Is the 7 year warranty really that great?

I’m considering buying a Kia mainly because of the 7 year warranty. I haven’t had much luck with cars in the past and I’m looking for peace of mind. I just want to know if I can buy a car and not worry about big issues for a while. What have others experienced with this 7 year warranty? Is it as good as it sounds?

Kia actually offers a 10 year warranty now…

jonces said:
Kia actually offers a 10 year warranty now…

In the US, yes. But warranties vary depending on the country.

Jane said:

jonces said:
Kia actually offers a 10 year warranty now…

In the US, yes. But warranties vary depending on the country.

In the US, the warranty covers everything if you’re the first owner.

@jonces
Not everything, just powertrain for 10 years or 100,000 miles. They also offer other warranties for different parts.

Jane said:
@jonces
Not everything, just powertrain for 10 years or 100,000 miles. They also offer other warranties for different parts.

It’s worth upgrading to make that bumper-to-bumper coverage up to 100k miles. It’s a great deal compared to what I’ve paid for other cars. Plus, no diagnostic fees, which is huge for me.

Jane said:
@jonces
Not everything, just powertrain for 10 years or 100,000 miles. They also offer other warranties for different parts.

You’re totally right. I didn’t realise it was only for the powertrain. Thanks for clearing that up!

Jane said:
@jonces
Not everything, just powertrain for 10 years or 100,000 miles. They also offer other warranties for different parts.

The 10-year warranty also includes the hybrid battery in hybrids, which is really nice.

If you keep up with the services, the warranty is good. Just be careful if you get it serviced outside of Kia. They’ll want proof of the oil and filters used. Kia charges £160 for a service, but they don’t really do much unless it’s a fluid change. I think it’s a bit overpriced for what you get, but they’ll honour the warranty if you follow the service schedule. The good thing is Kia cars are generally reliable, especially petrol and diesel models.

@Ronald
£160 plus an MOT each year seems pretty reasonable to me, especially considering how much I’ve spent on repairs with my previous cars over the past few years. It’s good to know they’ll honour the warranty though.

@Magdalina
Yeah, but the issue is they don’t actually do much during the service unless it’s every other year. I know a Kia tech who told me they just lift the car, check it, and charge £160 without doing much else. Still, it’s worth it if it keeps your warranty intact.

We’ve never had to use the warranty. My wife is on her 3rd Kia (2025 Sorento SX Prestige HEV), and our 2010 Soul is still running strong at 148k miles. The 2015 Sportage is also doing well at 112k miles. Keeping up with regular maintenance has saved us from any major issues. Over the years, we’ve only had to replace filters, tires, brakes, and wheel alignments. The Soul is just now needing ball joints.

The warranty isn’t bad at all. As others have mentioned, keeping up with regular maintenance is key for any vehicle. If you stick to that, you should be fine with the Kia warranty.

One thing to keep in mind: Kia and Hyundai are very strict about maintenance. You need to have all your documentation in order because they’ll try to find a way to deny your warranty claim if something goes wrong.

If you’re looking for peace of mind, only buy a new Kia. The 10-year warranty is only valid for the original owner and doesn’t transfer with used vehicles. I learned this the hard way when I bought a used 2021 Kia Soul. The engine failed and now I’m looking at a $4,600 repair bill.

@Danielle
That’s not true in Europe. I bought a 2021 Kia Cee’d SW third-hand and still had 4 years of warranty left on it.

Brielle said:
@Danielle
That’s not true in Europe. I bought a 2021 Kia Cee’d SW third-hand and still had 4 years of warranty left on it.

Yes, in the UK, the warranty is transferable. I’m picking up my 2022 Kia Proceed GT tomorrow, and it comes with the full manufacturer warranty, which is exactly what I needed for my finance agreement. If you check the Kia UK website, you can see how much warranty remains when buying used cars.

@Danielle
I’m not sure. That’s what I was told at the dealership, and the warranty manual says the same. I’m going to check with Kia again and see if they can help me out.

@Danielle
It depends on where you are. Here, the warranty stays with the car, not the owner, so it doesn’t matter how many owners the car has had.

The dealerships usually have long queues for repairs, so it could take months. If they offer a written guarantee that you’ll get a loaner car while you wait, then it might be worth it.