Kia Forte tire size
Original tire sizes for the Kia Forte, model years 2010 through 2024. Trim levels and wheel packages change the size within the same year, so confirm on the door-jamb sticker before ordering.
Check before you order. The surest answer is the tires on the car right now: the size is molded into the sidewall. The placard inside the driver's door tells you what the factory fitted, which can differ from what a previous owner put on. Our guide on reading a tire size shows exactly where to look.
Size by year and trim
| Model years | Trim or package | Tire size | From, per tire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2024 | EX/GT-Line | 225/45R17 | $82 | Prices |
| 2014-2018 | LX | 205/55R16 | $55 | Prices |
| 2014-2018 | EX | 205/50R17 | $70 | Prices |
| 2010-2013 | LX | 195/65R15 | $50 | Prices |
Tire size by model year
| Model year | Tire size | Trim or package | From, per tire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2023 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2022 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2021 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2020 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2019 Kia Forte | 225/45R17 | EX/GT-Line | $82 | Prices |
| 2018 Kia Forte | 205/55R16, 205/50R17 | LX or EX | $55 | Prices |
| 2017 Kia Forte | 205/55R16, 205/50R17 | LX or EX | $55 | Prices |
| 2016 Kia Forte | 205/55R16, 205/50R17 | LX or EX | $55 | Prices |
| 2015 Kia Forte | 205/55R16, 205/50R17 | LX or EX | $55 | Prices |
| 2014 Kia Forte | 205/55R16, 205/50R17 | LX or EX | $55 | Prices |
| 2013 Kia Forte | 195/65R15 | LX | $50 | Prices |
Show the remaining 3 model years
Which brand should you pick?
Kia does not stamp its own approval code on tires the way Porsche or BMW do. Any tire in the right size that meets or exceeds the load index and speed rating on your door placard is a legitimate replacement, so pick on wet braking, tread life and price. Our picks for each size are on the size pages below.
The drawing carries the sizes we list for this car, so you know what you are looking for. The placard on the car is still the final word, and it is the only place that gives the cold pressures: the number molded into the sidewall is the maximum the tire can hold, not what your car wants.
What those tires cost
About the Kia Forte
The Forte was Kia's compact sedan from 2009 until the K4 replaced it for 2025, sold alongside a two-door Koup and a five-door hatchback in its early years. It is a value car, so the tire question is nearly always how cheaply a decent set can be had, and the answer is helped by the fact that Forte sizes are shared with millions of other compacts. Fitments run 15 to 18 inches depending on trim.
Launched in 2009. Launched in 2009 at the Chicago Auto Show as a 2010 model, the Forte replaced the Spectra in the US and brought Kia's compact into line with the Hyundai Elantra it shared a platform with, adding a sportier Koup two-door a year later.
How to tell the model years apart
Wheel and tire sizes follow the generation, not the badge, so identifying yours matters before you order.
2010-2013
First generation (TD)
Plain three-box sedan with a narrow tabbed grille and simple wraparound headlights; the Koup two-door and the five-door hatch share the face. LX trims run 15-inch wheels with covers on 195/65R15, EX and SX move to 16s and 17s. Interior plastics are hard and dark.
Tire sizes: 195/65R15
2014-2018
Second generation (YD)
Cleaner styling with Kia's tiger-nose grille, a longer hood and a more upright tail; the sedan gained noticeably more rear legroom. LX cars use 16-inch wheels on 205/55R16 and EX trims 17s on 205/50R17. The 2017 facelift brought a new grille and a 2.0-liter direct-injection engine.
2019-2024
Third generation (BD)
A clear styling jump, with a long hood, fastback roofline and slim lights that borrow from the Stinger; the hatchback body was dropped for the US. EX and GT-Line trims wear 17-inch wheels on 225/45R17 and the turbocharged GT gets 18s on 225/40R18. The 2022 facelift added a much more aggressive front bumper and available 10.25-inch screen.
What the press said
Reviewers have always treated the Forte as a value proposition first. Praise goes to the price, the long warranty, the standard equipment list and, from 2019 on, exterior styling that looks more expensive than the car is. The criticism is that the base 2.0-liter engine is slow and noisy, that the CVT on later cars drones, and that even the turbocharged GT does not handle as well as its looks suggest. Interior quality improved steadily across generations but reviewers generally kept the Honda Civic and Mazda3 ahead of it on driving satisfaction.
Good looks and competence trump driving fun, but the Kia Forte's forte is its affordability and exceptional value.
Car and Driver, 2024
| Model year | Units sold in the US |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 66,146 |
| 2014 | 69,336 |
| 2015 | 78,919 |
| 2016 | 103,292 |
| 2017 | 117,596 |
| 2018 | 101,890 |
| 2019 | 95,609 |
| 2020 | 84,997 |
| 2021 | 115,929 |
| 2022 | 108,424 |
| 2023 | 123,953 |
US sales climbed from 26,000 in the Forte's first partial year to more than 120,000 in 2023, the last year before the K4 took over the nameplate's slot.
Was it a success?
A commercial success that grew steadily for 15 years and left the market on a high, which is unusual for a compact sedan in the crossover era. Resale is weaker than a Civic's, which makes used examples good value, and the ten-year powertrain warranty on original-owner cars is a real asset. Reliability has been solid on the naturally aspirated cars; the dual-clutch transmission in the GT and the theft vulnerability of certain non-immobilizer model years are the things to check.
Did you know?
- Kia sold a two-door version called the Forte Koup from 2010 to 2016, with its own sheet metal from the windshield back.
- The 2019 Forte borrowed its fastback roofline and grille treatment from the rear-drive Stinger sports sedan, despite being a front-drive compact.
- The Forte and Hyundai Elantra were built on the same platform for most of their lives, which is why they often share tire sizes trim for trim.
Tire options on the Kia Forte
Forte fitments are 195/65R15 on early LX cars, 205/55R16 and 205/50R17 through the middle generation, and 225/45R17 or 225/40R18 on the 2019-2024 car. Nothing uses run-flats, nothing is staggered, and the load ratings are ordinary standard-load passenger ratings, so there is no towing or payload calculation to worry about. Factory tires were usually inexpensive all-seasons from Nexen, Hankook or Kumho, which is an area where a step up to a mid-tier touring tire noticeably improves wet grip and road noise. The GT is the exception: it arrives on performance-oriented 18-inch rubber that wears faster and costs more, and owners who keep the car through winter almost always buy a cheaper 16- or 17-inch winter set. All the common Forte sizes are high-volume fitments shared with dozens of other compacts, so winter and all-season availability is excellent and prices are low.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, caranddriver.com.
Kia Forte tires: common questions
What size tires does a Kia Forte take?
The most common original size is 225/45R17. Other model years and trims use different sizes, so check the list on this page and confirm against the sticker inside your driver's door.
Can I fit a different size on my Kia Forte?
You can, within limits: the overall diameter should stay within about 3 percent of the original, and the load index and speed rating must meet or exceed the door placard. Anything further changes your speedometer reading and can rub at full lock.
Where is the tire size on a Kia Forte?
Open the driver's door and look at the white and yellow placard on the door jamb or the B-pillar. The same size is also molded into the sidewall of the tires currently on the car, unless someone changed them.
What size tires does a 2024 Kia Forte take?
The 2024 Kia Forte came from the factory on 225/45R17. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2023 Kia Forte take?
The 2023 Kia Forte came from the factory on 225/45R17. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.
What size tires does a 2022 Kia Forte take?
The 2022 Kia Forte came from the factory on 225/45R17. Wheel packages can change that within the same model year, so check the placard inside the door jamb before you order.