2019 Kia Forte vs 2019 Nissan Altima

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 also featured additional small rear quarter windows and flatter, lower windowsills. Styling cues from the sporty Kia Stinger, such as the grille's powerful shape and aggressive lower-grille design, were evident. Inside, the Forte's cabin was contemporary and high-tech, with a sport steering wheel and floating touchscreen influenced by the Stinger. The instrument panel's crisp look and layout had hints of Audi’s small car, thanks to Peter Schreyer, the head of design at Hyundai and Kia, who previously worked at Audi.

The 2019 Nissan Altima borrowed design cues from its big brother, the Maxima, including a trapezoidal grille, sharply raked headlights, and a black stripe in the C-pillar. These elements added visual excitement to the Altima. Inside, the Altima's layout was similar to other new cars, with a floating center stack and vents and dials below it, resembling the Honda Accord and Kia Forte. This layout was becoming common in the industry, which was a good thing as it reconciled evolving technology with a need for distinct interiors. The Altima's infotainment system was straightforward, with large, colorful icons and easy-to-read fonts. It also featured conventional tuning and volume dials, which many automakers had removed in their latest vehicles.

The 2019 Kia Forte came with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with either a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT, branded as iVT by Kia, managed power well and provided an immediate response when accelerating. The Forte was quick off the line and had ample power for highway passing. Its handling was impressive, with minimal body roll and precise turn-in. The Forte also featured a Drive Mode Selector with Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, adjusting throttle and CVT responses based on driving behavior. Fuel economy was commendable, with the CVT-equipped Forte returning 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined. The FE trim with the CVT was the most efficient, achieving 31/41/35 combined.

The 2019 Nissan Altima offered two engines: a base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder available on the SR and Platinum trims. The turbocharged engine featured variable compression technology, adjusting the piston-arm assembly to produce V6 levels of power while maintaining 4-cylinder fuel economy. Both engines were paired with a CVT, and the Altima offered an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system for the first time. The AWD system provided confidence in snowy conditions without altering the driving experience. The 2.5-liter engine returned fuel economy of 28 city, 39 highway, and 32 combined, while the AWD version achieved 25/35/29. The turbocharged engine was expected to return 25/34/29. In mixed driving conditions, the Altima achieved 28.9 mpg.

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 ample legroom, though headroom was tight for occupants over 6 feet tall. The backseat offered adequate headroom and legroom for taller passengers. The Forte's trunk space increased to 15.3 cubic feet, making it one of the largest in its class. The EX trim featured a smart trunk system that automatically deployed when you stood near the rear of the car, a convenient feature when your hands were full.

The 2019 Nissan Altima featured extremely comfortable Zero Gravity seats, inspired by NASA astronauts' natural spinal position in microgravity. These seats reduced fatigue over long distances, making road trips more comfortable. The Altima had plenty of cubbies and cupholders, though the center console was not very deep due to the AWD and transmission tunnel. The back seat offered enough space for tall adults, and the trunk provided 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space, competitive with other midsize sedans like the Accord, Camry, and Sonata.

The 2019 Kia Forte came standard with an 8-inch UVO touchscreen, featuring a user-friendly layout with vivid colors and fonts. The physical buttons below the screen provided easy access to different menus, and conventional tuning and volume dials were retained. The UVO e-services offered enhanced roadside assistance, vehicle diagnostics, and a smartphone app to locate your parked car.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came standard with NissanConnect, a straightforward infotainment system with large, colorful icons and easy-to-read fonts. It also featured conventional dials and hard buttons for easy navigation. The Altima included seamless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and a 7-inch color Drive Assist display between the tachometer and speedometer, allowing drivers to monitor various systems and features.

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 safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. The lane-keeping assist system was highly active, providing minor steering inputs to keep the car centered in the lane.

The 2019 Nissan Altima came with standard front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, vehicle dynamics control, and a reversing camera. The Platinum trim featured ProPilot Assist, a suite of driver-assistance systems offering partially autonomous driving functions. ProPilot Assist matched speed with traffic and provided small steering inputs to keep the Altima in its lane. Forward-collision warning and driver-alertness monitoring were standard across all trims.