{"id":"2019_kia_forte","make":"Kia","make_slug":"kia","model":"Forte","model_slug":"forte","year":2019,"url":"/kia/forte/2019/","pts":["gas"],"configs":[{"id":40489,"model":"Forte FE","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (variable gear ratios)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":31,"hwy":41,"comb":35,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":256,"fe_score":8,"ghg_score":8,"fuel_cost":1800,"save_spend":2250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2018"},{"id":40490,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (variable gear ratios)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":30,"hwy":40,"comb":34,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":267,"fe_score":8,"ghg_score":8,"fuel_cost":1850,"save_spend":2000,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2018"},{"id":40491,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Manual 6-spd","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":27,"hwy":37,"comb":31,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":290,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":2000,"save_spend":1250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Dec 03 00:00:00 EST 2018"}],"vclass":"Midsize Cars","segment":"Midsize car","recalls":[{"campaign":"20V459000","component":"POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT","mfr":"Kia Motors America","reported":"2020-08-05","owner_notified":"2020-09-02","units":834,"summary":"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.","consequence":"A broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.","remedy":"Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge.  The recall began September 2, 2020.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall is SC195.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC195","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"},{"campaign":"18V771000","component":"EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS","mfr":"Kia Motors America","reported":"2018-10-31","owner_notified":"2018-11-30","units":1754,"summary":"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.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, \"Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.\"","consequence":"If the headlights are not properly aimed, the driver may have reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.","remedy":"Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlight aiming and replace the headlights, as necessary, free of charge.  The recall began November 30, 2018.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall is SC171.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC171","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"}],"recall_count":2,"critical_count":0,"park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"score":84,"grade":"B","complaints":{"count":147,"crash":11,"fire":4,"injured":5,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Power Train",47],["Engine",36],["Unspecified",22],["Electrical System",22],["Forward Collision Avoidance",22],["Exterior Lighting",17]],"by_year":{"2018":2,"2019":27,"2020":22,"2021":21,"2022":11,"2023":13,"2024":19,"2025":15,"2026":17},"excerpts":[["2022-10-09","Power Train","Hesitates to start. Spudders when in drive \u00e2\u20ac\u0153D\u00e2\u20ac\ufffd. Must drive in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153S\u00e2\u20ac\ufffd sport to stop the spuddering."],["2022-09-27","Power Train","The car I currently have was recalled in 2020 one year before I brought the car . For POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT . I could have been in a really bad car accident September 18 . My car completely shut off while I was making a right turn right in the middle of the street won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t start just dead . I had to push \u2026"],["2022-07-21","Electrical System","The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the message \"Check Brake Lights\" displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. However, upon inspecting the brake lights, her father noticed that the brake lights were operating as designed. The contact\u2026"]]},"investigations":[],"ncap":[{"desc":"4 DR FWD","overall":4,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.107,"seats":5,"fcw":"No","ldw":"No","aeb":"No","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":999,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":35,"ncap":4,"complaints":147},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}