Kia Forte Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2014 draws 5.63 complaints per run and the 2016 2.2, a 2.6-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 62% land after the 5-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 1,091 complaints, typically at 6.6 years.

Kia Forte years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Kia Forte — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2024	1.67	25	15	too new
2023	2.38	62	26	too new
2022	1.35	27	20	too new
2021	2.34	68	29	too new
2020	2.85	77	27	yes
2019	5.8	145	25	yes
2018	5.15	134	26	yes
2017	6.06	297	49	yes
2016	2.2	123	56	yes
2015	3.75	251	67	yes
2014	5.63	422	75	yes
2013	3.1	183	59	yes
2012	4.25	276	65	yes
2011	2.57	139	54	yes
2010	3.9	199	51	yes

ROWS 15·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2014 Forte asks a median $5,000, against $6,295 for a 2015, the next model year: about 21% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 6 Kia Forte years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2014, 2012, 2015; the three worth hunting are 2016, 2011, 2013.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Kia Forte — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	174	7.3%	covered
1 year	172	14.5%	covered
2 years	164	21.3%	covered
3 years	176	28.7%	covered
4 years	222	38%	covered
5 years	269	49.2%	you pay
6 years	291	61.4%	you pay
7 years	255	72%	you pay
8 years	187	79.8%	you pay
9 years	150	86.1%	you pay
10 years	112	90.8%	you pay
11 years	100	95%	you pay
12 years	46	96.9%	you pay
13 years	41	98.6%	you pay
14 years	21	99.5%	you pay
15 years	12	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 5 years / 60,000 miles. Only 38% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 62% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (10 years / 100,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 53% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Engine at 6.6 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Kia Forte — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	1091	6.6 yrs	19	79
Unknown Or Other	317	4.8 yrs	35	27
Electrical System	313	5.4 yrs	16	37
Air Bags	273	5.2 yrs	136	3
Service Brakes	209	7.4 yrs	23	6
Power Train	207	4.3 yrs	11	2
Exterior Lighting	168	5.2 yrs	7	6
Steering	162	5.1 yrs	18	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Forte's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 3.81 for the Forte.

FIG.05·Kia Forte — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Forte	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Kia Forte

Recalls40 campaigns Fuel economy35 mpg best Common problems2,445 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space23 cu ft Used prices2,254 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2010–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Kia Forte reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 3.81 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Forte years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2014, 2012, 2015. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2016, 2011, 2013. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Forte problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 6.6 years, followed by Unknown Or Other.

Will the warranty cover Forte problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 5 years / 60,000 miles, and only 38% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 53% of the complaints here.

Is the Forte more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 3.81 complaints per production run for the Forte against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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