2021 Kia Forte Review

Name: 2021 Kia Forte
Brand: Kia

Price Range: $7,490 - $21,444

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

The 2021 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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Certified Pre-Owned Forte

10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty

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Price & Payment

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Average price: $16,731

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Appraise My 2021 Kia Forte

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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

Written by automotive expert Reese Counts

10/20/2020

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.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

100 listings

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2021 Kia Forte
GT-Line Sedan
$15,277
good price
$1,930 below market
- 42,485 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, personal use
- 29 City / 40 Hwy MPG
- Lindsay Volkswagen of Manassas (18 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Blind Spot Monitorin...
Close
Located in Manassas, VA
REMAINING FACTORY WARRANTY!!, GT-LINE PREMIUM PACKAGE!!, Forte GT-Line, 4D Sedan, 2.0L 4-Cylinder MPI, CVT, FWD, Clear White, Black w/Cloth & Leathere...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
33 Combined MPG (29 City/40 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3KPF34AD4ME406208
Stock: MVP11315A
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 01-02-2026
Price Drop
2021 Kia Forte
GT Sedan
$13,981
good price
$1,019 below market
- 87,097 miles
- 1 accident, 1 owner, personal use only
- 27 City / 35 Hwy MPG
- MemberCar (19 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Rockville, MD
MemberCar Proudly Presents This Clean CarFax, 1-Owner 2021 Kia Forte GT, a sporty compact sedan that blends everyday practicality with exciting perfor...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
30 Combined MPG (27 City/35 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 3KPF44AC8ME280469
Stock: 102362
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 10-24-2025

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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

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Good

7.9

out of 10

We drove the 2021 Kia Forte on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7/10

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

8/10

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

8/10

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

8/10

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

9/10

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

9/10

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

7/10

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.

10-year/100,000-mile
Powertrain Limited Warranty

Choose the trim, color, options, packages and more for your Kia

View inventory https://www.kia.com/us/en/cpo

2021 Kia Forte trim level differences

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

Which Forte trim 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.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$131/mo

$181/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

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Reliability

The 2021 Kia Forte has a 5 years / 60,000 miles basic warranty and 2 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4 out of 5, ranks it #13 out of 46 among Compact Cars. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent

#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

$394/yr

vs. $416/yr
for Average Compact Car

Frequency

0.96x/yr

vs. 1.01x/yr
for Average Compact Car

Severity

10.3%

vs. 10.4%
for Average Compact Car

Recalls

2 recalls found

Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.

If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).

Recall Number:: 22V304000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: SC235
Number of vehicles affected:: 30
Defect Description:: 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.
Defect Consequence:: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:: 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.

Recall Number:: 21V164000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: SC207
Number of vehicles affected:: 142
Defect Description:: 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."
Defect Consequence:: 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.
Corrective Action:: 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.

Warranty

5 years / 60,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 10 years / 100,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / 100,000 miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles

Kia Forte Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

38 reviews

5(68%)

4(19%)

3(3%)

2(5%)

1(5%)

See all 38 reviews of the Kia Forte

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2021 Forte Features & Specs

Trim:

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$17,890
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$131/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.3 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

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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

Price & Payment

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

For sale near Ashburn, VA

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

2021 Kia Forte trim level differences

Which Forte trim does Edmunds recommend?

Cost to Drive

Reliability

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

Recalls

Warranty

Kia Forte Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2021 Forte Features & Specs

Safety

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