The Car Connection compares the 2022 Kia Forte to the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda MAZDA3, Toyota Corolla, and Volkswagen Jetta.
In This Article...
A Ford Focus is larger than a Kia Forte.
Both the Ford Focus and the Kia Forte are small automobiles. Each of them has front-wheel drive. While the Focus is offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, the Forte is only offered as a four-door sedan.
The Focus prevails in terms of power. The 160-horsepower standard engine in the Focus outperforms the 147-horsepower standard engine in the Forte. The disparity persists with their available engines, where the Focus ST’s 252 horsepower easily outpaces the Forte’s 201 horsepower.
As you get inside, the Forte significantly outperforms the Focus. When comparing inside capacity, the Forte sedan offers 96.2 cubic feet, which is significantly greater than the Focus sedan’s 90.7 cubic feet. The Forte’s trunk measures 14.9 cubic feet, which is more than the Focus’s 13.2 cubic feet. However, the Focus Hatchback offers 44.8 cubic feet of storage space when the rear seats are folded if you require greater carrying capacity.
The Kia Forte’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is another distinction. You receive a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty with the Ford Focus. That is something to consider.
The Forte has a better warranty and greater room. The Focus offers a hatchback body design option and more power. Try both and decide which one you want to bring home.
Honda Civic versus Kia Forte: which is superior?
Both the Honda Civic and the Kia Forte are small automobiles. All of them have front-wheel drive. The Civic is offered as a four-door sedan, a two-door coupe, and a five-door hatchback, whilst the Forte is only offered as a four-door sedan.
The Forte’s standard 147-horsepower engine is less powerful than the Civic’s standard 158-horsepower engine. However, the Civic’s top 180-horsepower choice is outclassed by the 201-horsepower engine that is an option on the Forte.
In terms of interior space, the Kia Forte and Honda Civic rank extremely closely. The interior volume of the Forte sedan is 96.2 cubic feet, however the Civic sedan has 97.8 cubic feet more. The Civic’s trunk offers 15.1 cubic feet of room, narrowly beating out the Forte’s 14.9 cubic feet. Not much of a difference. Consider the Civic hatchback if you require the most load carrying ability; when the rear seats are folded, there is 46.2 cubic feet of room available.
The Civic provides universal availability of the most recent driver assistance systems, which the Forte does not. On every Civic with an automatic transmission, lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, collision mitigation braking, and road departure mitigation are available as options. Top trims also come standard with these features.
Better: Elantra or Forte?
Even though the Hyundai Elantra outperforms the Kia Forte in many respects, Kia still has an advantage over Hyundai’s sedan in one particular area. The Forte clearly outperforms the competition in terms of pricing, especially for the base model. The base model starts at $18,885, which is over $2,000 less expensive than the Elantra. Hyundai initially prices its vehicle at $20,655.
This is advantageous for individuals who enjoy manual transmissions because it comes standard on the Forte’s base model. The base Elantra model has an automatic continuously variable gearbox. The Forte GT, which costs roughly $1,500 less than the Elantra’s N-Line, which costs $25,105, is the next model up.
The dual-clutch automatic is standard on the Forte GT. You will have to fork over an additional $600 if you want a manual with this sporty variant. You get an automatic transmission with the Elantra N-Line, but if you want a six-speed manual, you can purchase one for $1,100 less than the automatic model.
In comparison to the Forte, the Hyundai Elantra boasts higher fuel efficiency ratings and more playable technological features. However, Kia’s sedan is still in the running. You can bet that the Forte will be the most affordable option.
Ford or Kia, which is better?
In terms of features and options, the Kia brand surpasses Ford, and it also offers buyers a better value overall. In this Battle of the Brands, the Kia brand triumphs because to affordable costs and outstanding guarantees.
Is Ford more dependable than Kia?
With a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5, the Kia Sorento is ranked 12th out of 26 compact SUVs. It has cheaper ownership costs than the national average due to the $533 average yearly repair cost. The Sorento is one of the more dependable cars on the road since repairs are less severe and less frequent than with the ordinary automobile.
With a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, the Ford Edge is ranked 11th among 26 midsize SUVs. It has average ownership expenses since the cost of annual repairs is $611 on average. When compared to all other vehicles, the frequency and severity of repairs are both about average.
Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi KX-2 auto
With seven seats, the Kia is not only more affordable than the Ford but also more useful.
*As of the time of writing, the price is based on a 2016 model with typical mileage and a complete service history.
Many folks find that they need an SUV rather than wanting to get one. Fortunately, one of these large brutes from Ford or Kia should fit all of your needs, whether you need to transport a family, want to pull a trailer or caravan, or require four-wheel drive for all-weather traction.
The Ford Edge, a roomy five-seater that shares its basis with the Ford Mondeo family car rather than some rudimentary American truck, is the largest SUV the company has sold in the UK in years.
Do Kia Forte issues exist?
What Issues Are Related to Owning a 2020 Kia Forte? Owners complain of broken door locks, failing airbags on the driver’s side, and gearbox issues like shift slippage and difficulty accelerating. The anti-theft system in the Kia Forte has received a lot of flak for its shortcomings.
Is Forte a decent vehicle?
This edition of the Forte feels mature and robust thanks to a quiet cabin and one of the most comfortable rides in its class. It is noticeably more polished than prior Kia small sedans.
Along with the great braking performance, the interior is praised for being roomy and tastefully decorated.
The LX model with the Popular package, which includes improved inside trim, 16-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, and cruise control, is the most cost-effective option.
For 2015 models, adjustments to the fuel economy were implemented, and for 2016, the LX trim line received an optional rearview camera in addition to standard keyless entry and heated mirrors.
Kia Rio or Kia Forte, which is preferable?
The Rio is a subcompact vehicle, whereas the Forte is a compact. Therefore, the Forte is a better option if you require additional space. It features additional cargo space in the back and provides extra room for passengers. The Forte also offers a sportier style if you want to look sporty, but the Rio is less flashy but built for dependability.
A Kia Forte is it a medium vehicle?
How Good Is the Kia Forte? Yes, the Kia Forte is an excellent small car. Its rear seats and trunk are surprisingly spacious. Both the cabin and the entertainment system are well-built and simple to use.
Is the Kia Forte a sporty vehicle?
In recent years, the average price of a new automobile transaction has increased more than ever, making it more difficult than ever to purchase a brand-new vehicle that is also enjoyable to drive. Fortunately, Kia disproves that idea with the Forte GT, the company’s high-performance version of the tiny sedan.
The Forte GT is a member of Kia’s lineup of GT vehicles, which are the company’s sportiest automobiles. With 18-inch alloy wheels, a firmer sport suspension, a performance exhaust system, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 201 and 195 lb-ft of torque, Kia equips the Forte GT. When cold started, the dual-exit arrangement is shockingly loud, which we predict will appeal to buyers searching for a compact with more personality than the standard Forte. The vehicle we drove had a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but for $1,000 more, Kia also sells a GT Manual grade that includes a six-speed manual gearbox as standard equipment and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires.
How Does It Drive?
The Forte GT feels feisty off the line when you gun the pedal because there is a lot of torque steer available. It will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is precisely the time required for its segment. Even when every seat is occupied by grownups on the motorway, there is still an abundance of power available when needed. The transmission offers crisp, quick shifts when the power is applied steadily. The dual clutch gearbox’s flaws are, however, exposed in slow moving traffic or on streets with frequent stop signs. Following an acceleration, it has a propensity to buck under braking and has a tendency to hesitate in reverse.
The transmission was at its best when we tested the Forte GT in the canyons. It revs out to redline with smooth throttle inputs and makes sharp upshifts. Under braking, it switches down anticipatorily. By using the paddle shifters, the driver is more actively involved and has more influence over the dual-clutch transmission’s operation.
The Forte GT is able to play well when cornering enthusiastically. The small vehicle maintains its grip in the corners despite having all-season tires. This was corroborated by our instrumented testing, which showed that the Forte GT performed better than average for compact cars fitted with equivalent tires, pulling an average of 0.87 g on our skidpad.
Three drive mode options are available for the Forte GT: Comfort, Smart, and Sport. While switching to Sport increases steering weight and awakens the motor, Comfort provides the most comfortable steering feel and throttle responsiveness. The Forte GT, according to Road Test Editor Chris Walton, offers “talkative handling and good balance on the skidpad.” The transmission isn’t nearly sophisticated enough to downshift and retain a gear on the skidpad even in Sport mode, he added in a separate comment.
The Kia Forte GT stopped steadily from 60 to 0 mph in 122 feet during our instrumented testing. It provides a good bite and feel to the brake pedal, enabling the driver to modulate the brake pedal smoothly. The Kia Forte GT’s tail end showed a tendency to skid out under severe braking into a corner at the track, but this adds to its eagerness and liveliness on twisting roads. Because of the sedan’s open communication style, it’s simple to get into a routine and navigate tricky terrain with confidence.
The Forte GT performs well on winding roads and poorly in heavy traffic. In stop-and-go traffic, the dual-clutch transmission struggles, and the harsh suspension shakes passengers as the vehicle crosses bumpy or uneven terrain. When purchasing a Forte GT, prospective purchasers should keep this in mind because most people probably won’t want to put up with its non-adaptive sport-tuned suspension arrangement.
Are Features the Forte’s Forte?
Metal pedal covers, contrast stitching, and a comfortable-to-hold leather-wrapped steering wheel are all advantages of the Forte GT. Even though the current generation of the Forte GT was introduced for the 2018 model year, its inside has already begun to seem obsolete. The majority of the surfaces are made of hard plastic, however the door cards and armrests have soft padding. With cleaner, more attractive cabins, a large portion of the competitors has surpassed the Forte’s interior design.
The GT2 package from Kia costs $2,200 and adds a number of practical, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable improvements that significantly improve the cabin’s appearance. In addition to having an electric parking brake, auto-hold brakes, heated and ventilated front seats, LED interior lighting, rear parking sensors, a power sunroof, a premium Harman Kardon eight-speaker audio system, synthetic leather seats with GT logos, highway driving assistance, and forward collision avoidance assist with cyclist detection, our GT2-equipped test car also had these features. It’s important to note that this item cannot be added to the Forte GT Manual model.
A 10.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, keyless entry and push-button ignition, dual climate control, and fully LED exterior lighting are standard on every Forte GT. We particularly liked using the remote start function on the Forte GT to hear the exhaust start up from the outside. It has a lot of features, especially when compared to its compact sedan class rivals with less sporty starting prices of $24,515.
Is the Forte GT Right for Me?
The 2022 Kia Forte GT’s base price is $26,870, which is around $1,500 less than its closest competition, the 2022 Honda Civic Si (manual only). As a result, the Kia presents a compelling case for itself with a wealth of feature options and enough sportiness to excite on winding roads. However, paying more for the Honda might be worthwhile for those who intend to use their vehicle primarily for recreational purposes, particularly since the Civic Si makes use of a standard limited-slip front differential.
The Forte GT isn’t the most extreme sports sedan, but it can be fun to drive enthusiastically and is loaded with enough technology to function as a well-equipped daily driver. However, given its cheap beginning price and continued affordability even after adding the GT2 package with its wealth of features, car lovers with a desire for more are free to purchase their own summer tires if they wish to make their vehicle even more capable. Kudos to Kia for preserving the dream of an inexpensive sport sedan.