The Most Common Trouble Spot for the 2019 Kia Forte Is Concerning

Transmission issues plagued the 2019 Kia Forte’s reliability score from Consumer Reports. Does that make it a model to avoid?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
A red 2019 Kia Forte on display.
New cars
are supposed to be reliable. That’s why we pay the big bucks for them. But there’s no guarantee that you will be able to avoid every trip to the mechanic with a newer model. Some cars are simply built better than others.
Take the 2019
Kia
Forte for example.
Consumer Reports
(CR) docked a lot of points for the affordable sedan on its reliability report, noting a troubling tendency for the young car’s transmission to fail
Transmission issues are never a good time for drivers, but they usually only occur in older models.
Jerry
took a closer look at the data to find out more.

What’s wrong with the 2019 Kia Forte?

CR’s reliability report for the 2019 Kia Forte looks grim. The list of issues “in the red,” so to speak, should make any driver think twice before buying one. Body hardware, paint, body integrity, and brakes all received a dismal one out of five points.
But the worst trouble spot for the car was its transmission. Drivers claimed that it started acting up and even failed in some cases after racking up only 3,000 to 4,000 miles.
Most newer models are sold with
warranties
that cover any major mechanical failures that happen this early, but it’s reasonable for drivers to want to avoid the trouble of dealing with them, especially if they plan to hold onto the vehicle long-term. 
MORE: The 2022 Kia Forte is Getting Some Refreshing Updates
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Is the 2019 Kia Forte a lemon?

Despite the problems pointed out by CR, it’s important to remember that the consumer watchdog’s reliability report is based on user feedback. Because of this, it can highlight issues based on a small percentage of vehicles experiencing problems. 
Take a look at other sources concerning the 2019 Kia Forte, and you get a more tolerant picture.
Edmunds
, for example, gives the car an overall rating of 7.9 out of 10. Critics applaud its affordability, its fuel economy, and its spacious interior.
Some consumers on Edmunds even point out how much they love the car’s continuously variable transmission. 
One reviewer and former Mustang driver says, “Very rarely do I even realize it is a CVT.” High praise for a gear system with a penchant for bowing out early.

Car insurance for a 2019 Kia Forte

MORE: Do Kias Last a Long Time?
There are admittedly some potential issues with the 2019 Kia Forte’s transmission. But if you can find one that isn’t showing any signs of trouble, you can find a lot of good reasons to buy this car. Unfortunately,
car insurance
rates are not one of them.
Even after the benefits of shopping with Jerry, coverage for Kia Forte averages at $1,944 a year. That’s about $270 more than the national average for car insurance. 
Whether this deters you from going with the Forte or not, shopping for insurance with Jerry is still a good idea. Jerry is a personal insurance broker that lives in your pocket. But don’t worry about buying tiny office furniture, Jerry is an app. 
Once you download Jerry, just answer a handful of questions that will take you roughly 45 seconds to complete and you’ll immediately get car insurance quotes for coverage similar to your current plan. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year.
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