2016 Kia Forte
Gas Compact car
The 2016 Kia Forte is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Forte, is EPA-rated at 30 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 137 complaints, most often about engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 26 | 37 | 30 | $2,100 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 25 | 36 | 29 | $2,150 |
| Forte | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 24 | 35 | 28 | $2,250 |
| Forte 5 | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,250 |
| Forte Koup | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 25 | 34 | 28 | $2,250 |
| Forte Koup | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 24 | 33 | 27 | $2,300 |
| Forte Koup | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,500 |
| Forte 5 | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Forte 5 | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Forte Koup | Gas | FWD | 1.6L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 29 | 24 | $2,600 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2016 Kia Forte is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Latches/Locks/Linkages
moderateProblem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
Owner complaints
137 complaints filed
16 involved a crash, 6 a fire, 13 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2016: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 14 · 2019: 20 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2023: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2026: 12
Most-cited components
- Engine — 68
- Electrical System — 21
- Power Train — 16
- Unknown Or Other — 15
- Vehicle Speed Control — 14
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 10% |
| 5 HB FWD | not rated | not rated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other Forte model years
2024 Forte
0 recalls · 24 complaints
D2023 Forte
3 recalls · 61 complaints
A2022 Forte
1 recalls · 26 complaints
B2021 Forte
2 recalls · 67 complaints
A2020 Forte
0 recalls · 74 complaints
B2019 Forte
2 recalls · 147 complaints
C2018 Forte
3 recalls · 136 complaints
C2017 Forte
3 recalls · 301 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 36319, 36284, 36285, 36231, 36217, 36218, 36215, 36229, 36230, 36216). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.