2018 Kia Forte reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 Kia Forte holds 136 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 11 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Forte years here — over the median of the other years, which is 8. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Air bags, Latch, and Pump.

2012 Kia Forte — Photo by Michael Gil from Calgary, AB, Canada, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Complaints

136

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (57 of 136), then Air bags (16) and Electrical system (16). Those filings include 13 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 8 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Forte has 302 complaints, 23 per year, and the 2019 has 147 complaints, 24 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Kia Forte. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall Air bags 2022-01-25 · NHTSA campaign 22V031000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Recall latches, locks, and linkages, trunk lid, latch 2021-08-09 · NHTSA campaign 21V622000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Remedy Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

Recall engine and cooling, engine, oil and lubrication, pump 2021-04-13 · NHTSA campaign 21V260000

Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

Remedy Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.

Complaints by component (136 total)

Engine

Air bags

Electrical system

Speed control

Fuel and propulsion system

Powertrain

Structure

Exterior lighting

Engine and engine cooling

Steering

Latches, locks, and linkages

Service brakes

Tires

Seat belts

Visibility and wipers

Forward collision avoidance

Seats

Suspension

Visibility

Wheels

Show 12 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"There is an issue with the fuel pump where it would stall or shut off while driving or at a stoplight"
Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-02
"The contact's son owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, with the oil pressure…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-08-31
"Have to replace running lights every 4-6 months on both of my headlights. Happened every 4-6 months since I got the car in 2017"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-04-27
"The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and…"
Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-03-24
"Recently, while my boyfriend was driving my vehicle, the engine suddenly lost power without warning. He had the accelerator pedal fully depressed, yet the vehicle would barely move. He was fortunate to safely maneuver…"
Engine · filed 2026-02-25

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2018 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Forte	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	29	37	32 MPG	$2050
Forte	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	25	33	28 MPG	$2300
Forte	2L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	25	34	28 MPG	$2300
Forte 5	1.6L, 4-cyl	Automatic (7-speed)	Front-wheel drive	25	30	27 MPG	$2400
Forte 5	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	25	34	28 MPG	$2300
Forte 5	1.6L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	23	29	25 MPG	$2600

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YD), 2012–2018

Body styles Sedan

Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.8L and 2.0L) , 4.2 qt capacity

Tire size 195/65R15 to 225/40R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 21V622000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release." A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury. Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Kia Forte Next year 2019 Kia Forte See every Kia Forte model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Kia Forte reliable?

What are common problems with a 2018 Kia Forte?

Is the 2018 Kia Forte more reliable than the years next to it?

Has the 2018 Kia Forte been recalled?

The 2018 Kia Forte has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Kia Forte?

Owners have filed 136 complaints about the 2018 Kia Forte with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Kia Forte get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Kia Forte is 28 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Forte take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner’s manual.

What generation is the 2020 Kia Forte?

4th generation / BD (2019-on).

What tire sizes does a Kia Forte use?

US Forte fits commonly run about 195/65R15 to 225/40R18 depending on trim.