2020 Kia Forte problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 74 owner complaints about the 2020 Kia Forte, or 11.1 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.26, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #22 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Kia models its rate is 69% lower; against other Compact cars it is 52% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2019-09-22 and 2026-08-25. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 19.2 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 11.8 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 15 complaints, 74% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Interior & equipment (28.4% of complaints), followed by Engine (27.0%) and Transmission / powertrain (18.9%). Interior & equipment complaints are 3.2 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Interior & equipment reports, owners most often mention “steal”, “stolen”, “usb”, “alarm” and “security”. 11 reports (14.9%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 6 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 48 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (38% of incidents). In the last 12 months 19 new complaints were filed, versus 12 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.26
- vs. other Kia models0.31
- vs. other 2020 models0.29
- vs. other Compact cars0.48
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (15)0.26
- #22 of 82 · 2020Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Interior & equipment · Common terms in reports
- steal5
- stolen5
- usb3
- alarm4
- security3
- locked4
Engine · Common terms in reports
- engine19
- oil12
- light15
- check10
- position sensor3
- smoking3
Transmission / powertrain · Common terms in reports
- transmission9
- fluctuating3
- began5
- slipping3
- accelerate4
- gears3
Problem areas: Engine · Transmission / powertrain · Interior & equipment · Electrical
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 9
- Fires reported: 2
- Injuries: 6
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 48 months
What owners report
While driving a 2020 Kia Forte on the expressway at normal speed, the vehicle was operating normally with no prior warning lights or known issues. Suddenly, the brakes began to feel weak, as if they were failing.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on a bend in the highway, a deer jumped over the barrier and landed on the top of the contact's front windshield.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags warning light illuminated and then went off.
Engine burning excessive oil over a quart in 1000 miles. Catalytic converter code P0420 because of the excessive oil burning. Oil was always changed within the specified dealer milage range.
I experienced a check engine light and had the vehicle diagnosed with codes P0017 and P0014. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership, where the technician found that the exhaust camshaft was free-spinning without the phaser and that the pin connecting the…
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2020 · Compact cars
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Toyota Prius | 30 | 4.5 | 0.11 |
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 | 32 | 4.8 | 0.11 |
| 2020 Volkswagen Jetta | 51 | 7.6 | 0.18 |
| 2020 Kia Forte | 74 | 11.1 | 0.26 |
| 2020 Subaru Impreza | 85 | 12.7 | 0.3 |
| 2020 Nissan Sentra | 204 | 30.6 | 0.73 |
| 2020 Honda Civic | 228 | 34.2 | 0.81 |
| 2020 Hyundai Elantra | 254 | 38.1 | 0.91 |
| 2020 Toyota Corolla | 307 | 46.0 | 1.09 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2020 Kia Forte?
74 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Kia Forte, or about 11.1 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2020 Kia Forte?
The most common category is Interior & equipment, accounting for 28.4% of complaints.
Does the 2020 Kia Forte have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2020 Kia Forte still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 19 new complaints were filed, versus 12 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
How does the 2020 Kia Forte compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 74 owner complaints about the 2020 Kia Forte, or 11.1 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.26, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 82 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #22 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Kia models its rate is 69% lower; against other Compact cars it is 52% lower.