2019 Kia Forte vs 2019 Mazda MAZDA3

The 2019 Kia Forte might have seemed like a mere facelift at first glance, but it was actually an all-new generation. It retained its familiar jellybean shape and plucky front-end design, with a subtle swoop along the side. However, the taillight band connecting each side above the license plate looked cheap. Despite this, the Forte's design was more mature than previous generations. It featured additional small rear quarter windows, flatter and lower windowsills, and styling cues from the sporty Kia Stinger, including a powerful grille shape, futuristic headlights, and an aggressive lower-grille design.

Inside, the Forte's cabin was contemporary and high-tech, with a simple layout influenced by the Stinger. It had a sport steering wheel, floating touchscreen, and big circular HVAC vents pushed to the corners. The instrument panel's crisp look and layout were reminiscent of the Audi A3, thanks to Peter Schreyer, the head of design at Hyundai and Kia, who previously worked at Audi. The Forte came in FE, LXS, S, and EX trims, with the base FE trim offering plenty of standard features, including electric power side mirrors, remote keyless entry, forward-collision avoidance, and lane-keeping assist. The range-topping EX trim added luxury features like power heated side mirrors, leatherette upholstery, and a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat.

The 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 was one of the best-looking cars on the market, despite not being a sports or luxury car. The hatchback version, in particular, showcased Mazda's design prowess with its clean rear quarter panel, sharply raked rear window, and sports-car-like taillights. The interior was equally impressive, with a dramatic look, clean and uncluttered spaces, and seamless technology integration. The cupholders were positioned forward of the shifter, which could potentially lead to spills, but the overall design was luxurious. The driver and front passenger sat low and leaned back, like in a sports car, with controls enveloping the driver, including a controller dial for the 8.8-inch MazdaConnect infotainment system.

The Mazda3 came in sedan and hatchback versions, with the sedan offering Select, Preferred, and Premium trims, while the hatchback had base, Preferred, and Premium trims. The base sedan included 16-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, LED head- and taillights, an 8-speaker sound system, and one-touch power windows. The base hatchback added 18-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high beams, dual-zone climate control, and synthetic leather upholstery. The Preferred trims added upscale touches like an 8-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. The Premium trims offered leather seats, a power moonroof, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights, with the manual transmission available only in these trims.

The 2019 Kia Forte featured a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with either a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The FE trim came standard with the manual, while all other trims had the CVT. Kia's CVT, called iVT, managed power well and provided an immediate throttle response, making the Forte quick off the line and capable of confident highway passing. The Forte's handling was impressive, with minimal body roll and precise steering. It also offered a comfortable ride over bumps and potholes. The CVT-equipped Forte featured a Drive Mode Selector with Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, optimizing comfort, efficiency, and throttle response. The Forte's fuel economy was impressive, with the CVT-equipped model returning 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined.

The 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 came with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 186 horsepower, paired with a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission, and available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD was available only with the automatic transmission. The SkyActiv-G engine provided responsive acceleration, athletic handling, and composed braking. The Mazda3 offered a composed ride in typical driving conditions and excelled in cornering without feeling overly heavy or harsh. The most efficient version was the FWD automatic sedan with the Premium package, returning 27 mpg city, 36 highway, and 30 combined. The least efficient was the AWD hatchback, returning 24/32/27. Our test model observed a fuel economy of 28.2 mpg in combined city and highway driving.

The 2019 Kia Forte's exterior length grew by 3.2 inches, and it was just under an inch wider, resulting in a noticeably larger interior. The front seat had plenty of legroom, though headroom was tight for occupants over 6 feet tall. The backseat offered adequate headroom and legroom for taller occupants, as long as the front seats were not all the way back. The Forte had 15.3 cubic feet of trunk space, one of the largest in its class. The EX trim featured Kia's smart trunk system, which automatically deployed the trunk when you stood behind the car for a few seconds.

The 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 sedan had 13.2 cubic feet of trunk space, while the hatchback offered 20.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 47.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The hatchback's cargo space was serviceable for the class, but the Kia Soul offered more. The Mazda3's low and leaned-back seating position was reminiscent of a sports car, benefiting front-seat passengers but making the second row tight for taller occupants. The center console had a deep tray and a center bin, but the center armrest/console cover design was cumbersome, requiring it to be slid back 6 inches before lifting.

The 2019 Kia Forte came standard with an 8-inch UVO touchscreen, featuring an intuitive layout, vivid colors, and logical menus. It also had physical buttons and conventional tuning and volume dials. The UVO e-services provided enhanced roadside assistance, vehicle diagnostics, and a smartphone app for locating your parked car.

The 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 featured an 8.8-inch screen running the MazdaConnect infotainment system, with crisp graphics and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the system was completely remote-controlled, which could be less intuitive for some users. The test model included a head-up display and a fully digital center panel in the instrument cluster, with a steering wheel button to cycle through content.

The 2019 Kia Forte offered standard forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. It also included a reversing camera, traction control, and front- and side-impact airbags. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. The lane-keeping assist was highly active, providing minor steering inputs to keep the car centered in the lane.

The 2019 Mazda MAZDA3 hatchback came standard with i-Activsense, a suite of driver-assistance features including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and driver-attention alerts. The base sedan trim did not include these features, requiring the Select Sedan trim for many of them. The hatchback's large C-pillars created significant blind spots, and the auto-engage system for the parking brake was not intuitive, requiring a series of operations to bypass.