Kia 10-year warranty ready to fire

Kia has crunched the numbers to extend its arguably industry-leading seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty to last a full decade, if market forces deem it necessary. 

Speaking with CarsGuide in Sydney this week, Kia Australia COO Damien Meredith said "we're ready if we think it's required" to step up warranty coverage, which has become a cornerstone for the brand down under since it was first offered in October 2014. 

Mr Meredith made a similar statement at the launch of the updated Sportage last July, but several mainstream rival brands have since upgraded from three to five year warranties, making five years the new norm, although none of the key players are yet to match Kia's seven-year term. 

He reiterated that 10 years would be the most likely next step, matching the duration offered by Kia in the US, but the North American offering is limited in its breadth of coverage compared with the current seven year plan in Australia. 

Mr Meredith said that calculations had been made for either a limited 10-year plan or a more extensive offering like the current seven-year package which includes unlimited kilometres, roadside assistance, capped-price servicing, and is fully transferable between owners. 

Kia Australia's 2019 sales performance to-date suggests a 10-year warranty won't be around the corner though, with a 3.4 per cent gain over 2018 to the end of February according to VFACTS. This is compared to an 8.4 per cent slide for the total market over the same period.

Would Kia need a 10-year warranty to convince you not to buy a Toyota with its five year deal? Tell us what you think in the comments below.