Dodge vs Kia: Reliability Comparison
I am a serial entrepreneur and a consumer advocate. When I’m not helping car buyers, I love working on ventures that have a positive impact.
I run a cause marketing agency and serve on the board of Vayu Global Health where we are disrupting the medical industry and preventing the needless deaths of mothers and babies during childbirth.
Kia and Dodge are popular names in the world of autos. Dodge is known for their impressive HEMI engines and their unbelievable engine power. With Dodge, you get engines that can deliver up to 797 HP.
Kia isn't a fan of high performance, but there are some other features that you can rely on. Let's get down to business. Dodge and Kia, which is more reliable?
Kia, of course! Kia is more reliable than Dodge. This is evident based on the higher safety ratings of Kia vehicles, better gas mileage, and cheaper repair and maintenance cost. Warranty coverage is better on Kia, so you can count on a relatively cheaper cost of ownership for Kia than you will on Dodge.
Here's a detailed review of the Dodge Vs Kia reliability, to guide you through making better decisions on which brand is the best for you.
Table of Contents
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: A Detailed Comparison
| Features | Dodge | Kia |
| Design | ||
| Engine Performance | ||
| Safety | ||
| Repair and Maintenance Cost | ||
| Gas Mileage | ||
| Technology | ||
| Durability |
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Which Is Better?
There is no denying that Dodge produces some of the best engines in the industry. With superb speed and unbelievable strength, they have engines that you can rely on to race you through the ends of the world.
However, aside from the superb engine performance, there aren't many features that Dodge beats Kia at. Kia has overall better reliability than Dodge and this reflects in all their vehicles.
According to RepairPal, Kia gets a reliability rating of 4.0/5.0, ranking 3rd out of 32 car brands. This is compared to Dodge which occupies the 19th position with a 3.5/5.0 rating.
On the Consumer Reports reliability survey, Kia occupies the 9th position while Dodge is absent from the list due to low model count or insufficient data.
The 2022 JD Power dependability power doesn't only rate Kia higher than Dodge, but also more dependable than all car brands. That earns it a gold bar reliability rating for luxury brands.
With Kia, you are getting an average of 145 problems per 100 vehicles. This is better compared to Dodge which has 166 problems per 100 vehicles.
One of the noticeable differences between Dodge and Kia is their warranty coverage. With Kia, you get a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
However, Dodge offers a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Kia has better warranty coverage than Dodge.
Aside from the warranty coverage, Kia also has a cheaper repair and maintenance cost than Dodge. You can expect a relatively cheaper overall cost of ownership on Kia vehicles than Dodge.
Gas mileage is better on Kia, and you also get higher safety ratings on Kia. Kia engines tilt towards emphasizing fuel efficiency, while Dodge has more emphasis on power and speed.
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Design
Both Dodge and Kia adopt different design philosophies and this impacts the type of designs that they deliver.
Remember that the design of a car goes beyond its beauty and styling. It also takes into account the complications involved in the car’s production. In general, cars with complicated designs are prone to have more issues.
Kia adopts a new design philosophy; Opposites United. They implementat opposing ideas to create an irresistible standard for their vehicles. With disruptive concepts, Kia offers characterful designs.
For optimal delivery, Kia's design philosophy focuses on 5 pillars:
- Technology for Life
- Bold for Nature
- Joy for Reason
- Tension for Serenity
- Power to Progress
Design is a different case for Dodge. Dodge doesn't have a defined uniform design philosophy for its models. Instead, each vehicle is built differently to maintain the same ideology of the brand.
For instance; the 2023 Dodge Hornet has a design philosophy that focused on building bold vehicles, and muscle cars that portray a burst of power. To achieve this, Dodge included assertive accents, muscular proportions, 20-inch wheels, and lots more.
Regardless of the differences in the styling of Kia and Dodge vehicles, the truth is that whichever brand you choose, you can get durable cars made of high-quality materials.
Cargo space, headroom, and legroom differ depending on the model that you choose from each brand.
Winner: Both
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Engine and Performance:
It's hard to compare Kia engines with Dodge's. This is because most Dodge vehicles are designed as high-performance cars. It is normal for them to have engines that are so fast and powerful.
Whether you are driving a Dodge V8, V6, or the popular HEMI engines, you can always rely on them for impressive horsepower and torque. However, the problem is that in the bid to deliver excellent performance, most Dodge cars lack gas mileage and fuel efficiency.
Let's do some Dodge Vs Kia vehicle engine comparisons:
The 2022 Kia Telluride is equipped with a 3.6L V6 engine, while the 2022 Dodge Durango runs on a 3.8L V6 engine. However, the Kia car returns 293hp while Dodge returns horsepower. In this case, where the Dodge car is lacking in performance, it beats the Kia Telluride with better gas mileage.
However, for other (most) Dodge vehicles, you find better engine performance than Kia. The 2022 Dodge challenger delivers 303 hp while the 2022 Kia K5 delivers 290 hp.
The 2022 Kia Stinger is equipped with a 2.5L I-4 turbo engine that delivers 300 horsepower, while the 2022 Dodge Challenger with a 3.6L V6 engine delivers 303 hp. The Dodge Durango delivers 295 hp while the Kia Telluride returns 291 hp.
Even though Kia engines don’t compare to the engines in Dodge's high-performance cars, it's a tighter margin for average Dodge vs Kia vehicles. Sometimes, you'll even find better engines on Kias than on Dodge.
Winner: Dodge
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Gas Mileage
As mentioned earlier, Dodge vehicles have poor gas mileage due to their powerful engines. Kia, on the other hand, focuses on producing cars with more fuel-efficient engines.
In the bid to deliver exceptional performance, Dodge sacrifices gas mileage. The minor improvements in fuel economy on Kia vehicles will help you save a lot of money on gas.If your primary aim in buying a vehicle is to save costs, then you should consider a Kia.
Here's a gas mileae comparison of Dodge and Kia vehicles. The 2022 Kia Telluride offers a gas mileage of 19/26 mpg compared to Dodge Durango which delivers 13/26 mpg.
This is a similar case with the Kia Stinger Vs Dodge Challenger. You get a combined gas mileage of 24 mpg on the 2022 Kia Stinger, and 21 mpg on the 2022 Dodge Challenger.
Dodge Durango gets 19/26 mpg while Kia Telluride gets 20/26 mpg.
Winner: Kia
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Safety and Technology
Safety and technology are a clear win for Kia against Dodge. There are higher safety ratings on Kia vehicles than on Dodge. In fact, 11 Kia vehicles earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick (+) award.
Even though Kia gets the win for safety, it is important to mention that you get impressive technology packages whether you are choosing the Kia or the Dodge.
You can expect touchscreen infotainment systems, a rearview camera, and Bluetooth connectivity in both. There is enough tech on vehicles of both brands - technology that assures you of comfort and safety.
Dodge vs Kia Reliability: Repair and Maintenance Costs
It is relatively cheaper to maintain a Kia than a Dodge. According to RepairPal, the average annual repair cost for Kia is $474, whereas Dodge has an average annual repair cost of $634.
Aside from the cheaper repair and maintenance cost on Kia vehicles, with Kia, you can expect lower chances of visiting the repair shop for major repairs. Dodge has a 15% probability against Kia's 10%.
Winner: Kia
Conclusion
It is obvious that Kia is more reliable than Dodge. However, before you make a hasty choice between Kia and Dodge, you should compare the models that you wish to buy.
Test driving will also help you to get a real-time understanding of the engines and performance. This will reveal a lot of silent details about the models.
