2020 Hyundai Elantra vs 2019 Kia Forte

The 2019 Kia Forte might have appeared to be a mere facelift at first glance, but it was actually an all-new generation. It retained its familiar jellybean-like shape and plucky front-end design, with a subtle swoop along the side. However, the taillight band connecting each side above the license plate was a design element that seemed cheap and tacked-on. Overall, the new Forte had a more mature design, borrowing 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 featured a sport steering wheel, floating touchscreen, and big circular HVAC vents pushed to the corners. The instrument panel's crisp look and general layout had hints of Audi’s small car designs, thanks to Peter Schreyer, the head of design at Hyundai and Kia, who previously worked at Audi. The Forte offered trims like FE, LXS, S, and EX, each adding more features and luxury, with the EX trim providing the most comprehensive set of amenities, including leatherette upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra, last redesigned for the 2017 model year and boldly restyled for 2019, remained visually unchanged for 2020. The previous year’s restyle gave the Elantra a geometric-influenced appearance, setting the stage for the dramatically angular styling of the 2021 model. Available in six versions—SE, SEL, Value Edition, Eco, Limited, and Sport—the Elantra offered a range of prices and features. Our Limited test vehicle, with the Ultimate Package, showcased a stylish small car with a black paint job that highlighted its angular headlight, fog light, and wheel designs, contrasted by chrome grille and beltline detailing.

Inside, the Elantra’s restyled interior aimed for a more upscale look, with silver trim on various elements and enough hard and glossy plastic to remind you it was a mainstream compact car. The Limited trim added features like power driver’s seat adjustment, leather upholstery, and a sliding center console armrest. Every Elantra included a dual-zone automatic climate control system, but rear air conditioning vents were not available. The trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space, nearly as much as some midsize sedans, and an interior grab handle made it easy to close the trunk lid.

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 an iVT by Kia, managed power well, providing an immediate response when accelerating. The Forte was quick off the line and had ample power for highway passing, with handling that was confident and precise. The steering had a performance-like weight, and the car displayed minimal body roll. 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 with the CVT was 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined, while the manual offered slightly lower figures.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra’s base engine was a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with a new CVT, replacing the previous six-speed automatic. The Elantra Eco model featured a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine with 128 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and an automatic engine start/stop system, achieving 36 mpg combined. The Elantra Sport trim had a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, and an independent rear suspension for better handling. The new CVT in the Limited trim provided simulated gear shifts for a traditional automatic feel, but real-world fuel economy fell short of expectations, averaging 29.3 mpg. The Elantra’s torsion beam axle rear suspension detracted from ride and handling, making the Sport trim with its independent suspension a more enjoyable drive.

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 offered plenty of legroom, though headroom was tight for occupants over 6 feet tall. The backseat had adequate headroom and legroom for taller passengers, and the trunk provided 15.3 cubic feet of space, one of the largest in the class. The EX trim featured a smart trunk system that automatically opened when you stood behind the car for a few seconds.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra offered comfortable accommodations for four adults, with a fifth person squeezed in for short trips. The Limited trim included power driver’s seat adjustment, leather upholstery, and a sliding center console armrest. Every Elantra had a dual-zone automatic climate control system, but rear air conditioning vents were not available. Interior storage was well-proportioned for a compact car, and the trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space, nearly as much as some midsize sedans. An interior grab handle inside the trunk lid made it easy to close.

The 2019 Kia Forte came standard with an 8-inch UVO touchscreen, featuring a user-friendly layout with vivid colors and fonts. Physical buttons and conventional tuning and volume dials made the system easy to use. The UVO e-services provided enhanced roadside assistance, vehicle diagnostics, and a smartphone app for additional features.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra’s standard equipment included a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and a USB port. The base SE trim had a 5-inch screen, while the SEL trim upgraded to a 7-inch display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Limited trim added wireless smartphone charging and a premium Infinity sound system. The Ultimate Package increased the touchscreen size to 8 inches and added navigation and Blue Link services. The infotainment system was easy to use, with shortcut buttons and volume and tuning knobs, and the Infinity sound system impressed for the compact car segment.

The 2019 Kia Forte offered standard forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. The lane-keeping assist system was particularly effective, providing minor steering inputs to keep the car centered in the lane.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra’s Smart Sense was standard on all trim levels, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a driver attention monitor. Starting with SEL trim, the Elantra added blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited and Sport trims featured full LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation. The Ultimate Package added adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, and Safe Exit Assist. The Elantra earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS with full LED headlights and a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA.