2021 Acura TLX vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2021 Acura TLX was a striking, sporty sedan in a competitive class. It featured an assertive stance with a steeply raked windshield, fastback-style roofline, and integrated tail spoiler. The front grille, designed to look like it exploded from the Acura logo, was flanked by jewel-eye LED headlights. Twin trapezoidal tailpipes and top-notch paint quality added to its premium look. Inside, the TLX showcased high-quality materials and a well-thought-out design. The driver’s position was described as a “sport sedan cockpit,” with a 10.2-inch infotainment screen neatly mounted at the top of the center stack. Authentic materials like metal, leather, and wood were used throughout, and the overall design had a good flow and visual interest.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte GT, evaluated for this review, came with Steel Gray paint, the GT2 Package, and a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $26,900. The GT trim featured a new grille, headlights, bumpers, and fresh wheel designs. The GT-Line and GT had sportier looks with red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels. Inside, the Forte GT had a sporty look with traditional analog gauges, round outer air vents, and a thick-rimmed steering wheel. The interior featured seat perforations, patterns, piping, and stitching with polished metal accents. The center console housed an electronic parking brake and an Auto Hold feature, and the infotainment system was improved with a different kind of simulated leather.

The 2021 Acura TLX was equipped with a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine, producing 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It featured a drive-by-wire throttle system and a shift-by-wire connection to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) available on all models. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined for FWD models, and 21/29/24 combined for AWD. The TLX offered distinct driving personalities through its Integrated Dynamics System, with Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Individual modes. The Advance package added adaptive dampers for a customizable ride. The TLX was nimble, easy to drive, and fun to toss into corners, with a solid and substantial feel over various road surfaces. At a launch event in Michigan, the TLX performed as advertised, with an eager, sprightly character and inspiring handling.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It offered a choice between a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters. The GT trim had Smart, Normal, and Sport driving modes, a sport-tuned suspension with an independent rear design, and a sport-tuned exhaust. The Forte GT delivered effortless acceleration and a good blend of ride and handling characteristics. However, the brakes were not up to the task of a demanding mountain descent, and the engine noise at 75 mph on the freeway was noticeable. The Forte GT averaged 25.8 mpg on the testing loop and 32.8 mpg during a week-long loan. Despite its flaws, the Forte GT worked well as a daily driver, offering a zippy commute, comfortable road trips, and affordability.

The 2021 Acura TLX’s shift-by-wire transmission allowed for a reimagined center console design. The transmission was engaged via a control panel in the center stack, freeing up space for a mini touchpad, cupholders, and a storage cubby. The rear seat was comfortable for two adults, with adequate head- and legroom. The front seats were supportive sport bucket seats with 12-way power adjustability, including four-way power lumbar adjustability and four-way adjustable headrests. Heated front seats were standard, with ventilated front seats available in higher packages. The second row folded down in a 60/40 split, providing access to the trunk, which offered 13.5 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, with the GT2 option package, included a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, upgraded LED interior lighting, and full SynTex simulated leather seats. The Forte GT proved comfortable for long road trips, with a height-adjustable front passenger seat and ventilated front seats. The dual-zone automatic climate control system and rear air conditioning vents kept passengers cool. Rear seat room was good for a compact car, with a large bottom seat cushion and proper support. The Forte’s trunk offered 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, the largest in the segment, with the ability to place full-size suitcases flat or on their sides. The rear seats also folded down to expand capacity.

The 2021 Acura TLX was loaded with technology, including drive-by-wire, shift-by-wire, and SH-AWD. The 10-speed automatic transmission featured Grade Logic Control, Shift Hold Control, and Cornering G Shift Control. The TLX also offered multiple ambient interior lighting themes and a new ELS Studio 3D 17-speaker premium audio system. The infotainment system included Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, Siri Eyes Free, SMS Text Messaging, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Advance Package added a head-up display, a G-Meter, and a Turbo Boost Indicator.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT models. The FE and LXS trims had an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The GT-Line and GT trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with SiriusXM satellite radio, a voice recognition system, and Kia Connect connected services. The Forte GT had standard wireless smartphone charging and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The infotainment system was easy to use, with intuitive menu structures and knobs for the stereo and navigation map. However, the voice recognition capabilities were hit-and-miss, and the Forte’s Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a standout feature.

The 2021 Acura TLX came with the AcuraWatch suite of driver-assistance technologies, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. Additional safety features included a pedestrian injury mitigation design, Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, ultra-high-strength steel front door stiffener rings, a full complement of airbags, adjustable head restraints, three-point seatbelts, LATCH connectors, ABS, vehicle stability assist with traction control, auto-high beam headlights, and a multi-angle rear-view camera system. The TLX also had a next-generation front-passenger airbag, passenger knee airbag, pedestrian sensing and autonomous emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, traffic jam assist, and a driver attention monitor. Available safety features included rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The 2021 TLX had not yet been tested by IIHS or NHTSA, but previous generations received high ratings.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered more Kia Drive Wise technology, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver monitoring system. The GT-Line and GT trims added active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a Safe Exit Warning system. Depending on the trim level, safety-related upgrades included cyclist detection, navigation-linked adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The IIHS gave the Forte high marks for crashworthiness and driving assist systems, while the NHTSA gave it a four-star overall crash protection rating.