129.95 |
| Tire Rotation | $23.95 plus tax |
| Mount and Balance Tires | $23.95 Per Tire |
| Balance Tires | $79.95 Per Tire |
| Four-Wheel Alignment Two-Wheel Alignment | $119.95 $99.95 |
| Windshield Wiper Blades | Starting at $32.95 |
| Battery Replacement | Starting At $169.95 |
| Brake Pad Replacement and Rotor Replacement Service | Starting at $350.00 Per Axle |
| Brake Fluid Service | $129.95 |
| Transmission Service | $169.95 |
| Coolant Service | $129.95 |
| Throttle Service | $99.95 |
| 15,000 Mile Maintenance (15K, 45K, 75K) Stinger | Starting at $129.95 plus tax $220.95 |
| 30,000 Mile Maintenance (30K, 60K, 90K) Stinger | Starting at $159.95 $250.95 |
How Much Does it Cost to Maintain a Kia Car in 5 Years?
Maintenance cost for a Kia in 5 years would range between $4,000 and $4,800 for a 5-year ownership period. This includes changes in fluids and needed parts, including labor. Considering cars like BMW would cost $9,000 in the same timeframe and Mercedes would cost $6,500, Kia is doing great.
But they lag behind Toyota which seems to have the lowest maintenance cost of about $2,300 in 5 years.
