‘Honda, Toyota, Subaru and Mazda are the only brands you should be considering’; Man buys a new Kia and it doesn’t go well. But was it just bad luck?

On the internet, Kia does not have the best reputation. 

That’s because numerous internet users have gone viral and sparked discussion after sharing their negative experiences with vehicles made by the auto manufacturer. For example, one user documented the litany of issues she had with her new Kia Telluride; another said that using the car’s technology has presented a multitude of problems, rendering the car difficult if not impossible to drive.

Now, a user on TikTok has inspired debate after questioning what is going on with his new Kia vehicle.

What’s going on with this Kia?

In a video with over 84,000 views, TikTok user Gabe (@gabeisjustbettertho) explains the issues that have arisen with his 2025 Kia K5 GT only months after purchasing it. According to him, he’s taken it back to the dealership 5 times because “it consumes an absurd and annoying amount of oil.”

“They said it…consumed, like, 0.6 quarts of oil in 1000 miles,” he details. “And they said that wasn’t, like, a lot of oil, so they said that was fine.”

This appears to be in line with many modern vehicles. According to CarPro, some vehicles produced today consume a full quart of oil every 1,000 miles, meaning that, if Kia’s claim is correct, the oil consumption on Gabe’s vehicle is reasonable. That said, others have reported high oil consumption from Kia vehicles.

A slow Kia repair

The other issue Gabe has, however, concerns the timeline with which Kia makes its repairs. According to Gabe, he was given a loaner car while his vehicle is in the shop, and despite the dealership telling him he would be able to pick up the car the next day, several days had passed without an update about the specific time he’ll be able to get the car.

This will be an issue, he claims, as he planned to travel across state lines by car and is not allowed to do so with his loaner. Upon informing the dealership of this, they told him he could not travel across state lines, and that he had to wait for his car to be fixed as Kia was sending technicians in to look at it.

To close his video, Gabe asks if other viewers are having problems with their Kias.

@gabeisjustbettertho @Kia America #kia #kiak5 #gtline #kiaproblems #fyp ♬ original sound – Gabe🛸

Commenters say they’ve had similar issues

In the comments section, users claimed that they, too, had comparable experiences to Gabe.

“Yep had the same issue. Car stopped in the middle of the road. It needed a new engine,” wrote a user.

“My 23 k5 GT is on its third transmission,” alleged another.

“This is a common thing with Kia and Hyundai for years…same thing was going on with my 2016 Santa Fe and they had the replace the engine,” offered a third.

That said, many commenters claimed to have positive experiences, leading many to state that Gabe was simply unlucky.

“Bad luck. Can literally happen with any car,” commented a TikToker, to which Gabe responded, “I agree.”

The Daily Dot reached out to Kia via email and Gabe via Instagram and TIkTok DM.

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The post ‘Honda, Toyota, Subaru and Mazda are the only brands you should be considering’; Man buys a new Kia and it doesn’t go well. But was it just bad luck? appeared first on The Daily Dot.