{"id":"2021_kia_forte","make":"Kia","make_slug":"kia","model":"Forte","model_slug":"forte","year":2021,"url":"/kia/forte/2021/","pts":["gas"],"configs":[{"id":42783,"model":"Forte FE","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (variable gear ratios)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":31,"hwy":41,"comb":35,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":256,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":1800,"save_spend":2250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42784,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (variable gear ratios)","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":29,"hwy":40,"comb":33,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":270,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":1900,"save_spend":1750,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42785,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Manual 6-spd","cyl":4,"displ":2.0,"eng":"","turbo":false,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":27,"hwy":37,"comb":31,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":290,"fe_score":7,"ghg_score":7,"fuel_cost":2000,"save_spend":1250,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42781,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Automatic (AM-S7)","cyl":4,"displ":1.6,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":27,"hwy":35,"comb":30,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":296,"fe_score":6,"ghg_score":6,"fuel_cost":2100,"save_spend":750,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"},{"id":42782,"model":"Forte","pt":"gas","drive":"Front-Wheel Drive","trany":"Manual 6-spd","cyl":4,"displ":1.6,"eng":"SIDI","turbo":true,"super":false,"start_stop":false,"city":25,"hwy":32,"comb":28,"cityA":0,"hwyA":0,"combA":0,"kwh100":null,"range":null,"range_city":null,"range_hwy":null,"erange":null,"phev_comb":null,"charge240":null,"charge240b":null,"charger":"","charger_b":"","motor":"","fuel":"Regular","vclass":"Midsize Cars","co2":326,"fe_score":6,"ghg_score":6,"fuel_cost":2250,"save_spend":0,"guzzler":false,"mfr_code":"KMX","modified":"Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2020"}],"vclass":"Midsize Cars","segment":"Midsize car","recalls":[{"campaign":"22V304000","component":"STEERING:COLUMN","mfr":"Kia Motors America","reported":"2022-05-05","owner_notified":"2022-05-27","units":30,"summary":"Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles.  A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.","consequence":"Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.","remedy":"Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge.  Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall SC235.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC235","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"},{"campaign":"21V164000","component":"AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE","mfr":"Kia Motors America","reported":"2021-03-11","owner_notified":"2021-03-18","units":142,"summary":"Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, \"Occupant Crash Protection.\"","consequence":"In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.","remedy":"Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge.  The recall began March 18, 2021.  Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.  Kia's number for this recall is SC207.","notes":"Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.","park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"mfr_campaign":"SC207","initiated_by":"MFR","variants":[],"severity":"high"}],"recall_count":2,"critical_count":0,"park_outside":false,"do_not_drive":false,"score":84,"grade":"B","complaints":{"count":67,"crash":10,"fire":0,"injured":6,"deaths":0,"comps":[["Engine",22],["Unspecified",17],["Steering",9],["Electrical System",9],["Power Train",7],["Air Bags",6]],"by_year":{"2021":10,"2022":21,"2023":5,"2024":13,"2025":11,"2026":7},"excerpts":[["2022-10-24","Power Train","It seems the car may have a defect in the transmission(Dual Clutch). The car makes at times an abrupt stop, for like a second or two, after I press on the gas. When I'm driving, especially at low speeds I can hear the transmission's parts make a grinding sounds, loud clicks. When I'm breaking, it's not smooth at all; I\u2026"],["2022-08-04","Equipment","My car was stolen from in front of my home, they were able to steal my brand new car because they popped off the bottom steering wheel cover and used an iphone charger to start the ignition and drive away."],["2022-08-03","Steering","My main issue is concerning a critical design flaw that has been found due to a social media challenge called the Kia Challenge where people are able to start up and steal a Kia after only using a USB cord adapter (found near the key start on the steering wheel) without needing a key. This has caused a concerning incre\u2026"]]},"investigations":[],"ncap":[{"desc":"4 DR FWD","overall":4,"frontal":4,"side":5,"rollover":4,"rollover_risk":0.107,"seats":5,"fcw":"Optional","ldw":"Standard","aeb":"Optional","esc":"","backup_cam":"","variant":null}],"popularity":999,"headline":{"range":null,"mpg":35,"ncap":4,"complaints":67},"presskit_trims":[],"generated_at":"2026-09-11 05:01 UTC","sources":["EPA fueleconomy.gov","NHTSA recalls","NHTSA complaints","NHTSA NCAP","NHTSA investigations"]}