- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 29
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2015 Kia Forte
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 258
- Complaints citing a crash
- 16
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
1 Recall on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.
- 20V750000high
Engine issue
ENGINE
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Consequence
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2015 Kia Forte.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.3%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2015 Kia Forte 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 21 comparable 2015 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.3% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2015 Kia Forte, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
25
City
36
Hwy
29
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,100
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 310 g/mi
How this compares
At 29 MPG combined, the 2015 Kia Forte ranks 5th of 23 midsize cars EPA rated for 2015 — 5 MPG better than the 24 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,100, $450 less than the $2,550 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,500, a $2,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 310 grams per mile — about 4.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
258 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 258
- Total
- 16
- Crashes
- 20
- Fires
- 11
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE163
- AIR BAGS23
- OTHER19
- ELECTRICAL14
- BRAKES14
Serious Concerns
258 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 11 reports involve injuries. 16 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2015 Kia Forte, newest first.
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation EA21003
Engine Fires
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA21003
Engine Fires
- Recall
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Midsize Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
25
City
36
Hwy
29
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,100
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation EA21003
Engine Fires
- Investigation closed
NHTSA closed investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation DP22003
Loss of Motive Power
- Investigation opened
NHTSA opened investigation EA21003
Engine Fires
- Recall
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.