What are the most common problems with the 2021 Kia Forte?

Engine is the largest complaint group with 22 complaints, followed by unknown or other with 18. See the problems section for what owners describe.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Kia Forte?

Yes, the by-year fact shows recalls exist for this model year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

What is the gas mileage of the 2021 Kia Forte?

See the fuel economy section of this page, which is built from EPA data.

Is the 2021 Kia Forte reliable?

NHTSA has 69 owner complaints for this year. These are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so use them with the recall and safety sections.

2021 Kia Forte Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 69 owner complaints on file for the 2021 Kia Forte^[1]. The biggest group names the engine, with 22 complaints^[2].

69owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[3]

28–35MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the reports owners filed, biggest first.

Engine. 22 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe the car shutting down while driving, noisy engine parts, a warning light that keeps returning, and an engine that ran low on oil without a warning.
Unknown or other. 18 complaints^[6]. These reports do not fit one component group, so they cover a mix of issues.
Steering. 9 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the car pulling to one side, a rubbing sound from the steering column, and a wheel that locked up while stopping.
Electrical system. 8 complaints^[8]. Owners describe power cutting out while driving and a start system that thieves were able to get around.
Air bags. 7 complaints^[9]. Owners describe air bags that did not deploy after a crash, and a passenger air bag warning that came on with an empty seat.
Power train. 7 complaints^[10]. These reports sit in their own group, and we did not read enough of them to describe a pattern.
Seat belts. 4 complaints^[11].
Tires. 3 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2021 Forte is necessarily included.

Steering › Column (22V304), May 2022. About 30 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, loss of steering, steering problems. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger (21V164), March 2021. About 142 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Forte, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S7), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[15]	27 / 35 / 30	$2,250
Forte, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	25 / 32 / 28	$2,400
Forte FE, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	31 / 41 / 35	$1,900
Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	29 / 40 / 33	$2,050
Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	27 / 37 / 31	$2,150

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	4	4	5	4	10.7%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2021 Kia Forte with 1.6L 4-cylinder^[19]	201 hp
2021 Kia Forte with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[20]	147 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
FORTE 4DR SEDAN^[21]	183 in	71 in	57 in	106 in	2,769 lb
FORTE GT 4DR SEDAN^[22]	183 in	71 in	57 in	106 in	3,012 lb
FORTE5 EX 5DR HATCH^[23]	178 in	71 in	57 in	106 in	2,864 lb
FORTE5 GT 5DR HATCH^[24]	178 in	71 in	57 in	106 in	3,095 lb

How 2021 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Forte model year. The 2021 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2010	232	3
2011	162	3
2012	306	4
2013	211	5
2014	445	3
2015	260	1
2016	138	1
2017	305	3
2018	136	3
2019	149	2
2020	78	0
2021	69	2
2022	28	1
2023	65	3
2024	26	0

NHTSA's counts for the Forte show 69 complaints and 2 recalls for 2021^[3]. Among the 15 model years listed, 3 have fewer complaints than 2021 and 11 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2024 (26) and the most are for 2014 (445)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2021 Forte?

The 2021 Kia Forte has 69 complaints on file with NHTSA^[1]. The engine group is the largest, with 22 complaints^[2]. Air bags have 7 complaints^[9], and owners describe serious situations in them. These are unverified owner reports, and the counts are not adjusted for sales. A shopper should check the recall and safety sections on this page and have a mechanic look at the engine before buying.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Kia Forte?: Engine is the largest complaint group with 22 complaints^[2], followed by unknown or other with 18^[6]. See the problems section for what owners describe.
Are there recalls for the 2021 Kia Forte?: Yes, the by-year fact shows recalls exist for this model year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
What is the gas mileage of the 2021 Kia Forte?: See the fuel economy section of this page, which is built from EPA data.
Is the 2021 Kia Forte reliable?: NHTSA has 69 owner complaints for this year^[1]. These are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so use them with the recall and safety sections.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Kia Forte

2014 445 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 138 complaints, 1 recall
2017 305 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 136 complaints, 3 recalls
2019 149 complaints, 2 recalls
2021 this page
2023 65 complaints, 3 recalls
2024 26 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Kia Forte

Other Kia models from 2021

2021 Kia Telluride 373 complaints, 5 recalls

All Kia models

Similar cars from 2021: midsize cars

2021 Tesla Model 3 671 complaints, 22 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 69 owner complaints on file for the 2021 Kia Forte (11 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 7 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
22 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Kia Forte model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Forte FE, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 31 city / 41 highway / 35 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $1,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.7%. NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the unknown or other component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
9 complaints name the steering component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
8 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the air bags component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the seat belts component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the tires component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 22V304, filed May 5, 2022: Steering › Column. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V164, filed March 11, 2021: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Forte, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (AM-S7), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 35 highway / 30 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,250. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 32 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 29 city / 40 highway / 33 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 27 city / 37 highway / 31 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,150. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2021 Kia Forte with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 201 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2021 Kia Forte with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 147 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FORTE 4DR SEDAN: length 183 in, width 71 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 2,769 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FORTE GT 4DR SEDAN: length 183 in, width 71 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 3,012 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FORTE5 EX 5DR HATCH: length 178 in, width 71 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 2,864 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, FORTE5 GT 5DR HATCH: length 178 in, width 71 in, height 57 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 3,095 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2021 Kia Forte: problems, recalls and fuel economy