Compare the2023 Kia ForteVS 2023 Honda Civic

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 Civic doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Forte and Civic offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Forte with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning (except Manual) has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Civic’s Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

The Forte offers optional 911 Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Forte and the Civic 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

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 Honda Civic:

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

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 Civic’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Forte 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Civic. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Civic ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Forte has a standard 640-amp battery. The Civic’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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

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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 16th, 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 Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 85 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 24th.

The Forte GT’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (201 vs. 180) and 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 177) than the Civic EX/EX-L/Touring’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Forte 4 cyl. is faster than the Civic Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Forte gets better mileage than the Civic Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the Forte gets better mileage than the Civic Hatchback:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Forte uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Civic EX/EX-L/Touring requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Forte has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Civic (14 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

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

The Forte stops much shorter than the Civic:

The Forte GT handles at .93 G’s, while the Civic Touring Sedan pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Forte executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Civic Sport Sedan (27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Forte’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Civic EX/EX-L’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Forte’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Civic Sport/Touring’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Forte GT is quieter than the Civic Sport Sedan:

The Forte has .4 inches more rear headroom and 2.2 inches more rear hip room than the Civic.

The Forte has a larger trunk than the Civic Sedan (15.3 vs. 14.8 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 Civic doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The power windows standard on both the Forte and the Civic have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Forte is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Civic prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Forte’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Civic’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Forte’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Civic Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

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

Both the Forte and the Civic 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 Civic doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Forte will be $1129 to $1246 less than for the Honda Civic.