Compare the2023 Kia ForteVS 2023 Nissan Sentra

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 Sentra doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Forte and Sentra 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 Sentra’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Forte and the Sentra 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, 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 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia Forte is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

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

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, results indicate that the Kia Forte is safer than the Nissan Sentra:

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 Sentra’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 Nissan covers the Sentra. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Sentra ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Forte’s reliability 35 points higher than the Sentra.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forte first among compact cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Sentra was rated third.

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 60 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 6 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

The Forte GT’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 52 more horsepower (201 vs. 149) and 49 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 146) than the Sentra’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Kia Forte 4 cyl. is faster than the Nissan Sentra (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Forte gets better mileage than the Sentra:

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

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

The Kia Forte has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Sentra. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Forte stops much shorter than the Sentra:

For better traction, the Forte GT Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Sentra (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R18).

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 Sentra SR’s 45 series tires.

The Forte’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (59.1% to 40.9%) than the Sentra’s (61.2% to 38.8%). This gives the Forte more stable handling and braking.

The Forte GT handles at .93 G’s, while the Sentra SR pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Forte’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Sentra’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The Kia Forte may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 250 pounds less than the Nissan Sentra.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Forte GT is quieter than the Sentra SR (36 vs. 38 dB).

The Forte has .8 inches more rear headroom, 1 inch more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Sentra.

The Forte has a larger trunk than the Sentra (15.3 vs. 14.3 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 Sentra 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 Sentra 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 Sentra prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In addition to a parabolic reflector, optical-grade lenses in the Forte’s standard projector headlights precisely focus the beam, providing more even illumination of the road for better visibility and a sharp cut-off that prevents blinding oncoming drivers. The sharp cutoff allows the use of a stronger light. The Sentra’s standard uses a simple reflector to direct its standard headlights.

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

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 Sentra doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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

The Forte GT Line/GT’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Sentra’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Forte owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Forte with a number “3” insurance rate while the Sentra is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forte is less expensive to operate than the Sentra because it costs $118 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forte than the Sentra, including $9 less for a water pump, $105 less for a muffler, $11 less for front brake pads, $140 less for a starter, $161 less for fuel injection, $202 less for a fuel pump, $95 less for a timing belt/chain and $62 less for a power steering pump.

The Kia Forte outsold the Nissan Sentra by 41% during 2022.