Is the KIA Forte more reliable than the Nissan Versa?

No, the Versa has a slight edge. Both rate good, but Versa owners filed 1.5 complaints per 10,000 cars sold against 3.2 for the Forte. The Forte does better on unscheduled shop visits, 0.2 a year against 0.4, so the gap is small.

Which has more recalls, the Forte or the Versa?

They are tied at 11 recalls each. The Forte's recalls are spread across 7 model years, while the Versa's fall within 5 model years. Federal recall records show the same total for both, so recalls do not separate them.

Which costs less to repair?

The Forte costs slightly less. Its estimated annual repair cost is $451 against $456 for the Versa, about $25 over five years. The Forte also has a 9% chance that a repair is major, against 10% for the Versa.

What is the biggest problem with the Forte?

Sudden engine failure. Owners describe stalling, knocking, and grinding, often with no warning light, with failures clustering between 67,000 and 90,000 miles. Mechanics often said the engine needed replacing. Some owners reported warranty denials when they were second owners or lacked oil-change receipts.

What goes wrong with the Nissan Versa transmission?

The CVT can suddenly lose forward drive. The engine revs but the car does not move, often with no warning light. Other owners describe delayed engagement from stops followed by a sudden kick into gear. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, so many cars go unrepaired.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa: Reliability Compared

Kia Forte

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Versa

Good

Nissan Versa edges out KIA Forte on reliability, mainly because owners filed fewer complaints per car sold. Both rate good, and yearly repair costs sit within a few dollars. The Forte's sudden engine failures and the Versa's CVT drive loss are the problems to know.

How Do the Kia Forte and Nissan Versa Generations Compare?

Shoppers will mostly see third-generation cars from both makers. The Forte's second generation (YD) ended with the 2018 model year, after a 2017 facelift. The third generation (BD) ran from 2019 to 2024, with a facelift for 2022. The weakest Forte years, 2018 and 2019, sit on either side of that changeover. The Versa's second generation (N17) ran through 2019. The third generation (N18) covered 2019 to 2023, then received a refresh for 2024 that carried through 2025. The Versa's weakest years, 2020 and 2024, fall in the main run and the refresh year.

Verdict

The Nissan Versa is more reliable than the Kia Forte, scoring 76/100 vs 72/100.

A slight edge goes to the Versa, and the gap is small. Owners filed about half as many complaints per car sold, which is the deciding point. Both cars rate good, recall counts are equal, and yearly repair costs nearly match. The Forte does better on shop visits, which keeps this close. Its weak spot is sudden engine failure with little warning, while the Versa's main risk is a CVT that can lose drive. The Versa wins on the overall record, not by a wide margin.

Key Differences

1Kia Forte costs $5 less per year to repair
2Nissan Versa scores 4 points higher in reliability
3Nissan Versa has 1.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Kia Forte

—

3Nissan Versa

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa: Which Is More Reliable?

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Kia Forte	Nissan Versa
Reliability Score	72/100	76/100
Years Tracked	7	5
Total Recalls	11	11
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.2	1.5
Annual Repair Cost	$451/yr	$456/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	9%	10%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2024 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Forte and Nissan Versa?

Engine and transmission trouble dominate Forte complaints. Owners report engines that knock, stall, and quit with no warning light, mostly between 67,000 and 90,000 miles, plus gear skipping and a transmission stuck in sixth. Theft is also a theme, with owners describing no immobilizer. The Versa's main issue is a CVT that revs without moving the car, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Crash-linked reports differ. The Forte has them in steering and electrical complaints, where the Versa has none in electrical. The Versa has a crash-linked brake complaint area, with weak brakes and a shaking pedal. Both have airbag non-deployment reports.

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa common problem areas comparison
Component	Kia Forte	Nissan Versa
POWER TRAIN	0.6Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
ENGINE	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
EQUIPMENT	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Kia Forte or Nissan Versa?

Repair costs are nearly identical. The Forte runs an estimated $451 a year and the Versa $456, so the Forte saves about $5 a year, or roughly $25 over five years. The bigger difference is shop visits. The Forte averages 0.2 unscheduled visits a year, half the Versa's 0.4. The chance that a repair is major is 9% for the Forte and 10% for the Versa. The Forte is a little cheaper and visits the shop less, though a Forte engine replacement would cost far more than either average.

How Does Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa Reliability Compare by Year?

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Kia Forte	Nissan Versa	Edge
2024	78/1000R / 20C	73/1001R / 91C	Kia Forte
2021	72/1002R / 64C	77/1003R / 29C	Nissan Versa
2020	76/1000R / 63C	74/1002R / 60C	Kia Forte
2018	66/1003R / 133C	76/1005R / 55C	Nissan Versa

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Kia Forte scored 78/100 and the 2021 Nissan Versa scored 77/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Kia Forte vs the Nissan Versa?

Pick the Versa if you want the lower complaint rate and want to avoid the Forte's engine failure pattern. Target 2021, one of its strongest years, and be careful with 2020 and 2024, its weakest. The 2025 is listed as strongest, but it is the newest year and has had the least time to collect complaints. Test drive for hesitation or delayed engagement when pulling away, since the CVT can lose drive. Pick the Forte if you want fewer unscheduled shop visits and a slightly lower chance of a major repair. Look at the 2020, one of its strongest years, and skip 2018 and 2019, its weakest. The 2024 is also listed as strongest, but it is recent and has had less time to collect complaints. Ask for full oil-change records, because owners reported denied warranty claims without receipts. Check the theft protection status too, since owners describe cars with no immobilizer being stolen.

Kia Forte vs Nissan Versa: Common Questions

Is the KIA Forte more reliable than the Nissan Versa?: No, the Versa has a slight edge. Both rate good, but Versa owners filed 1.5 complaints per 10,000 cars sold against 3.2 for the Forte. The Forte does better on unscheduled shop visits, 0.2 a year against 0.4, so the gap is small.
Which has more recalls, the Forte or the Versa?: They are tied at 11 recalls each. The Forte's recalls are spread across 7 model years, while the Versa's fall within 5 model years. Federal recall records show the same total for both, so recalls do not separate them.
Which costs less to repair?: The Forte costs slightly less. Its estimated annual repair cost is $451 against $456 for the Versa, about $25 over five years. The Forte also has a 9% chance that a repair is major, against 10% for the Versa.
What is the biggest problem with the Forte?: Sudden engine failure. Owners describe stalling, knocking, and grinding, often with no warning light, with failures clustering between 67,000 and 90,000 miles. Mechanics often said the engine needed replacing. Some owners reported warranty denials when they were second owners or lacked oil-change receipts.
What goes wrong with the Nissan Versa transmission?: The CVT can suddenly lose forward drive. The engine revs but the car does not move, often with no warning light. Other owners describe delayed engagement from stops followed by a sudden kick into gear. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, so many cars go unrepaired.

More Kia Forte comparisons

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More Nissan Versa comparisons

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How we score the Kia Forte and Nissan Versa

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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