Kia Forte Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 · Best: 2020, 2022 — based on 2,391 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 1.26 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 2,391 NHTSA complaints, the Kia Forte years to avoid are 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 — the worst logged up to 2.6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | — |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N/A | — |
| 2010 | 232 | 145 | 3 | CAUTION | — |
| 2011 | 160 | 122 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2012 | 289 | 239 | 4 | AVOID | — |
| 2013 | 195 | 168 | 5 | CAUTION | 2013 Forte problems → |
| 2014 | 437 | 334 | 3 | AVOID | 2014 Forte problems → |
| 2015 | 257 | 201 | 1 | AVOID | 2015 Forte problems → |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 2016 Forte problems → |
| 2017 | 300 | 205 | 3 | AVOID | 2017 Forte problems → |
| 2018 | 134 | 83 | 3 | SOLID | 2018 Forte problems → |
| 2019 | 145 | 104 | 2 | CAUTION | 2019 Forte problems → |
| 2020 | 71 | 43 | 0 | BEST | 2020 Forte problems → |
| 2021 | 67 | 46 | 2 | SOLID | 2021 Forte problems → |
| 2022 | 25 | 16 | 1 | BEST | 2022 Forte problems → |
| 2023 | 56 | 37 | 3 | SOLID | 2023 Forte problems → |
| 2024 | 22 | 12 | 0 | SOLID | 2024 Forte problems → |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | — |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Kia Forte. Full methodology.
Forte problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Kia Forte problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Kia Forte are transmission, steering, suspension. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Transmission jerking, power loss, acceleration failure
· Kia Forte 2022–2024Corroborated by 7 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 12 transmission complaints across 2022–2024.
Unintended right steering during curve navigation
· Kia Forte 2023Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 13 steering complaints across 2023.
Front passenger suspension clicking, rattling noise
· Kia Forte 2023Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 6 suspension complaints across 2023.
Why these years stand out
2012 Kia Forte: 289 owner complaints on federal record, 239 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Forte.
2014 Kia Forte: 437 owner complaints on federal record, 334 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Forte.
2015 Kia Forte: 257 owner complaints on federal record, 201 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Forte.
2017 Kia Forte: 300 owner complaints on federal record, 205 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Kia Forte.
Know what to pay for the right Kia Forte — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Kia Forte should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Kia Forte years to avoid are 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Kia Forte?
The 2020 and 2022 Kia Forte show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Kia Forte verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Kia Forte's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Kia Forte before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Kia Forte reliable?
The Kia Forte's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 2,391 NHTSA owner complaints, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017 rate "avoid", while 2020 and 2022 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Kia Forte?
The most-reported problem area for the Kia Forte is transmission, followed by steering and suspension. Confirmed failures include transmission jerking, power loss, acceleration failure, unintended right steering during curve navigation, front passenger suspension clicking, rattling noise. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Kia Forte across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Kia Forte, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.