2020 Hyundai Elantra vs 2020 Kia Forte
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2020 Hyundai Elantra | 2020 Kia Forte |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 250 | 75 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 97 | 100 |
| Investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 21 | 9 |
| Fire reports | 6 | 2 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | 4/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 29–36 | 28–33 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 11,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Hyundai Elantra | Kia Forte |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 105 | 17 |
| Power Train | 47 | 16 |
| Electrical System | 27 | 11 |
| Exterior Lighting | 28 | 1 |
| Steering | 20 | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 14 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 4 |
| Service Brakes | 13 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 33 | 10 |
| Check engine light | 31 | 16 |
| Oil consumption | 13 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 11 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 10 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 8 | 0 |
| Won’t start | 5 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 5 | 0 |
2020 Hyundai Elantra
2020 Kia Forte
Compare all Hyundai Elantra vs Kia Forte years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.