‘That is bold coming from Subie’: Subaru workers mock Kia for engines blowing up.
A Tennessee Subaru dealership has posted a viral TikTok with a claim that's stirring up a serious Kia versus Subaru debate.
TikTok user Darrell Waltrip Subaru (@waltripsubaru) claims they bought a bum steer of a Kia that "blew up" after purchase.
They made their allegation in a TikTok posted two days ago that currently has over 52,100 views.
But were they serious or not?
Subaru workers mock Kia engines
The Waltrip team's video caption claims, "Shoulda bought a Subaru." The brief spot opens with a shot of a Subaru SUV. The screen text reads, "We bought a Kia, and the engine blew before we made it home."
However, no Kia appears in the six-second video. Instead, we see a shot of the Waltrip team reacting as if a car had blown up—although the cameraperson appears calm and even sports a huge grin.
The entire video appears to be a gag. But there's no denying that Waltrip took a swipe at the Kia brand.
Do Kia's blow up?
So what spurred the video? It may be Kia's reputation as being prone to fire problems.
According to the Associated Press, nearly 3.4 million vehicles were recalled by Kia last year "due to the risk of engine compartment fires."
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told AP, "The anti-lock brake control module can leak fluid and cause an electrical short, which can touch off a fire while the vehicles are parked or being driven."
Kia announced that owners could have the anti-lock device replaced by dealers at no cost.
AP also noted that Kia had to issue fire-related recalls in the past. "The automakers have recalled more than 9.2 million vehicles for fires and engine problems, not including the recalls announced" in 2023.
Kia versus Subaru
When it comes to Kia versus Subaru, most independent reviewers consider the vehicles to be similar. Neither appears to be superior to the other in terms of quality and price.
CarsGuide.com compared the Subaru Forester to the Kia Sportage and rated both models as five stars.
In a similar comparison, Edmunds.com found the two models remarkably similar, granting both a rating of 7.9 out of 10 points.
It did note that Kia's warranty was longer than Subaru's by two years. It also stated that Kia's drivetrain warranty was over twice as long at 10 years versus Subaru's five.
Viewers react to the debate
The video elicited a lot of responses from viewers critical of Subaru.
One user wrote, "That is bold coming from Subie."
Another viewer praised Kia's coverage, stating, "On the bright side, Kia covered the engine 100%."
Echoing the complaint, another viewer commented, "I bought a Subaru. Drove it a block and the head gaskets blew."
Another added, "Subaru head gaskets would blow on a test drive."
@waltripsubaru Shoulda bought a Subaru ???????? #subaru #kia #newcar #cardealership ♬ original sound - Darrell Waltrip Subaru
The Daily Dot reached out to Waltrip via Instagram and TikTok messenger for further comment. We also reached out to Kia via email for a statement.
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