This study presents a plausible dual-site mechanism and microkinetic model for CO oxidation over palladium-substituted ceria incorporating the theoretical oxygen storage capacity of different catalysts into the kinetic model. A rate expression without prior assumption of rate-determining steps has been developed for the proposed microkinetic model using reaction route analysis. Experiments were conducted using various percentages of palladium in ceria that were synthesized by solution combustion. Obtained catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area measurements. A detailed mechanism was developed, and the kinetic parameters and rate expression were validated with the conversion data obtained in the presence of the catalysts. Furthermore, a reduced rate expression based on rate-determining step and most abundant reactive intermediate approximation was obtained and tested against the original rate expression for different experimental conditions. From the results obtained it was concluded that the simulated rate predictions matched the experimental trend with reasonable accuracy, validating the kinetic parameters proposed in this study. © 2016 American Chemical Society.