Kia Forte Years to Avoid — and the Years to Buy
Every Kia Forte model year from 2009 to 2024, benchmarked against each other with 3,588 federal complaints, 18 recall campaigns, and the odometer readings owners put in their reports.
Avoid: 2012, 2014, 2017. These years top the Forte's complaint rankings by volume and severity.
Safer bets: 2020–2022 — the quietest years with at least four years on the road.
The method in one line: every NHTSA complaint for this model is counted, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, and deaths, and each year is measured against the Forte's own worst year — full methodology.
Under investigation. Federal regulators currently have an open defect investigation on the Kia Forte.
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
The trouble strip
One cell per model year. The whole answer in one glance — click any year for the full report.
The defining problem
Engine tops the Kia Forte file with 1,169 complaints, concentrated in the 2012–2015, 2017 model years, most often reported around 86,000 miles. The year pages break down what fails and when.
Every year, ranked
| Year | Verdict | Complaints | Recalls | Top problem | Trouble index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Too early to call | 46 | 0 | — | 7 |
| 2023 | Typical | 97 | 3 | Driver assistance | 19 |
| 2022 | Better year | 40 | 1 | — | 6 |
| 2021 | Better year | 95 | 2 | Engine | 15 |
| 2020 | Better year | 97 | 0 | Other | 13 |
| 2019 | Typical | 216 | 2 | Transmission & drivetrain | 29 |
| 2018 | Typical | 188 | 3 | Engine | 26 |
| 2017 | Avoid | 431 | 3 | Engine | 62 |
| 2016 | Typical | 201 | 1 | Engine | 30 |
| 2015 | Below average | 325 | 1 | Engine | 47 |
| 2014 | Avoid | 644 | 3 | Engine | 100 |
| 2013 | Below average | 272 | 5 | Engine | 45 |
| 2012 | Avoid | 404 | 4 | Engine | 65 |
| 2011 | Below average | 214 | 3 | Engine | 48 |
| 2010 | Below average | 317 | 3 | Engine | 47 |
| 2009 | Few reports | 1 | 0 | — | 0 |
Technical service bulletins
Beyond complaints and recalls, 1,366 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, service campaigns, warranty extensions — are on file for the Kia Forte. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Browse the Kia Forte TSB list by year →
Questions buyers ask
What Kia Forte years should I avoid?
Federal complaint records point to 2012, 2014, 2017 as the Kia Forte years to avoid — they drew the highest volume of serious complaints relative to the model's other years.
What is the most common Kia Forte problem?
Engine tops the Kia Forte file with 1,169 complaints, concentrated in the 2012–2015, 2017 model years, most often reported around 86,000 miles.
What are the best Kia Forte years to buy used?
The quietest Kia Forte years in federal records are 2020–2022 — each with at least four years on the road and well-below-average complaint volume for this model.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Counts cover the Kia Forte only, scored against this model's own worst year — not against other models. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.