2018 Kia Forte: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

9 builds left the factory as a 2018 Forte, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 7 main configurations sell for $4,500–$16,896 today.

  • 7 main configurations
  • 35,295 vehicles built
  • 306 for sale right now
  • $4,500–$16,896 typical price range

Which Forte is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Forte

What actually differs

LX Base · FWD LX POP,S,EX · FWD 3KPFL4A7-J LX · FWD LX POP,S,EX · FWD 3KPFL4A8-J
Power 147 hp 147 hp 164 hp 164 hp
Body Sedan Sedan Hatchback Sedan
Doors 4-door 4-door 5-door 4-door
Typical price today $9,495 $9,109 $8,900 —
For sale right now 167 118 11 5
Vehicles built 18,407 15,317 603 575
Same on every 2018 Forte
  • Engine 2L 4-cyl
  • Drivetrain Front-wheel drive
  • Transmission Automatic
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Seats 5

What people actually pay

346 price observations · updated Sep 6, 2026
LX Base · FWD
$9,495
LX POP,S,EX · FWD
$9,109
$4,365 $7,625 $10,884 $14,144 $17,403
Price trend

Median down $406 over the last 12 months.

2018 Forte price history →
Will it hold value?

A Forte typically keeps about 64% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $5,954 today.

Forte depreciation by year →
Cost to run

29/37 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,450/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2018 Forte

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★★ 5 / 5

3 recalls on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

What KNAFK5A8-J means

KNA FK5A8 · J
KNA
the World Manufacturer Identifier Kia registered — assembled in South Korea
FK5A8
together encode the Forte line — Hatchback, 2L 4cyl, Front-wheel drive — as Kia filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
J
in position 10 — model year 2018
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
2 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Forte?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2018 Kia Forte prices →