Used 2018 Kia Forte Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Much research--paid off
Frank E., 06/27/2018
updated 09/04/2019
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
95 of 98 people found this review helpful
Heavily researched this car, esp. relying on CR tests. They rated this car tops in the compact class (overall score) tied with the Toyota Corolla. However, the Forte road score was higher. ( My own figures put this car out in front too, in this compact class.) Also, we test drove a Corolla for a week in 2014 and it drove like a bus in comparison. So, CR was right: car is a gem. Over 40 mpg pump to pump in all types of driving including plenty of hills (we live in the Adirondack Park of NY State.) Highlights are: great ride for comfort and lack of road noise. (Switching out the OEM tires for Continental True Contacts may have helped.) Also, we stuck with the original wheel size, i.e. 195/65R15, for which there are many advantages such as: less costly tire replacements, better ride (more rubber between rim and road,) better in snow and better mpg's with narrower tires, lighter and stronger than bigger rims, etc. etc. This car drives like a dream. Can't think of much to complain about. I'm 6'2" but plenty of headroom in front even with seat in highest position. Could actually go an inch higher, but driver's comfort and view out is first rate. Bought this 2018 in end of April of that year, and only have c. 5000 on it as of June 2019. and so far could not be happier. Good choice. All that research paid off! We liked the folks at the dealer too (Della Kia in Plattsburgh, NY). Car is very nice looking (deep, rich, garnet red) and the price very right--recommend it indeed. 8/30/19 update: Nothing new to add except that comments made in the original review still hold. This is a wonderful car for us. Too bad they changed it in 2019 as the comfort/ride/noise and overall score by CR is lower. But have not driven the new 2019 model so perhaps it is OK--worth checking out. I get 41 PLUS mpg in the summer and the new model is supposed to be better marginally if it's that important to you. (MPG's are very important to me, but I'll take 41 plus any day.) By the way, as I think the case with many cars, the dashboard mpg's are somewhat lower than the actual pump to pump measurement and it is the latter figure that I use to calculate the mpg's so it is very accurate. Kia seems to make very good cars now--at least to CR brand comparisons. I am very happy with this car!
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My new car. . . .a KIA Forte
Jean Golden, 08/12/2018
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a car that was a bit smaller than the one I had been driving for 10 years (a Toyota Camry). I also wanted a back-up camera and a few other new features. I have only had the car for about 1 month, but so far I am more than happy with it. It has exceeded my expectations.
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What a great car and value!
Adam Bushman, 06/05/2018
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
32 of 35 people found this review helpful
The best features are the smoothness of the drive, the quiet interior, the entertainment system, the safety features. The trunk is HUGE: lots of cargo space. Legroom is surprisingly very good. The car is bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside. I love the keyless ignition. I don't need to even take out my key (FOB); the locks sense the fob, and the door unlocks. You still have the option of pressing the unlock button on the fob itself. Then get in roomy driver's seat, put your foot on the brake, push the ignition button, and you're ready to go. The acceleration is awesome, but the downshift is pretty intense. The price of the car was amazing. I got the S model: sunroof, extra safety features. Just fantastic.
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2028 Kia Forte S
Mike, 08/25/2018
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
Lots of features, technology for under $20,000; great safety features; changed the tires as I thought they were average at best
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26000 miles and already issues
Patches , 02/24/2020
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
21 of 27 people found this review helpful
I'm barely over 26000 miles, have done all service at correct intervals since owning and already have check engine light for cylinder misfires. Pathetic when you can't rely on a car with relatively low mileage.
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LITTLE GEM WITH TEETH
David Q., 10/29/2019
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
She has power and a turn radius to die for. She’s exceptional on gas mileage and plenty of leg room for a tall man like me!
Treating me well!
Anonymous , 11/13/2020
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I really enjoy my car. It’s great on gas , on the highway I get about 52 mpg and driving around town I get between 35-40 mpg. I really haven’t had any issues and have had her for almost 2 years now ! Only thing I had to do is keep on my my routine maintenance such as oil changes, had to put new wipers and get new tires after about a year and a half. But I really love this car.
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Starting issue
Christine, 02/16/2020
2018 Kia Forte EX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 13 people found this review helpful
My car is only two years old and I am having issues with the alternator on my car . It wouldn’t start for three days and needed a jump to start . Took the car in and they could not find the issue till the second visit ...
Great reliable economic car
Geoff B., 06/08/2020
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Love my new to me 2018 Kia Forte. Has a lot of pick up and go in sport mode which I did not expect. Handling is tight and Apple car play is fantastic.
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Happy purchase
Jin, 10/09/2019
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
Bought the Kia Forte S with tech package which is incredible value. The car drives well in dry, wet, and snow and is comfortable on drives around town. People have said the backseat is roomy and the front cabin is a good kind of snug. The size has been fantastic to parallel park and it is easy to drive around parking lots and in garages. As the other reviews have mentioned, the OEM tires are horrid so upgraded to Michelin Premier A/S. I also complain about the sliding rear end when making left turns, the car does not always feel the most grounded. My last gripe is long-term comfort on road trips and even sometimes siting in traffic, I think Civic and Mazda 3 do those two better but of course they are a few grand more when equally equipped. Highly recommend as a first-time vehicle or city driver. The S trim is great and the only thing you really lack are seat heaters and leather. Great job Kia!
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Great car
Maria batey, 08/20/2018
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
7 of 16 people found this review helpful
Awesome safe car
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The AC system may be the weakest link.
Eddie, 11/11/2023
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The air conditioning stopped to work and I had to replace the AC Compressor for my KIA Forte 2018 at less than 30k miles of use, which is a very low mileage for such a problem to have. In fact I never experienced an AC failure happening to any of my previously owned cars, either foreign or domestic and some of them I used for 80-90k miles. The average cost of replacing the AC Compressor is around $1500 depending of the service facility and it is not covered by manufacturer’s extended warranty (after 12,000 miles or 1 year, whichever first).
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GREAT CAR
GREAT CAR, 01/01/2018
updated 07/07/2020
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
8 of 25 people found this review helpful
It's work the money compared to other vehicles in this same class.
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great car
ed, 10/04/2018
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
2 of 11 people found this review helpful
I love it. better than any car I ever owned
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I hate my car.
Mike C, 09/21/2021
2018 Kia Forte S 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
1 of 8 people found this review helpful
The stock headlights are trash. It's about as powerful as candlelight. I can't drive at night as I can't see anything in front of me. I've got to use my high beams! The AC runs great but you've got to set the fan high. Hair is blowing in the wind even when car is not moving. Oh, can't get new headlights either because no one makes them. Fantastic. I should've paid for leather seats. These are cloth and are now gross. The car ticks. I wish I could drive it off a cliff.
Great Car
Ranman619 , 02/24/2021
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
So many simple features and runs and drives great.
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Excellent Value
Corey99, 03/26/2023
updated 04/03/2025
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bough my grey 2018 Forte 18 months ago. It was 3yrs old, had 50K kilometers at purchase. It was in pristine condition when I bought it. My general observations. It is fun to drive. Tight steering, handles well. Good acceleration for this class. Mileage is good for this class. Big trunk. Mine has the Apple car play, cruise control package. So, it has everything I need. I had to have the rear shocks replaced at 85K (covered under Kia's generous warranty). This seems kind of early for a 4.5 yr old car. Because I bought mine used, I do not know whether this was due to rough use by the previous owner or a defect in the parts. I would say this, having owned 3 Hyundai's (Elantra, Santa Fe, Tucson) before this Kia: the Korean manufacturers seem to prefer a firmer ride. It is one of the reasons my wife went with a Rav4 over a Santa Fe on her last car purchase. All that being said, I have no regrets abt this purchase. We needed a second car for me to drive to the (commuter) train station, wanted a small sedan, something comparable to a Civic or Corolla. Cars were hard to come by during the pandemic, and this Forte ticked off all the boxes. I expect to keep it for a long time. UPDATE: Its been 3.5 years since I bought the car, and we are up to 125,000KMs. So far, just regular maintenance, oil changes, etc. Car still drives like the day I bought it & has proven to be reliable. No major issues.
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Loved it until the Kia Boyz and Kias poor responce
Upset at Kia, 07/08/2023
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car but it's very easy to hotwire and Kias fix does not work for this model. My car was stolen within days of upgrade. Kia was contacted repeatedly and would not respond. The local dealer suggested I purchase a Club. Bad customer service from a decent car maker.
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Absolutely Love my Forte!!!
Jeff Sandler , 10/16/2024
2018 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2018 Kia forte Lx fully loaded aurora black pearl 63k miles great condition clean carfax 2 owner, not to long ago and it's perfect for what I wanted! It looks amazing and I absolutely love driving it! I'm a true believer in my Kia! I love that it has the highest safety rating there is. As long as you do the regular maintenance this car is beyond reliable and budget friendly! It's real fun to drive!!! My car is gorgeous inside and out and it's costing me next to nothing to enjoy it! Don't get me wrong I paid 14k for the car but I did my do diligence and I got the car I wanted. I also can't say enough about the trim on this car it blows away all cars in it's class with this trim!!! My car is fire I use Maguires products for everything inside and out.
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