Compare the2022 Kia ForteVS 2021 Volkswagen Golf

The Forte’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Golf doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Forte’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Golf doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Forte and the Golf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Forte is safer than the Volkswagen Golf:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Forte is 2.7% less likely to roll over than the Golf.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Forte the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 136 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Golf last would have qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2017.

The Forte comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Golf’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Forte 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Golf. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Golf ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 19 percent more Kia dealers than there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Forte’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Forte’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Golf’s camshafts. If the Golf’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Forte has a standard 640-amp battery. The Golf’s 480-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forte first among compact cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Golf isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 66 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 66 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 9 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

The Forte GT’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 54 more horsepower (201 vs. 147) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 184) than the Golf’s 1.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Forte GT 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Volkswagen Golf (manual transmissions tested):

The Kia Forte comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Golf.

The Forte has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Golf doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Forte offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Golf doesn’t offer an SMG.

For better stopping power the Forte GT’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Golf:

The Forte stops much shorter than the Golf:

For better traction, the Forte GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Golf (225/40R18 vs. 205/55R16).

The Forte GT’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Golf’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Forte GT has standard 18-inch wheels. The Golf’s largest wheels are only 16-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Forte’s wheelbase is 2.7 inches longer than on the Golf (106.3 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Forte is .3 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Golf.

The Forte GT handles at .93 G’s, while the Golf pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forte’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Golf’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.8 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Forte GT is quieter than the Golf TSI:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Forte a Mid-size car, while the Golf is rated a Compact.

The Forte has 2.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Golf (96 vs. 93.5).

The Forte has .4 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Golf.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Forte GT Line/GT’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Golf doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Forte Auto offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Golf doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Forte’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Golf’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Forte detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Golf doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Forte GT has standard extendable sun visors. The Golf doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Forte GT Line/GT keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Golf doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Forte GT Line/GT’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Golf doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Forte GT Line/GT’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Golf doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Forte GT Line/GT Auto offers an optional Smart Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Golf doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Kia Forte (except FE/LXS) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Golf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forte is less expensive to operate than the Golf because it costs $509 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forte than the Golf, including $164 less for a water pump, $153 less for a muffler, $19 less for front brake pads, $510 less for a starter, $11 less for fuel injection, $59 less for a fuel pump, $247 less for front struts, $55 less for a timing belt/chain and $18 less for a power steering pump.

The Kia Forte outsold the Volkswagen Golf/GTI by almost 9 to one during the 2021 model year.