Kia Forte years to avoid
Every Kia Forte model year on file (2012-2024), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2012
Worst year on file
134.4
Severity index
Engine
Most-reported system
2019
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 Kia Forte | 134.4 High | 292 | Engine |
| 2 | 2017 Kia Forte | 133.6 High | 305 | Engine |
| 3 | 2023 Kia Forte | 130.3 High | 65 | Steering |
| 4 | 2013 Kia Forte | 128.5 High | 195 | Engine |
| 5 | 2014 Kia Forte | 117.1 High | 444 | Engine |
| 6 | 2015 Kia Forte | 103.6 High | 260 | Engine |
| 7 | 2021 Kia Forte | 95.2 High | 69 | Engine |
| 8 | 2020 Kia Forte | 88.2 High | 78 | Unknown Or Other |
| 9 | 2018 Kia Forte | 86.0 High | 136 | Engine |
| 10 | 2024 Kia Forte | 80.1 High | 26 | Unknown Or Other |
| 11 | 2022 Kia Forte | 74.2 Medium | 28 | Unknown Or Other |
| 12 | 2019 Kia Forte | 67.9 Medium | 149 | Power Train |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Kia Forte complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 292 | 4 | 20 | 23 | 134.4 High | ENGINE |
| 2013 | 195 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 128.5 High | ENGINE |
| 2014 | 444 | 3 | 32 | 36 | 117.1 High | ENGINE |
| 2015 | 260 | 1 | 16 | 20 | 103.6 High | ENGINE |
| 2017 | 305 | 3 | 23 | 10 | 133.6 High | ENGINE |
| 2018 | 136 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 86.0 High | ENGINE |
| 2019 | 149 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 67.9 Medium | POWER TRAIN |
| 2020 | 78 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 88.2 High | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2021 | 69 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 95.2 High | ENGINE |
| 2022 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 74.2 Medium | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
| 2023 | 65 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 130.3 High | STEERING |
| 2024 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 80.1 High | UNKNOWN OR OTHER |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.