The last facelift for the second generation of the Kia Forte was launched in 2016 as a 2017 model.
A year later the entire generation was changed. Thus, the modification over the non-facelift version was minimal.

It takes an expert eye to notice the differences between the 2015 and 2017 model year, especially from the rear. On the front, the headlights were different, with a longer “tail” extended on the front fenders. The taillights though, had the white reverse lamp on the bottom, while the non-facelift version had that lamp in the middle, like a horizontal white line. The new taillights were available with an option of LED.

Inside the 2017 Forte, the differences are for the trims equipment. All versions received a drive-mode select, which improved the engine response according to the driver’s need for comfort, economy or sportiness. The safety features had Autonomous Emergency Braking, Front Collision Warning, Lane Change Warning, Blind spot detector, and Rear-Cross Traffic Alert.

Strangely, the former 1.8-liter engine was replaced with a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle engine, which was mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. The Atkinson engine is known for its efficiency, but only under certain circumstances which can hardly be achieved by a regular driver with a stick-shift gearbox. The 2017 Forte sedan was the first vehicle build by Kia in the new factory in Monterrey, Mexico.