Fuel Economy
28–35MPG
Gas & Hybrid options available
NHTSA Complaints
67
10 crash reports • 6 reporting injuries
Safety Recalls
2
2 official NHTSA recalls
NCAP Safety Rating
Not Rated / Pending

EPA Fuel Economy & Powertrain Specifications

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by powertrain configuration

Powertrain Group Engine / Drivetrain City MPG Hwy MPG Combined MPG Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Standard 2L 4-Cyl Regular
Automatic (variable gear ratios) • Front-Wheel Drive
 25–31 32–41 28–35 MPG $1,750–$2,200 / yr

NHTSA NCAP Crash Test & Safety Ratings

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP laboratory crash evaluations are not currently on file for the 2021 Kia Forte.

Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Not Specified and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Not Specified in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Kia Forte models.
View complete 2021 Kia Forte crash test & safety breakdown →

Reported Problems & Owner Complaints Summary (67)

Summary of 67 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
67
Crash Reports
10
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
6
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 14 complaints
Steering 5 complaints (2 crashes)
Powertrain 4 complaints
Air Bags 3 complaints (3 crashes)
Tires 3 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Kia Forte problems & component breakdown (31 categories) →

Official Safety Recalls (2)

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V164000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

Defect 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."

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #22V304000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING:COLUMN

Defect 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.

Free Manufacturer 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.
View all 2021 Kia Forte recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.