Editorial note: Homefront (defined in the Disclosure below) may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured on our site. This commission does not influence our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Daniel Mattia is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront. In addition to covering auto warranties, he has written about auto loans, personal finance, insurance and business for Yahoo! Personal Finance, RateGenius and other publications. Before beginning his professional writing career, Daniel was a licensed insurance agent and helped clients understand and purchase life and health insurance policies. In his free time, he is often working on his fantasy fiction novel series, hiking in the mountains of West Virginia or tackling a DIY project. He lives in Huntington, West Virginia, with his two rescue cats.
With our No. 1 rated provider,
Kia offers a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited basic warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty.
Buyers of used Kias have the remainder of the car’s limited basic warranty but a 5-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Kia offers an extended warranty but doesn’t share the complete coverage details.
The Kia warranty is one of the best new car warranties, putting it on par with the Hyundai, Genesis and Mitsubishi factory warranties, all of which offer 5 years/60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage.
But no auto warranty is exactly the same. Let’s look at what the Kia warranty provides in detail and how it can give you peace of mind when buying a new or used Kia.
Before diving in, explore quotes from our top picks for extended warranty providers:
Endurance offers coverage for up to 8 years or 200,000 miles, but it only offers long-term plans.
The Kia warranty program covers new Kia vehicles with five years and 60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage. This exclusionary policy covers all of your new vehicle’s components, except for some stated components and systems, regular maintenance services and normal wear-and-tear items.
Your car’s powertrain is covered by a Kia 10-year/100,000-mile warranty program that pays to repair or replace the following:
Both the basic and powertrain warranties are in force from the vehicle’s in-service date. If you sell your car, the new owner is entitled to the remainder of the car’s basic warranty — up to five years or 60,000 miles from its in-service date — though powertrain coverage is cut in half to 5 years/50,000 miles.
Kia protects your car’s body sheet metal panels from corrosion, rust and perforation from the inside out for five years or 100,000 miles.
Additionally, Kia covers service adjustments for the first year or 12,000 miles. These services are minor repairs that aren’t necessarily related to a breakdown, including wheel balance and alignment, freeplay or tension adjustment of cables, belts, levers and pedals, engine adjustments, body parts and fittings.
Kia offers 24/7 emergency roadside assistance under its 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan. If your car breaks down due to a covered event, this coverage provides you with the following:
There is a $75 cap per occurrence for each covered roadside service (other than towing and trip interruption reimbursement).
The Kia warranty covers most parts and breakdowns, but no factory warranty covers everything. Like other vehicle warranties, Kia requires you to follow the maintenance schedule outlined in your owner’s manual for coverage to remain in force.
Kia warranty exclusions are these:
In addition, your Kia’s anti-perforation warranty excludes coverage for surface corrosion (except body sheet panels) and rust-through that results from environmental damage or cargo.
Third-party extended auto warranties (or vehicle service contacts) are products that extend the coverage and length of your car’s warranty. Aftermarket extended warranties are sold and administered by third parties, so coverage options and costs vary depending on the provider.
Generally, third-party extended warranties don’t overlap with your factory warranty. Aftermarket warranties come into force when your original warranty expires, with coverage and term limits that depend on the specific policy you purchase.
The best extended car warranties offer various coverage options, including bumper-to-bumper and stated-component coverage, with plans for new and used vehicles. They may also offer additional perks — such as roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement and trip interruption benefits — that may be in force during the term of your original factory warranty.
Third-party warranties may be purchased when you buy a new car or after your factory warranty expires. However, the cost of an extended warranty depends, in part, on your vehicle’s age and mileage, which means coverage is generally cheaper when your vehicle has low age and mileage.
Aftermarket warranties typically allow you to have repairs done at a mechanic or repair facility of your choice. In contrast, the Kia warranty requires that repairs be done using authorized parts at a Kia dealership.
Kia ranks No. 4 in our list of best new car warranties, and it’s for a good reason. The company offers the same bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage as Hyundai (its parent company), Mitsubishi and Genesis.
Where Kia falls short is its roadside assistance plan, which limits coverage to 5 years/60,000 miles. Better warranties — including that of its parent company — also limit coverage to five years but don’t impose a mileage cap.
This means that if you purchase a Kia and plan on doing a lot of driving, you may reach the mileage limit of your roadside assistance coverage before five years pass. With a Hyundai, Mitsubishi or Genesis, you have guaranteed roadside assistance coverage for five years no matter how much you drive.
Kia comes out ahead when compared to other manufacturers such as Ford, Nissan and Toyota. These manufacturers’ warranties limit comprehensive coverage to only 3 months/36,000 miles, with powertrain coverage lasting for 5 years/60,000 miles — a far cry from Kia’s coverage, both in length and mileage.
Kia’s hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle lineup includes the Niro, Sorento and Sportage, among others. In addition to the same basic, powertrain and anti-perforation warranties that cover other models, Kia’s hybrid and EV lineup are protected by a 10-year/100,000-mile EV system warranty.
The EV system warranty covers the following:
Under this coverage, Kia will repair your hybrid or EV’s lithium-ion polymer battery (the EV battery) if it falls below 70% of its original capacity. If repairs aren’t possible, Kia will replace the battery with one that has a capacity of at least 70%.
In addition to exclusions outlined by the basic and powertrain warranties, the Kia EV system warranty also excludes damage or failure from the following:
The EV system warranty doesn’t cover the 12V car battery, alternator, other starter components or any other electrical components.
The Kia certified pre-owned (CPO) program covers used cars that are less than six years old, have fewer than 80,000 miles from the in-service date and pass a 165-point inspection by a Kia dealer (including a Carfax Vehicle History Report).
Vehicles that qualify for the Kia CPO warranty are protected by 1 year/12,000 miles of platinum coverage (beginning from your purchase date), 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage (beginning from the vehicle’s in-service date) and 10 years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance.
Platinum coverage is one of Kia’s vehicle protection plans. It covers mechanical breakdowns.
In contrast, a used noncertified Kia’s original powertrain warranty is cut in half for second and subsequent buyers, limiting coverage to 5 years/50,000 miles from the in-service date.
The Kia CPO program is one of the most generous, even if it didn’t make our ranking of the best CPO warranties.
Kia CPO vehicles are also entitled to 10 years/unlimited miles of 24/7 roadside assistance, which includes the following:
You may transfer your Kia CPO warranty to a second owner for a one-time fee of $40.
Kia offers one of the best factory warranties, but no warranty covers everything or lasts forever. Kia’s most comprehensive coverage lasts for five years or 60,000 miles, which means you may surpass either of these limits depending on how long you keep your car or how far you drive.
Once the factory warranty expires, you’re responsible for any repairs your vehicle needs, even if the manufacturer’s warranty would have previously covered them.
That’s where extended warranty coverage comes in. These policies cover the gap left over when your original warranty expires, helping you avoid costly and unexpected repair expenses while continuing many extra perks you may be used to (such as roadside assistance and rental car expenses).
Feedback about Kia reliability is mixed on social media. Some Redditors praise Kia for the speed and ease with which the company honors its warranties, whereas others criticize the brand for recent reliability issues, including concerns over certain engines.
Some comments from Kia drivers state that it’s difficult to get Kia (or a Kia dealership) to approve a warranty claim, with allegations that Kia looks for loopholes to avoid covering repairs.
You should always keep accurate maintenance records to support your warranty claims and avoid having a claim denied.
An April 2024 recall of 3.3 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles further marred the brand’s reliability, already affected by ongoing concerns over the rampant theft of Kias (which lead to a $145 million settlement in February 2024).
Kia ranks No. 3 out of 32 car brands in reliability with a score of 4 out of 5, according to RepairPal. The average Kia only requires 0.2 unscheduled repairs per year, compared to 0.4 across all models, with only 10% of those repairs deemed severe (compared to an average of 12%). The average annual Kia repair cost is $474, compared to $652 across all models.
The J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study lists Kia vehicles as having 187 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100). This is compared to Lexus, which ranks as the most reliable manufacturer in the study, with only 135 PP100, and Toyota, which scores 147 PP100.
In general, Kia scores well against many of its other competitors, with only seven manufacturers (including Lexus) ranking higher. Kia scores better than the study average of 190 PP100, with the least reliable manufacturers — Land Rover, Audi and Chrysler — scoring 268, 275 and 310 PP100, respectively.
Generally, manufacturer extended warranties are sold by dealerships when you buy a new car, with the cost of these policies either paid for upfront or wrapped into your auto loan.
Aftermarket extended warranties may be purchased at any time from various providers. Some providers, such as Endurance and Omega Auto Care, are direct administrators. These providers sell and administer their policies, including how and when to approve or deny claims.
Other providers are brokers and sell extended warranties on behalf of administrators. For example, CarShield is an extended warranty provider that sells plans on behalf of American Auto Shield, with the latter responsible for managing plans and approving or denying claims.
In general, both types of policies — whether you buy an extended warranty from a manufacturer or a third-party provider — extend your warranty coverage beyond the terms of your factory warranty. However, the cost, contract terms and quality of service vary from provider to provider, so you should always shop around and compare policies for the best coverage and value.
Per our December 2023 USA TODAY Homefront auto warranty survey of 1,500 extended warranty owners, 46% of respondents reported purchasing extended warranty coverage from a manufacturer or authorized dealer (such as a Kia dealer). Another 35% purchased a plan from a third-party extended warranty company (such as Endurance or CarShield).
Kia Term Care Select is the automaker’s extended warranty product, which it brands as a “protection plan.” (In contrast, it also offers “service contracts” that provide road hazard and wheel protection plans and coverage for cosmetic damage.)
Unfortunately, Kia isn’t too transparent about what Term Care Select covers under either of its coverage levels. The manufacturer claims that it “offers extensive protection for many components of your vehicle,” with additional coverage for other components under either of its two coverage levels:
There is a $0 deductible for any covered repairs under a Kia Term Care Select plan.
Purchasing Term Care Select coverage also enrolls you in Driver’s OneCard. This program, which is administered by Cross Country Motor Club, includes the following perks:
It also includes these:
Kia offers several extended warranty plans for CPO vehicles under its Kia Distinction vehicle protection plans program. These plans range from powertrain coverage to bumper-to-bumper coverage.
Third-party extended warranties vary in coverage depending on the provider, which means you have more options to evaluate and choose from when shopping for a plan. Unlike manufacturers’ extended warranties, aftermarket warranties may be purchased at any time, including after your factory warranty expires.
Reputable aftermarket extended warranty providers are generally transparent in what products they offer and what their plans cover. A provider’s sample contracts detail what’s covered and what’s excluded from each plan, including how to cancel the plan, request a refund or submit a claim.
Many aftermarket warranty providers offer used car warranties or extended warranties for cars over 100,000 miles, even if those vehicles don’t qualify for a manufacturer’s plan.
Third-party extended auto warranties also allow you to visit the mechanic or repair facility of your choice. In contrast, Kia (and other automakers) typically require you to visit a dealership for covered repairs.
This includes the use of genuine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, too. Manufacturer warranties often require mechanics to use genuine parts. In contrast, extended warranties generally allow the use of aftermarket parts, many of which are comparable to similar OEM components in terms of quality — and which may come with separate warranties.
In addition to being paid for upfront or as part of your auto loan, you may pay for an extended warranty monthly (until it’s paid off) or on an ongoing subscription-like basis. This gives you more flexibility than with a manufacturer’s extended warranty, which may better suit your budget and preferences.
For the best deal, shop around and compare quotes from different providers:
The Kia warranty is one of the best auto warranties (including that of its parent company), though it doesn’t cover everything — and doesn’t last forever. Extended warranties may grant you peace of mind in knowing you’re covered for the unexpected even after your factory warranty expires.
Some extended warranty companies — such as Endurance and Omega Auto Care — offer maintenance benefits on top of warranty coverage, which may further cut down on your out-of-pocket expenses.
Compare the Kia warranty to its extended warranty and aftermarket plans and see what works best for your budget, needs and preferences.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
A car warranty is a contractual agreement made by a vehicle manufacturer or car warranty company to cover parts and labor costs for vehicle repairs. New and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles come with various warranty coverages, and extended car warranties are available for used vehicles with or without existing coverage. Car warranties cover everything from…
A new car warranty is essentially a guarantee that a vehicle is free of defective parts or workmanship errors. Sometimes called a vehicle service contract or factory warranty, this type of warranty guarantees that these types of defects will be repaired free of charge at a dealership. Factory warranty terms vary by manufacturer. You’ll often…
When you drive off a dealership lot with a new car, the factory warranty is not likely to cover repairs beyond 100,000 miles. But you can find high-mileage extended warranty plans from some manufacturers and most third-party warranty companies. Manufacturer extended warranties typically top out at 100,000, 120,000 or 150,000 miles. That said, third-party companies…
An extended car warranty picks up where your new vehicle limited warranty (or factory warranty) leaves off. Also known as a vehicle service contract, an extended warranty covers certain repairs or part replacements for a selected number of years or miles. Just like with a factory warranty, an extended warranty is designed to protect car…
TEST Our editorial team is committed to creating independent and objective content focused on helping our readers make informed decisions. To help support these efforts we receive compensation from companies that advertise with us.
The compensation we receive from these companies may impact how and where products appear on this site. This compensation does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides within our content. We do not include all companies, products or offers that may be available.