2019 Kia Forte: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
147 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2014 Kia Forte, which has 439 complaints and a score of 44, and treat the 2012 and 2017 cars (289 and 301 complaints, scores of 67 and 52) with caution. Buy a 2018 or later car: the 2020 has 74 complaints, no recalls and a score of 90. Read the full note on the model page. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 147 complaints, score 76/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Kia Forte and Hyundai Veloster: the years to avoid, including 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 147 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 21.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after driving to the local store and turning off the vehicle, after returning to the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a timing chain failure caused by low engine oil. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumpti…
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 70 MPH, the contact had exited when the oil and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle rolled over to the side of the road. The contact exited the vehicle and, upon inspection, noticed that an excessive amount of oil had leaked onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnos…
The transmission had a recall 2 years ago and they gave me a new one (KIA). I am having issues with my transmission again
Recalls: 2 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V459000 | Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Forte vehicles. The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break. |
| 18V771000 | Exterior Lighting:Headlights | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Kia Forte vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The headlights may not have been manufactured with the correct low beam aiming. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 34 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $1,800
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Power Train47 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine36 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System22 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other22 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Forward Collision Avoidance17 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Exterior Lighting15 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Kia Forte years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Kia Forte?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (47 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Kia Forte a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 76/100, computed from 147 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Kia Forte's most common problem?
47 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 Kia Forte sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2019 Kia Forte cost to run per year?
About $3,849 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $19,245 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2019 Kia Forte have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Kia Forte, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/08/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2019 Kia Forte really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 147 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 147 NHTSA complaints on record (21.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (15.9/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems