2021 Kia Forte MPG and Fuel Cost

The 2021 Kia Forte is rated 28 to 35 mpg combined across 5 EPA-tested gas versions; the best is the 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · FE.

EPA fuel economy

2021 Kia Forte · 5 EPA-tested versions

Best EPA rating

35MPG combined

31 city 41 highway

$1,850 a year to fuel

Fuel economy score7/10

2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · FE

Best version saves $2,250 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 $1,850 to $2,300 a year. Ratings for the best versions are unchanged from 2020.

Every 2021 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 · CVT · FE Best EPA listing: Forte FE	35 mpg	31 / 41	$1,850
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT EPA listing: Forte	33 mpg	29 / 40	$1,950
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Forte	31 mpg	27 / 37	$2,100
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 7-speed automated manual EPA listing: Forte	30 mpg	27 / 35	$2,150
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual EPA listing: Forte	28 mpg	25 / 32	$2,300

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 · CVT · FE	$1,851	$154	$9,257
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT	$1,964	$164	$9,818
2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,090	$174	$10,452
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 7-speed automated manual	$2,160	$180	$10,800
1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed manual	$2,314	$193	$11,571

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.

2021: gas 35 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 2021 Forte compares

2021 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.

2021 model	Best combined	Best gas	Fuel / year
Toyota Prius Best: hybrid	56 mpg	–	$1,150
Hyundai Elantra Best: hybrid	54 mpg	37 mpg	$1,200
Toyota Corolla Best: hybrid	52 mpg	35 mpg	$1,250
Honda Civic Best: gas	36 mpg	36 mpg	$1,800
Kia Forte This page Best: gas	35 mpg	35 mpg	$1,850
Nissan Sentra Best: gas	33 mpg	33 mpg	$1,950
Mazda3 Best: gas	31 mpg	31 mpg	$2,100

2021 Forte recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 68 owner complaints for the 2021 Forte.What they cover, and crash test ratings

Questions

Does the 2021 Kia Forte need premium gas?

No. EPA lists every 2021 Kia Forte version on regular gasoline.

How does the 2021 Forte's MPG compare with the 2020?

For 2021, the best gas version is rated 35 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.