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2021 Kia Forte

Gas

Midsize Cars
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

78 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical 2

Complaints11 crash · 7 injured reported 69

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 4★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 35 mpg

2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2021 Kia Forte is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Forte FE, is EPA-rated at 35 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 69 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Kia Forte — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Kia Forte · Photo: RL GNZLZ from Chile · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Forte FE	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	31	41	35	$1,900
Forte	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	29	40	33	$2,050
Forte	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	27	37	31	$2,150
Forte	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	27	35	30	$2,250
Forte	Gas	FWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	25	32	28	$2,400

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42783, 42784, 42785, 42781, 42782.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Forte, Forte FE	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Forte	5–7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

147 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain

FWD/Front-Wheel Drive

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, FE, LXS, GT, GT Line). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	182.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	70.9 in
Height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	106.3 in
Track, front	60.6 in
Track, rear	60.6 in
Curb weight	2,769–3,012 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	61/39

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan, GT 4-door Sedan. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Steering

SC235

30 vehicles 70% reported repaired

Problem 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. Risk Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 22V304000 reported May 5, 2022 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Air Bags

SC207

142 vehicles 97% reported repaired

Problem 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." Risk 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 21V164000 reported Mar 11, 2021 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Forte

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Kia’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Kia Forte, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

69complaints filed

11 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 7 injuries · 0 deaths reported

5.6 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 123,229 Forte built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 10 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 13 · 2025: 11 · 2026: 9

Most-cited components

Engine 22

Unspecified 18

Steering 9

Electrical System 9

Air Bags 7

Power Train 7

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Service engine light turns off then comes back on. Get message engine failure. Scanner at dealership scanned 15 codes relating to misfires on all cylinders. Positive battery terminal caked up real bad causing arcing and melting plastic. Last I heard from dealership was possibly a engine replacement

Engine Oct 7, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11548829

I am so sadden and broke. My Kia 2021 Forte was stollen. The car has just about 8k miles. The thieves had busted rear passenger side glass, torn down steering column, opened electric wiring Skelton and taken away the car. Police said they found my damaged car. I was also told that my damaged car was towed and was kept at auto body shop.

Steering Jun 3, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11525170

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.

Power Train Oct 24, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11490568

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

Equipment Aug 4, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11477635

I was struck by lightning and totaled my car. My airbags didn’t deploy. I’ve reported this to Kia. They are yet to respond

Air Bags Mar 20, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11457498

I got my car April 18 2021. It is a 2021 car and i got it off the lot with only 30 miles. I had the car for only 2 months and my breaks were already making a squeaky noise. I took it in to get them replaced I asked why i needed new ones sooo quick and i was told that maybe the manufacturer breaks weren’t good.

Service Brakes Dec 28, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11445263

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.

Reported by Kia itself: 10 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 3 killed, 13 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 8.1 per 100,000 built. Every Forte model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★☆	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: lane departure warning.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 72

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-08-05

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 70 service bulletins, 2 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Structure, Power Train, Visibility/Wiper.

TSB_ENG263 Service bulletin
2026-08-05 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: MISFIRE CONCERN DUE TO OVERRUNNING ALTERNATOR DECOUPLER - This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020–2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2024, and 2020–2022MY Soul (SK3) vehicles produced from November 1, 2018 through May 31, 2022 equipped with a Gamma 1.6L T‑GDI engine. In certain cases, misfi
CS2312_TSB_R2 Service bulletin
2026-06-08 · Structure — Body
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia
TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin
2026-05-28 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE. KIA. COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
PS797 Other
2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
TSB_TRA046_R5 Service bulletin
2025-04-17 · Power Train
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is
TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletin
2025-04-03 · Engine
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
TSB_ELE378 Service bulletin
2025-03-20 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, con
TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletin
2025-02-28 · Engine
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.1%

failed emissions

2,532 initial inspections of 2,482 vehicles.

Measure	The 2021 Forte	Every 2021 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.1%	1.9%	2,527
Failed the safety inspection	3.6%	1.5%	2,532
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.16%	0.19%	2,532
Miles driven a year	10,364	10,343	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	54,818	54,681	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Forte by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2024 A 0 26 34 mpg 2023 D 3 66 Do not drive 2022 B 1 28 35 mpg 2021 this page C 2 69 35 mpg 2020 A 0 78 35 mpg 2019 B 2 149 35 mpg 2018 C 3 136 32 mpg 2017 C 3 305 32 mpg 2016 A 1 138 30 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Forte

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Kia Forte have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Forte, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 22V304000, covering Steering. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Kia Forte?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Kia Forte 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (78/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Kia Forte?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Kia Forte, the best EPA combined figure is 35 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Kia Forte?

Transport Canada measured it at 182.7 in long, 70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 56.7 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,769–3,012 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Kia Forte?

Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Forte, most often about engine, unspecified, steering. Of those, 11 involved a crash, 7 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Kia Forte?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Kia Forte runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Kia Forte?

The manufacturer has filed 72 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Forte, most often covering electrical system, engine, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-08-05. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Kia Forte do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Kia Forte failed the emissions check on 1.1% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 3.6% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	69	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	72	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	10 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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