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Used 2016 Kia Forte Hatchback Consumer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
20 reviews

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5 out of 5 stars

Forte5 SX... I love you !

Jeff S., 08/29/2020
updated 09/01/2022
2016 Kia Forte SX 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful

I have owned an 08 GTI, a 13 focus ST, and now a 2016 Forte5 SX. I guess you can say I love a Turbo Hatch!!! I was pleasantly surprised with the Kia. So much bang for your buck. And what a fun little car, plenty of torque and just enough power to make it An awesome ride. Comfortable , spacious for a small car, looks great. I would recommend anyone in the market for a fun little Hatch with some extra get up and go, to strongly consider this car. I am completely in love with mine! They can be hard to find , especially in a manual transmission, which is a requirement for me. Also I have had this thing for 3 months and have not seen it’s duplicate . Not many on the road which makes it even cooler!!! Anyway, hard yes on the Forte5 SX. : ) Update- I’ve now had this car for quite some time and I still absolutely love it . Great little ride and I have had not one issue with it aside from regular maintenance. Good show Kia , thanks for the awesome car.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

Pretty good bang for your buck

Katie, 10/25/2016
2016 Kia Forte LX 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful

I was in the market for a used car but ended up purchasing the Kia Forte new because of the rebates. I have never liked hatchbacks but this body type fits my current needs and looks better than most in my opinion. This car is comfortable to drive and even the base model is a great upgrade from what I was in. I was really impressed with the warranty offered with this vehicle.

Safety
4 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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2 out of 5 stars

Unreliable, doesn’t last long

Kyndal McCroskey, 03/11/2024
2016 Kia Forte LX 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I bought a 2016 with low mileage in 2017. It started burning through oil a couple years ago. The catalytic converter died and cost $3,000 to replace (they chalked this up to going over a bumpy road once). The engine died about a year later. This was with regular maintenance, oil changes, and I had just changed the transmission fluid. The car was under 100,000 miles. Completely worthless and not worth your money unless you want a short term car. Steer clear if you want a long-lasting reliable car.

Safety
1 out of 5 stars
Technology
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
1 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
3 out of 5 stars
Reliability
1 out of 5 stars
Value
1 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

I Love This Car!

Gaines E., 09/14/2020
updated 11/13/2023
2016 Kia Forte EX 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I'm a second generation Kia owner - traded a 2008 Spectra in on this 2016 Forte5. Some people would say it's not peppy enough, but I find it keeps up in traffic just fine; true, it won't win any races, but it gets a solid 32 mpg with the AC on and 36 mpg during milder months. I am 6' 3" and the front seats are plenty spacious for my long legs. My wife complains the car is too low, but to me that just adds to the sportiness. I am the only driver of this car, so I know everything about it, and it is a pleasure to drive. In fact, I've put on 30K trouble-free miles. One thing I like about Kia is the service department at the dealership. They don't push you into buying extra service. I bought the service plan, and have enjoyed free oil changes, deep discounts on "other" services, etc. In comparison, my wife's Sentra seems to "need" something every time we take it in for ANYTHING! In conclusion, I will definitely buy Kia again; they build a quality car with a bunch of amenities as standard. Mine is a Forte5 EX (middle trim level) and it has LED DRLs, power folding mirrors, automatic transmission (not a goofy CVT), my radio can hold 250 songs, but I'm old school and listen to CDs, and alloy wheels (no plastic hubcaps). I chose the black cloth interior with black carpeting, and it is holding up well, however, I'm a neat freak, so my car is hardly ever dirty - inside or out....I even wipe down the door jambs every time it's washed. Update 3/18/21 Still loving my Forte5! I have nothing bad to say about this car. It's at 30K miles and my tires are wearing evenly (no alignment needed), the oil stays amber even though it has 5K miles on it (getting it changed Saturday), the finish is still shiny - even with two car washes a week.... I'm just a happy Kia guy. What's more to say? Update 3/20/2022 Still very happy with my Kia. I live close to work, so in a year I've only put on 5K miles since my last update. The finish is holding up well, still no alignment needed....I did have to put new tires on last April, but only because one developed a bulge in the sidewall. I put Pirelli's on it (boujee). UPDATE 9/26/2022, 39,168 miles Still a happy Kia owner. My free oil changes finally ran out, so I did the last oil change; a full synthetic job. The skidplate has to be removed in order to access the drain plug and filter - which protects the underbelly of the engine really well, but it's not consumer-friendly. I spent more time on that skidplate than the oil change itself. The original battery is still in the car, so the alternator either charges well, or Kia makes a darned good battery. No alignment needed yet, and my tires are all wearing evenly. 3/28/2023 42xxx miles Still completely happy with this car, and even more so now that it's paid off. The Pirelli tires are quite noisy, though - no fault of Kia's. As stated above, I'm a neat freak, so I've clay-barred the finish twice, and the paint is smooth as glass. The plastic headlight covers are still very clear with no yellowing, yet, but I have treated them with a product from Chemical Guys. Really, the only negative thing for me is the DIY oil change and that pesky skidplate. 11/11/23, 48K miles Drove it 1950 miles on vacation a week ago and it ran flawlessly, averaging 32mpg, and through high altitude mountains. Still very satisfied with this little car. In fact, got a compliment last Thursday from a truck driver I know. He saw me get out of it and asked, "Is it new?" I said, "Heck no, it's a 2016."

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Underrated vehicle with unexpected surprises

Demian, 05/02/2019
2016 Kia Forte EX 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I bought used 2016 forte5 ex after trading my old 2000 crv lx. Test drove elantra GT, honda fit, civic hatchback. (I didn't try focus hatchback because when I drove rental focus on german highway I wasn't impressed at all and also heard reliability score is low. I also didn't try Mazda 3 hatchback because of small space for backseat and cargo and very similar interior design to my current CX5). I chose forte5 because a lot less money than civic hatchback (better driving experience but noisier), better interior design and body style than elantra, and more powerful than fit (felt like driving a toy car). I think I can comment on riding since I added around 1000 miles. Yes riding is a lot bumpier than my 2012 honda accord as other people mentioned. But I liked the direct feeling of road conditions on the steering wheel and enjoyed the riding every day. Unexpectedly powerful and smooth when I pressed acceleration pedal. I was constantly watching mpg number on the gauge for fun and managed to 37 mpg for commute (local driving with around 15 traffic stops and lights). Steering is quite responsive and nimble. One gripe if I have to say is I feel more rough movement when it starts than any cars I have driven. Probably it is designed that way since I don't feel any engine roughness while driving. At the beginning, sometimes I felt engine misfires. However, after I realized I have to hold the key in ignition position a little longer to start the engine, the symptom was gone. I just got used to engine start of all japanese cars I have owned the last 30 years. I never thought about owning a korean car but this purchase changed my mind. Though have to wait for its reliability, don't have any hesitation to give a huge kudos to 2016 kia forte5.

Performance
5 out of 5 stars
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