True enough, 100 km/h comes in at about 7 seconds-befitting the figures generated by its turbocharged 1.5-liter engine. The Honda Civic, particularly the RS Turbo is the current performance barometer by which other compact cars are measured against. Both though offer fast 2.1-amp charging capabilities and integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you regularly buy giant drinks at a drive thru, the Civic’s the way to go. If you remove your wallet when you drive, the Forte’s for you. Both have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In the Forte, it’s found as a two-tier vertical shelf in front of the shifter, and a pair of cupholders and a lidded center consoles near the center while in the Civic, it’s a two-tier horizontal shelf in front of the shifter then a convertible lidded center console that doubles as cupholders. Storage areas for small items like loose change and mobile phones are plenty on both vehicles, though their execution varies. Couple this with the absence of rear air vents and soft-type seat backing (the Forte uses hard plastic), and three full-grown adults sitting abreast will find it a more comfortable experience. Interestingly enough, Honda’s decision to mount the seats low means a bigger sense of space for the back passengers (at the expense of harder ingress/egress). As it stands, both have equally good head-, shoulder, and legroom for both front and back passengers. Kia will be quick to point out that the Forte has slightly more rear legroom, but it’ll take a tape measure to properly quantify that. Peter Schreyer’s Teutonic influences are certainly coming out there with the sport seats, steering wheel, and shifter feeling more in line with a Golf GTI than anything else.Īlmost nothing separates these two in terms of space. Easily though, the best part of the Forte are the areas which actually come in contact with the driver. The traditional analog gauges are straightforward and easy to understand, while the infotainment’s giant 8-inch display is legible-even to the car tailing behind you. Fit and finish are surprisingly at par with the Civic, but the Forte just blends all the different elements better. Sadly, the overall response from the two digital screens is painfully slow, taking moments to go from menu to menu.Īvoiding gimmicks and concentrating on a proper driver’s environment is the primary reason why the Kia Forte GT wins this round. It was so gimmicky that the revamps for 2019 are focused on improving usability like the removal of the poorly-executed touch sensitive slider on the steering wheel, and the addition of physical knobs and buttons on the 7-inch infotainment screen. The low-slung seats, all-digital gauges, and a touchscreen audio system make it feel like you’re piloting a spaceship than a compact sedan. As suggested by its exterior, the Civic goes high-tech. However, they do differ in execution, resulting in a different look and feel. With both of these compact sedans proclaiming they’re designed with a sporty intent they both offer a predominantly black interior with some aluminum trimmings thrown in. Honestly, the Forte GT would have stood a chance, if only they opted to fit in standard 18-inch wheels (it only runs on 17s). The high-gloss body kit continues all throughout the car up until the lip spoiler. As the GT variant (not just GT Line, mind you), the high-gloss black grille has a nice mesh pattern, interwoven with red elements (again, it’s all about being subdued). Using the DRLs as an integrated design element is neat, and so is the full-length Heckblende taillights. For some, it looks too subdued, but a closer look though reveals a spattering of details here and there. Foregoing crisscrossing lines and exaggerated details, the Forte is understated and definitely more grown-up. While Honda’s embraced the Japanese anime robot culture, Kia’s gone the European route with the Forte. Even more surprising is how it’s managed to withstand the test of time-something no one could have predicted three years ago when it first hit the market. Without a doubt, the long body and low stance are the right foundations to lay down a chiseled, slightly angry looking design. The changes are fairly minor-limited only to a new front bumper, an extra RS badge in the grille, and those tasty-looking 18-inch wheels. The Honda Civic has been in its best shape in years, buoyed by the fact that it’s seen a refresh just this year.
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