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Owner report · 2016 model year

2016 Kia Forte

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The Verdict

Worst problem area

Engine

Engine leads by volume: 69 of 139 complaints (50%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (9) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed fell from 262 in 2015 to 139 in 2016.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

At a glance

NHTSA complaints
139
Recall campaigns
1
EPA fuel cost per year
$2,100–$2,600
Combined MPG
24–30

Complaints by model year

  1. 4452014
  2. 2622015
  3. 1392016
  4. 3052017
  5. 1362018

Where owners report problems

  1. Engine69 (50%)
  2. Electrical23 (17%)
  3. Driver Assistance & Speed Control16 (12%)
  4. Other16 (12%)
  5. Transmission & Drivetrain16 (12%)
  6. Airbags & Restraints14 (10%)
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2016: 6 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category20142015201620172018vs. 2016 Compact Cars
Annual fuel cost ($)2,150–2,6002,100–2,6002,100–2,6001,950–2,5001,950–2,500
Combined MPG24–2924–3024–3025–3225–32
City / Highway MPG21–26 / 28–3621–26 / 28–3721–26 / 28–3723–29 / 29–3823–29 / 29–37
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)305–370294–370294–370301–353279–353
Complaints filed445262139305136Not compared
Recalls issued31133Not compared
Crash-involved complaints3216162313Not compared
Fire-involved complaints36206103Not compared
Injuries reported291113219Not compared
Deaths reported01040Not compared
Configurations compared54433

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Kia Forte have?

1 NHTSA recall campaign as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2016 Kia Forte?

Engine: 69 of 139 NHTSA complaints (50%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2016 Kia Forte get?

EPA rates it 24–30 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2016 Kia Forte?

EPA estimates $2,100–$2,600 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (10)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic (S6)41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars22 mpg29 mpg25 mpg$2,500353 g/mi
Configuration 2Manual 6-spd41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars22 mpg29 mpg24 mpg (low)$2,600 (high)360 g/mi
Configuration 3Automatic (S6)42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars25 mpg34 mpg28 mpg$2,200314 g/mi
Configuration 4Manual 6-spd42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularCompact Cars24 mpg33 mpg27 mpg$2,300323 g/mi
Configuration 5Automatic (S6)41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars21 mpg (low)29 mpg24 mpg (low)$2,600 (high)370 g/mi (high)
Configuration 6Manual 6-spd41.6LFront-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars21 mpg (low)28 mpg (low)24 mpg (low)$2,600 (high)368 g/mi
Configuration 7Automatic (S6)42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularLarge Cars25 mpg33 mpg28 mpg$2,200319 g/mi
Configuration 8Manual 6-spd41.8LFront-Wheel DriveRegularMidsize Cars25 mpg36 mpg29 mpg$2,150303 g/mi
Configuration 9Automatic (S6)42.0LFront-Wheel DriveRegularMidsize Cars24 mpg35 mpg28 mpg$2,200315 g/mi
Configuration 10Automatic (S6)41.8LFront-Wheel DriveRegularMidsize Cars26 mpg (high)37 mpg (high)30 mpg (high)$2,100 (low)294 g/mi (low)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine692430
Transmission & Drivetrain162200
Fuel System70100
Electrical230200
Brakes131000
Steering50000
Suspension, Wheels & Tires91000
Airbags & Restraints1411190
Driver Assistance & Speed Control161000
Body, Seats & Latches61200
Visibility & Lighting130000
Other161110

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (1)

  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

    Campaign 21V622000 · Aug 9, 2021

    Defect
    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
    Consequence
    A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
    Remedy
    Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.