2020 Kia Forte
The 2020 Kia Forte is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Forte FE, is EPA-rated at 35 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 78 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
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Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forte FE | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 31 | 41 | 35 | $1,900 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 29 | 40 | 33 | $2,050 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 27 | 37 | 31 | $2,150 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 27 | 35 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,400 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41457, 41458, 41459, 41455, 41456.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forte, Forte FE | 5 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
| Forte | 5–7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | SmartWay |
| Forte | 5 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2 L |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 147 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, FE, LXS, GT, GT Line). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 182.7 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 70.9 in |
| Height | 56.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 in |
| Track, front | 60.6 in |
| Track, rear | 60.6 in |
| Curb weight | 2,769–3,012 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 61/39 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan, GT 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2020 Kia Forte is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2020 Kia Forte. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 Kia Forte, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2020 Kia Forte
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Forte →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database9 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 6 injuries · 0 deaths reported
8.8 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 89,077 Forte built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 17 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 15 · 2026: 19
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light, and a message that Kia had been alerted of a failure was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled.
After 2 hours of cruise control om, Collision avoidance warning lights came on for 2nd time. Brought is to dealership the first time it happened and they could nt find anything wrong
MAKE: 2020 KIA FORTE MODEL: FORTE ODOMETER: approximately 88,000 miles VIN: On , while driving my Kia towards my home driveway, I noticed that the car's speed was fluctuating unpredictably.
Car took off. Zoomed. Out of control, my safety was put at risk since car speeded off. No one else safety was at risk since no one was around. The car is currently at a collision shop. Car has been inspected by insurance and being fixed. No warning signs and air bags did not come out
The forward collision warning system stopped working and the warning lights lit up saying the camera was obstructed, even though it was a clear day, and the car was clean (it had literally just been cleaned). This has happened previously at random times
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side headlight became inoperable and no longer illuminated as needed. The light bulb was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Kia itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 3.4 per 100,000 built. Every Forte model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 19 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 4,000 and 103,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsMost often about: Electrical System, Power Train, Engine, Equipment, Structure.
- TSB_ENG263 Service bulletin2026-08-05 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: MISFIRE CONCERN DUE TO OVERRUNNING ALTERNATOR DECOUPLER - This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020–2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2024, and 2020–2022MY Soul (SK3) vehicles produced from November 1, 2018 through May 31, 2022 equipped with a Gamma 1.6L T‑GDI engine. In certain cases, misfi
- CS2312_TSB_R2 Service bulletin2026-06-08 · Structure — Body
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia
- SC199_OWNR_BD_3 Emissions2026-02-19 · Power Train
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC199 FL301) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Voluntary Service Campaign to update the software programming on the Transmission Control Module (TCM) and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) on certain 2019-2020 MY Forte vehicles.
- PS797 Other2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
- PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
- TSB_TRA046_R5 Service bulletin2025-04-17 · Power Train
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is
- TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletin2025-04-03 · Engine
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
- TSB_ELE378 Service bulletin2025-03-20 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, con
- TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletin2025-02-28 · Engine
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0017 P0017 on Kia → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Engine | 3 owner reports |
| P0420 P0420 on Kia → | The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should. | Fuel/Propulsion System · Catalytic converter → | 2 owner reports |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Kia Forte failed the emissions check on 1.4% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).
failed emissions
2,369 initial inspections of 2,336 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2020 Forte | Every 2020 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 1.4% | 2.2% | 2,366 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 2.8% | 1.6% | 2,369 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.08% | 0.19% | 2,369 |
| Miles driven a year | 9,912 | 9,980 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 62,385 | 62,630 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Forte by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2020 Forte
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2020 Kia Forte have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2020 Kia Forte. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2020 Kia Forte?
NHTSA gave the 2020 Kia Forte 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Kia Forte?
Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 Kia Forte, the best EPA combined figure is 35 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2020 Kia Forte?
Transport Canada measured it at 182.7 in long, 70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,769–3,012 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2020 Kia Forte?
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Forte, most often about unspecified, engine, power train. Of those, 9 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 6 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2020 Kia Forte?
The EPA smog rating for the 2020 Kia Forte runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2020 Kia Forte?
The manufacturer has filed 100 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 Kia Forte, most often covering electrical system, power train, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-05. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2020 Kia Forte do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 Kia Forte failed the emissions check on 1.4% of first inspections — lower than the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 5 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 5 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 78 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 1 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 100 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 7 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.