Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
28–35 mpgcombined; city 25–31, highway 32–41; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$9,280–$11,600U.S. average; Ohio $8,290–$10,370 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Forte. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Forte. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
22
0
0
0
Unknown or other
18
4
0
3
Steering
9
2
0
0
Electrical system
8
1
0
0
Air bags
7
6
0
5
Power train
7
0
0
0
Seat belts
4
1
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Structure
3
1
0
1
Tires
3
0
0
0
Equipment
2
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
6 more parts
Lane departure
2
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
1
0
1
Seats
1
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Forte over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 72 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Forte, the latest on Aug 5, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (33), engine and engine cooling (9), structure (8), power train (7), equipment (5).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Forte.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Forte Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 40 / 33
Forte Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
27 / 37 / 31
Forte Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 35 / 30
Forte Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
25 / 32 / 28
Forte FE Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
31 / 41 / 35
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data