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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2017 Kia Forte is associated with 301 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 88 reports (29% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 9 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 1.6l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 32 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 301 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (88 / 29%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 23 crash / 9 fire / 14 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 25–32 MPG across 9 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2017 Kia Forte?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Forte 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 29 MPG 38 MPG 32 MPG — $1,900 / yr
Forte 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 25 MPG 33 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Forte 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 25 MPG 34 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Forte Koup 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 25 MPG 33 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Forte 5 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 25 MPG 34 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Forte Koup 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 25 MPG 32 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Forte 5 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM7) 25 MPG 30 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Forte Koup 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 23 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Forte 5 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Manual 6-spd 23 MPG 29 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2017 Kia Forte?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 10.299999999999999%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2017 Kia Forte models.
View complete 2017 Kia Forte crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2017 Kia Forte?

Summary of 301 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
301
Crash Reports
23
Fire Reports
9
Complaints w/ Injury
14
Total Injuries
21

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 88 complaints (2 crashes)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 25 complaints (1 crash)
Engine & Cooling 12 complaints
Air Bags 11 complaints (7 crashes)
Electrical System 10 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2017 Kia Forte problems & component breakdown (68 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2017 Kia Forte?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V031000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
NHTSA Campaign #21V622000 Active Recall
Affected Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer 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.
NHTSA Campaign #21V260000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

Defect Summary: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.
View all 2017 Kia Forte recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2017 Kia Forte

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2017 Kia Forte

How many safety recalls does the 2017 Kia Forte have?

The 2017 Kia Forte is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2017 Kia Forte?

NHTSA records list 301 consumer defect complaints for the 2017 Kia Forte. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 88 filings (29% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2017 Kia Forte defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2017 Kia Forte?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2017 Kia Forte earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2017 Kia Forte get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2017 Kia Forte range from 25 to 32 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.