Research · complaint index
Kia Forte years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 15 model years of the Kia Forte by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2014, 2017 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26 | 9 | 0.6 | 0 | 6 | Typical |
| 2023 | 66 | 17 | 1.2 | 3 | 11 | Typical |
| 2022 | 28 | 6 | 0.4 | 1 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 2021 | 69 | 12 | 0.8 | 2 | 11 | Typical |
| 2020 | 78 | 11 | 0.8 | 0 | 9 | Typical |
| 2019 | 150 | 19 | 1.3 | 2 | 11 | Typical |
| 2018 | 136 | 15 | 1.1 | 3 | 13 | Typical |
| 2017 | 305 | 31 | 2.2 | 3 | 23 | Most complaints |
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2015 | 261 | 22 | 1.6 | 1 | 16 | Typical |
| 2014 | 444 | 34 | 2.5 | 3 | 32 | Most complaints |
| 2013 | 195 | 14 | 1.0 | 5 | 16 | Typical |
| 2012 | 292 | 19 | 1.4 | 4 | 20 | Typical |
| 2011 | 162 | 10 | 0.7 | 3 | 28 | Typical |
| 2010 | 232 | 14 | 1.0 | 3 | 21 | Typical |
- 202426 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 202366 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 202228 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 202169 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 202078 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 2019150 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 2018136 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 2017305 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 20164 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 2015261 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 2014444 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2013195 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2012292 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 2011162 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 2010232 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 29, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2016, 2022.
About this comparison
What Kia Forte years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2014, 2017 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 15 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.