2018 Kia Forte MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2018 Kia Forte is rated 25 to 32 mpg combined across 6 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 32 mpg.

EPA fuel economy

2018 Kia Forte · 6 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

32MPG combined

29 city 37 highway

$2,050 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score7/10

2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 32 mpg

Best version saves $1,250 in fuel over 5 years vs the average new vehicle (EPA)

Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).

Data: US EPA, fueleconomy.govUpdated Sep 27, 2026

At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,050 to $2,600 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2017.

Every 2018 Forte version

EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.

Version	Combined	City / Hwy	Fuel / year
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 32 mpg Best EPA listing: Forte	32 mpg	29 / 37	$2,050
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · hatchback EPA listing: Forte 5	28 mpg	25 / 34	$2,300
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 28 mpg EPA listing: Forte	28 mpg	25 / 33	$2,300
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Forte	28 mpg	25 / 34	$2,300
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 7-speed automated manual EPA listing: Forte 5	27 mpg	25 / 30	$2,400
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Forte 5	25 mpg	23 / 29	$2,600

Fuel cost at your prices

EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.

Version	Per year	Per month	5 years
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 32 mpg	$2,025	$169	$10,125
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · rated 28 mpg	$2,314	$193	$11,571
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic · hatchback	$2,314	$193	$11,571
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,314	$193	$11,571
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 7-speed automated manual	$2,400	$200	$12,000
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,592	$216	$12,960

At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.

Kia Forte MPG by model year

The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 30 to 35 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2024); highest in 2019.

2018: gas 32 mpg

Show as a table

Kia Forte best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2016	30
2017	32
2018	32
2019	35
2020	35
2021	35
2022	35
2023	34
2024	34

How the 2018 Forte compares

2018 compact cars covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.

2018 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Prius Best: hybrid	56 mpg	–	$1,150
Honda Civic Best: gas	36 mpg	36 mpg	$1,800
Hyundai Elantra Best: gas	35 mpg	35 mpg	$1,850
Toyota Corolla Best: gas	34 mpg	34 mpg	$1,900
Nissan Sentra Best: gas	32 mpg	32 mpg	$2,050
Kia Forte This page Best: gas	32 mpg	32 mpg	$2,050
Mazda3 Best: gas	32 mpg	32 mpg	$2,050

2018 Forte recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 136 owner complaints for the 2018 Forte.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does the 2018 Kia Forte need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2018 Kia Forte version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2018 Forte's MPG compare with the 2017?

For 2018, the best gas version is rated 32 mpg, the same as the year before.

Sources and method

US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.

Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.