2021 Kia Forte: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

19 builds left the factory as a 2021 Forte, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 4 main configurations sell for $7,900–$21,999 today.

  • 4 main configurations
  • 74,227 vehicles built
  • 836 for sale right now
  • $7,900–$21,999 typical price range

Which Forte is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Forte

What actually differs

FE, LXS · FWD GT Line · FWD GT · FWD EX · FWD
Engine 2L 4-cyl 2L 4-cyl 1.6L 4-cyl 2L 4-cyl
Power 147 hp 147 hp 201 hp 147 hp
Typical price today $13,999 $16,315 $16,594 $16,607
For sale right now 482 213 114 27
Vehicles built 47,427 16,729 7,247 2,797
Same on every 2021 Forte
  • Drivetrain Front-wheel drive
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sedan
  • Seats 5
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

1,178 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
FE, LXS · FWD
$13,999
GT Line · FWD
$16,315
GT · FWD
$16,594
EX · FWD
$16,607
$7,663 $11,412 $15,161 $18,910 $22,659
Price trend

Median up $1,907 over the last 12 months.

2021 Forte price history →
Will it hold value?

A Forte typically keeps about 53% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $7,992 today.

Forte depreciation by year →
Cost to run

27/35 mpg city/highway. Roughly $1,550/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2021 Forte

Safety, in plain English

NHTSA overall crash rating

★★★★ 4 / 5

2 recalls on file for this model year — check any specific VIN before you buy.

Driver assistance — every 2021 Forte
  • Warns when you drift from your lane
  • Steers you back into the lane
Decoded from NHTSA build records.

What 3KPF44AC-M means

3KP F44AC · M
3KP
the World Manufacturer Identifier Kia registered — assembled in Mexico
F44AC
together encode the Forte line — Sedan, 1.6L 4cyl, Front-wheel drive — as Kia filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
M
in position 10 — model year 2021
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
Real VINs from this run 3KPF44AC 9ME416222 3KPF44AC 7ME395323 3KPF44AC 1ME415386
15 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Forte?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2021 Kia Forte prices →