2021 Kia Forte Review

+224

The Forte is a grown-up small sedan that's a fantastic value for the money, with above-average utility. Other highlights include a comfortable, quiet interior and an extensive list of available features. However, it lags well behind top competitors in driving dynamics, ride quality and rear legroom.

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2021 Kia Forte Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

Pros

Plenty of features for the money
Strong fuel economy estimates
Generous warranty
Easy-to-use tech interface

Cons

Stiff ride
Back seat lacks the room of some rivals
Non-GT trims not much fun to drive on winding roads

What's new

Minor equipment changes throughout lineup
Summer performance tires now standard on manual-equipped GT models
Part of the third Forte generation introduced for 2019

Overview

The small sedan market isn't as popular as it once was. Chevrolet and Ford, for example, discontinued their respective Cruze and Focus sedans to focus on selling more SUVs. But this thinning of the herd, so to speak, has actually made it a little easier to choose. And one of our favorites is the 2021 Kia Forte.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Kia Forte FE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$144/mo

$187/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The Forte goes head to head with rivals such as the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla. Even among this all-star group, the Forte stands out. We like its handsome styling, easy-to-use tech and excellent fuel economy. It's also a good value, offering plenty of features for your money, plus Kia's great warranty.

We do wish the Forte had a bit more rear-seat legroom, and its ride can be a little too stiff at times. Still, there's much to like about the Forte, especially given its price and feature list. Check out our in-depth Expert Review to help you decide if the 2021 Forte is right for you.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

How does the Forte drive? In routine driving, the Forte feels adequately punchy. At Edmunds' test track, our test Forte covered 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds, which is an average time for the class. The CVT automatic generally works well but at times feels unpolished. It delivers power promptly when commanded, but it's too eager to drop revs when you ease off the throttle slightly. It can make for surging power delivery.

We're also not overly impressed with the Forte's handling. The steering weight is fine but offers little feedback, and the on-center feel is vague. While the Forte corners relatively flat, it can get unsettled by midcorner bumps.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the Forte? The Forte is more comfortable than most cars in the class. The seats are nicely contoured for long-distance comfort, and the headrests are soft and unobtrusive. Road noise is ably quelled, and only a mild amount of wind and ambient noise seeps through. The dual-zone automatic climate control works well. We also like that Kia offers ventilated front seats, although the cooling effect isn't especially powerful.

The biggest knock against the Forte here is its stiff suspension. It's OK on rough paving or shallow imperfections, but it struggles to smooth out larger bumps. The rear suspension, in particular, is especially troubled by uneven bumps.

Interior

8.0/10

How’s the interior? Kia has done an excellent job designing the Forte's interior. A mix of textures makes the well-built interior look grown-up and refined. The controls are logical and easy to find, and the infotainment is easy to navigate, with physical buttons for important features. The seating position and steering wheel both offer a wide range of adjustability.

The front seat is roomy with plenty of knee and shoulder room. Taller drivers have sufficient headroom, too. Rear-seat knee room falls short compared to class leaders (and the hard plastic seatbacks don't help), but headroom is an issue only for passengers over 6 feet tall.

Technology

8.0/10

How’s the tech? Overall, the Forte offers a lot of well-integrated features. The touchscreen interface is easy to use, and the upgraded audio system sounds sharp as long as you don't turn it up too loud. Our test car didn't have the optional navigation system, but standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compensate for a lot. The native voice system recognizes basic controls with little confusion, though you have to follow a structured set of commands.

Every Forte comes with forward collision mitigation, and a blind-spot monitor is available on midtier trims and above. It's a little disappointing that adaptive cruise is only available as an option on the highest trim level. It's standard on many competitors. In testing, all systems worked well and avoided false alerts.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? For a small sedan, the Forte offers excellent utility. The trunk has a wide, flat load floor and a generous opening. At 15.3 cubic feet, it's also among the biggest in the class. The cabin offers several small-item storage options to help you organize your things. These include a decently sized center console box, miscellaneous storage trays and accommodating door pockets.

The anchor points for child safety seats are clearly marked, and the anchors sit close to the surface of the cushions, making them easy to access. The somewhat limited rear-seat room means bulky rear-facing seats might interfere with front seat movement.

Fuel Economy

9.0/10

How’s the fuel economy? Fuel economy is excellent, and the EPA estimates the Forte with the base engine will get 33 mpg combined (29 city/40 highway). We fell a bit short in our real-world driving tests but saw better returns in the Forte than in most competitors.

Value

9.0/10

Is the Forte a good value? The Forte makes an undeniably strong value statement. It has a slightly different equipment balance than competitors, but you'll pay less for lots of features. The quality of the interior design also belies the below-average price. Cost-cutting is not all that apparent until you really start looking.

Kia and its corporate cousin, Hyundai, offer the best warranty in the business right now, with six years/60,000 miles of basic coverage and 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain. Roadside assistance, offered for five years/60,000 miles, is also good for the class, though Hyundai edges it out slightly with unlimited mileage over the same period.

Wildcard

7.0/10

The Forte is a small car that you can show off because it doesn't give the impression of being an economy bargain pick. The strength of this car is that it's an affordable vehicle that doesn't make you feel as if you've compromised. But it also doesn't exhibit the same fun-to-drive dynamics that make the Civic and Mazda 3 so rewarding to pilot.

Which Forte does Edmunds recommend?

We suggest going with the midlevel GT-Line model. It combines a good list of standard and optional features with sporty styling, giving it a look that will stand out in the crowd.

2021 Kia Forte models

The 2021 Kia Forte small sedan is available in five trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, EX and GT. Feature highlights include:

FE
This base-level trim comes standard with:

2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (147 horsepower, 132 lb-ft of torque)
15-inch steel wheels
Standard six-speed manual transmission or optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT)
Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
8-inch touchscreen display
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration
Four-speaker audio system

Every Forte also comes with these advanced driver safety features:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Lane keeping assist (steers the Forte back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

LXS
Stepping up to the LXS trim adds even more features, including:

Standard CVT
16-inch alloy wheels
60/40-split folding rear seats
Selectable drive modes
Upgraded interior trim

GT-Line
The GT-Line sits in the middle of the lineup and offers a good mix of features such as:

17-inch alloy wheels
Foglights
LED running lights and taillights
Heated exterior mirrors
Cloth sport seats with faux leather inserts
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Six-speaker audio system
Keyless entry and push-button start
Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)

Options include:

Sunroof
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
Two extra USB charging ports

EX
The EX trim drops the GT-Line's sporty appearance but in return gains its optional features. It also has:

Simulated leather upholstery
Heated and ventilated front seats
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Integrated navigation system
Wireless device charging

GT
This is the sport-oriented Forte. Compared to the GT-Line, it has:

Turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder (201 hp, 195 lb-ft)
Standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or optional six-speed manual
LED headlights
Sport-tuned suspension and performance tires
Sport-tuned exhaust
18-inch wheels
Black faux leather and cloth seats with red stitching
Paddle shifter on automatic-equipped models

Options for the GT include:

Sunroof
Full simulated leather upholstery
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Heated and ventilated front seats
Harman Kardon audio system
Wireless device charging
Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Forte and the car in front)

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#13 out of 46 among Compact Cars

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Kia Forte from 2008-2022.}

$394/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Compact Car

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.96x/yr

vs. 1.01x/yr
for Average Compact Car

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

10.3%

vs. 10.4%
for Average Compact Car

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Kia Forte.

5 (69%)

4 (17%)

3 (3%)

2 (5%)

1 (6%)

4.4

36 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 36 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Incredible value ... I was so surprised

Brian, 01/05/2021

2021 Kia Forte GT 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

After having my vehicle that I drive for work being totaled by some idiot I needed a vehicle. With the pretty hefty price increases of used vehicles I thought it might be better for something new. Did a lot of online searches looking for a solid vehicle. The GT with the Turbo 2 package just sounded like it could work. Test drove it and it was home with me in 3 hours. Technology for …

2021 GT Manual - Impressed

Memo G., 12/17/2020

2021 Kia Forte GT 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)

First of all... #savethemanuals. Now that that’s out of the way, this car has been amazing! The manual GT version comes with standard summer tires which is an incredible value at about $21K USD. Kia really impressed me with the quality, technology and safety it offers. Some vehicles above the $30k mark don’t even come with some of the features the Forte GT offers. Not to mention the best …

Value value value

doug, 12/09/2020

2021 Kia Forte LXS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl CVT)

Impressive styling, roomy interior, incredible trunk space, and a nice large infotainment screen. Got a great low mileage lease price for my father to get around town in his retirement years. Lots of standard amenities for a car at this price point. First time my father had this type of backup camera and he loved it. He said the car had much more pep than he expected. In three years I …

Very well executed

jsd, 12/14/2020

2021 Kia Forte GT 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 7AM)

Much nicer interior than competition as well as stying cues on exterior. German feel and very good quality for the price point. Look and feels more expensive and is a great value compared to Honda SI or Volkswagen IMO

See all 36 reviews of the Kia Forte

Write a vehicle review

2021 Forte Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$17,890
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$144/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Forte models:

Forward Collision Avoidance: Applies the brakes automatically to avoid a collision with an obstacle in front of the vehicle.
Blind-Spot Collision Warning: Alerts the driver to the presence of other vehicles in the car's blind spots.
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning: Monitors for moving traffic behind the vehicle when in reverse.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver4 / 5
Passenger3 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Poor
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Kia Forte Review

2021 Kia Forte Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Kia Forte FE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Forte does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Kia Forte models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

Incredible value ... I was so surprised

2021 GT Manual - Impressed

Value value value

Very well executed

2021 Forte Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Kia Forte FE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 6M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}