2020 Kia Forte: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
74 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 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. 2020 specifically: a year the record favours — 74 complaints, score 90/100. 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 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 74 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.33
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 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags warning light illuminated and then went off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light was again illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not assoc…
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.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving on a major highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that there was no oil in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine neede…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
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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 30 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,050
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.
- Unknown Or Other25 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine17 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train16 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Electrical System11 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Air Bags5 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Forward Collision Avoidance5 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
Other Kia Forte years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Kia Forte?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (25 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Kia Forte a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 90/100, computed from 74 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Kia Forte's most common problem?
25 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Kia Forte sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 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 2020 Kia Forte cost to run per year?
About $3,794 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $18,970 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.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2020 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 — 74 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 74 NHTSA complaints on record (12.3/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (15.9/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems