Compare the2023 Kia ForteVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta

The Forte has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Jetta doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Forte’s standard 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. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Jetta.

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Forte and the Jetta 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 Jetta:

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 2.4% less likely to roll over than the Jetta.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Forte the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 221 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta has not been fully tested, yet.

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 Jetta’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 Jetta. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Jetta ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 21 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 Jetta’s camshafts. If the Jetta’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 640-amp battery. The Jetta only offers a standard 480-amp battery.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forte first among compact cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Jetta isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 74 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 72 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 21st.

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 43 more horsepower (201 vs. 158) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 184) than the Jetta’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Forte FE gets better fuel mileage than the Jetta SE/SEL 8-speed Auto (30 city/41 hwy vs. 29 city/40 hwy).

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

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 Jetta 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 Jetta doesn’t offer an SMG.

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

The Forte stops much shorter than the Jetta:

For better traction, the Forte GT Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Jetta (225/45R17 vs. 205/60R16).

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 Jetta Sport/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Forte GT has standard 18-inch wheels. The Jetta’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

For superior ride and handling, the Forte GT has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Volkswagen Jetta has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Forte is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Jetta.

The Forte GT handles at .93 G’s, while the Jetta pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forte’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Jetta’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.7 feet).

The Forte is 3.8 inches shorter than the Jetta, making the Forte easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The Forte has .3 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta.

The front step up height for the Forte is 1.6 inches lower than the Jetta (14.2” vs. 15.8”). The Forte’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the Jetta’s (14.8” vs. 16”).

The Forte has a much larger trunk than the Jetta (15.3 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

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 Jetta doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Consumer Reports rated the Forte’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Jetta’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Both the Forte and the Jetta offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Forte offers optional rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Jetta doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forte is less expensive to operate than the Jetta because it costs $336 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forte than the Jetta, including $387 less for a water pump, $421 less for a muffler, $5 less for front brake pads, $492 less for a starter, $240 less for fuel injection, $243 less for a fuel pump, $236 less for front struts, $104 less for a timing belt/chain and $157 less for a power steering pump.

The Kia Forte outsold the Volkswagen Jetta by over two to one during the 2022 model year.