Is the Subaru Impreza more reliable than the KIA Forte?

Yes, but only by a slight margin. Both rate as good. The Impreza gets the edge because its common problems are windshield cracks and a delayed headlight recall, while Forte owners report engine failure, transmission trouble, and airbags that did not deploy in crashes. The Forte still wins on repair cost.

Which has more recalls, the Impreza or the Forte?

The Impreza has more. Federal recall records show 18 recalls across its 9 model years, against 11 across 7 model years for the Forte. Owners also report that an Impreza headlight recall could not be completed because parts were unavailable, so check for open recalls before buying.

Which costs less to repair, the Impreza or the Forte?

The Forte costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $451 a year for the Forte and $653 for the Impreza. The Forte also has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 9% against 17%.

At what mileage do Forte engines fail?

Owner complaints cluster between 67,000 and 90,000 miles, with some past 100,000. Reports describe stalling, knocking, and power loss, often with oil running low and no warning light until after the damage. Replacing crankshaft or camshaft sensors did not fix it. Some second owners were denied warranty coverage.

Why do Impreza windshields crack so often?

Owner complaints do not give a cause. Cracks appear with no impact point, often overnight or in cold weather with the defroster on, then spread across the glass within days. Some owners replaced the windshield two or three times, paying about $1000 each time because warranty and insurance did not cover it.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza: Reliability Compared

Kia Forte

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Impreza

Good

The Subaru Impreza edges out the KIA Forte on reliability, but only slightly. Serious Forte engine and airbag complaints decide it. The Forte is cheaper to repair each year, while the Impreza's trouble centers on cracked windshields and a headlight recall waiting on parts.

How Do the Kia Forte and Subaru Impreza Generations Compare?

Shoppers looking at 2018 to 2024 cars will run into a generation change on both sides. The Impreza's fifth generation ran from the 2017 to 2023 model years and was facelifted for 2020. The sixth generation began with 2024, so 2024 through 2026 cars are newer and have had less time to collect complaints. The Forte's second generation ended with 2018, which had a 2017 facelift. Its third generation covered 2019 to 2024 and got a facelift for the 2022 model year. That makes 2019 through 2021 pre-facelift cars and 2022 through 2024 facelifted ones.

Verdict

The Subaru Impreza is more reliable than the Kia Forte, scoring 74/100 vs 72/100.

A slight edge goes to the Impreza. Its biggest complaints are cracked windshields and a headlight recall stuck waiting on parts. Those cost money and patience, but they are mostly not mechanical failures. The Forte is cheaper to run year to year, yet its owner complaints include sudden engine failure and airbags that did not deploy in crashes. Those are more serious problems. The gap stays small because the Forte's lower repair bills and fewer shop visits are real advantages.

Key Differences

1Kia Forte costs $202 less per year to repair
2Kia Forte has 8% lower major repair risk
3Kia Forte has 7 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

5Kia Forte

—

1Subaru Impreza

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza: Which Is More Reliable?

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Kia Forte	Subaru Impreza
Reliability Score	72/100	74/100
Years Tracked	7	9
Total Recalls	11	18
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.2	4.1
Annual Repair Cost	$451/yr	$653/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	9%	17%
Year Wins	4	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Kia Forte and Subaru Impreza?

Windshields that crack with no impact lead the Impreza's complaints, followed by a headlight recall that owners cannot finish because parts are missing. Batteries that die repeatedly and a Starlink screen that reboots round out the list. The Forte's complaints are harder: transmissions that skip gears or stick in sixth, engines that stall or knock and quit, and steering that turns heavy after the engine cuts out. Crash links differ sharply. Most Forte airbag complaints are crash-linked, with frontal impacts where the bags stayed shut. The Impreza has only a few crash-linked reports, in lighting and electrical.

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza common problem areas comparison
Component	Kia Forte	Subaru Impreza
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	1.1Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	1.2Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.6Very Low	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.6Very Low	0.1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.4Very Low	0.3Very Low
ENGINE	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
EQUIPMENT	—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 Subaru Impreza?

Repair costs favor the Forte clearly. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $451 a year against $653 for the Impreza, a gap of $202 that adds up to roughly $1,010 over five years. It also averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year to the Impreza's 0.3. Major repairs are rarer too: 9% of Forte repairs are major, against 17% for the Impreza.

How Does Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza Reliability Compare by Year?

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Kia Forte	Subaru Impreza	Edge
2024	78/1000R / 20C	74/1002R / 23C	Kia Forte
2023	68/1003R / 53C	74/1002R / 4C	Subaru Impreza
2022	75/1001R / 22C	76/1001R / 11C	Subaru Impreza
2021	72/1002R / 64C	71/1002R / 14C	Kia Forte
2020	76/1000R / 63C	74/1001R / 83C	Kia Forte
2019	67/1002R / 140C	66/1005R / 185C	Kia Forte
2018	66/1003R / 133C	69/1005R / 148C	Subaru Impreza

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Kia Forte scored 78/100 and the 2022 Subaru Impreza scored 76/100 — 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 Subaru Impreza?

Choose the Impreza if you want to avoid the chance of a sudden powertrain failure or airbag complaint, and you can live with windshield risk. Some owners paid about $1000 per replacement because neither warranty nor insurance covered it. Skip 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Look at 2020 and later. The newest years show the fewest complaints, but they have had the least time on the road to collect them, so do not read that as proof they are best. Confirm any open headlight recall before you buy. Choose the Forte if your priority is a lower repair bill and fewer trips to the shop. Target 2020, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2018 and 2019. Check for oil-change receipts, since owners reported engine failures between 67,000 and 90,000 miles and warranty denials when records were missing. Make sure the airbag warning light stays off during a test drive, and ask whether the theft-related software update was done.

Kia Forte vs Subaru Impreza: Common Questions

Is the Subaru Impreza more reliable than the KIA Forte?: Yes, but only by a slight margin. Both rate as good. The Impreza gets the edge because its common problems are windshield cracks and a delayed headlight recall, while Forte owners report engine failure, transmission trouble, and airbags that did not deploy in crashes. The Forte still wins on repair cost.
Which has more recalls, the Impreza or the Forte?: The Impreza has more. Federal recall records show 18 recalls across its 9 model years, against 11 across 7 model years for the Forte. Owners also report that an Impreza headlight recall could not be completed because parts were unavailable, so check for open recalls before buying.
Which costs less to repair, the Impreza or the Forte?: The Forte costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $451 a year for the Forte and $653 for the Impreza. The Forte also has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major, at 9% against 17%.
At what mileage do Forte engines fail?: Owner complaints cluster between 67,000 and 90,000 miles, with some past 100,000. Reports describe stalling, knocking, and power loss, often with oil running low and no warning light until after the damage. Replacing crankshaft or camshaft sensors did not fix it. Some second owners were denied warranty coverage.
Why do Impreza windshields crack so often?: Owner complaints do not give a cause. Cracks appear with no impact point, often overnight or in cold weather with the defroster on, then spread across the glass within days. Some owners replaced the windshield two or three times, paying about $1000 each time because warranty and insurance did not cover it.

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More Subaru Impreza comparisons

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How we score the Kia Forte and Subaru Impreza

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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