The New Zealand pair finished 9min 12.4sec behind French star Sebastien Ogier, who clinched his second overall World Rally Championship crown.
The final day featured just four tests, two stages repeated, with unseasonably high temperatures ensuring tough conditions for tyres and brakes.
Paddon's times on the repeated runs in each stage showed improvements over the first run.
''We've had a lot of understeer this morning, which has been frustrating,'' he said at the lunchtime service break.
''The stages are a lot twistier today, yet the set-up suited the car and tyres better yesterday.''
Paddon and Kennard can look back with pleasure on a rally that delivered a breakthrough stage win on the opening day.
That was followed by a spin and two punctures which dropped the New Zealanders to as low as 22nd.
While their times during the two days of tarmac tests did not keep them among the frontrunners, the pair kept focused on trying to get the best from the Hyundai i20.
''It's great to get to the end and obviously getting back in the points is a bonus after what happened on Friday,'' Paddon said.
''All in all, it's been a good weekend. We've seen some progress on gravel with some quick times, including the stage win on Friday.
"I'm feeling really comfortable on the car in gravel, which is a good sign for as we head for the end of year all-gravel event in Wales.
''On the tarmac, all three of the Hyundais have been struggling here, unfortunately, as we try to adapt the car to the new tyre and we had a lot of understeer.
"Nevertheless we haven't been far off our team-mates. They're a great benchmark for us. We still have a lot to learn and a lot to work on, but we're heading in the right direction.''
Paddon's Hyundai Shell World Rally team-mates, Dani Sordo and Thierry Neuville finished fifth and sixth respectively.
