FaultScore

Volkswagen Golf R vs KIA Cadenza

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Volkswagen Golf R KIA Cadenza
Complaints on file 117 292
Model years covered 2012–2026 2014–2019
Worst model year 2017 2014
Best model year 2024 2016
Crashes reported 3 10
Fires reported 0 9
Injuries reported 4 10
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance Engine & Cooling
Share of complaints involving harm 6% 9.9%

Volkswagen Golf R by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 21 17.9%
Electrical System 15 12.8%
Brakes 14 12.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain 11 9.4%
Other & Unspecified 11 9.4%
Engine & Cooling 10 8.5%
Fuel & Propulsion 8 6.8%
Steering 4 3.4%

KIA Cadenza by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 65 22.3%
Brakes 36 12.3%
Steering 18 6.2%
Body & Structure 12 4.1%
Fuel & Propulsion 11 3.8%