2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2021 Honda Civic had a long history of segment-defining models, with significant updates arriving roughly every decade. The 10th-generation Civic, introduced in 2016, was no exception, featuring bold styling that polarized opinions. Despite its daring design, the Civic remained a popular choice, with over a million units on the road. The 2021 model year saw the discontinuation of the two-door coupe and the temporary hiatus of the sporty Civic Si, leaving the sedan, hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R as the available options. The Civic sedan came in various trims, from the base LX to the top-tier Touring, with prices ranging from $21,250 to $28,300, excluding destination charges. The Touring trim, with its Cosmic Blue Metallic paint and 18-inch wheels, offered a mix of appeal and occasional doubt, depending on the viewing angle.

Inside, the Civic's interior, once considered daring, showed signs of aging, particularly with its 7-inch infotainment screen. However, the cabin still featured quality materials and thoughtful design. The Civic's low seating position made entry and exit a bit of a workout, but once inside, the seats were comfortable, especially for front passengers with power adjustments. The rear seats provided ample space and support, though the lack of rear air vents was a drawback. The center console offered impressive storage, and the trunk, with 15.1 cubic feet of space (14.7 in the Touring trim), was generous for the class.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The base FE trim excelled in fuel economy, while the LXS provided essential features without unnecessary extras. The GT-Line added sporty aesthetics, and the GT trim delivered the most fun with its turbocharged engine. The Forte GT, priced at $26,900 with the GT2 Package, included features like Steel Gray paint, carpeted floor mats, and a comprehensive set of accessories. For those on a tighter budget, the FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims ranged from $19,090 to $21,290, excluding destination charges.

The 2022 Forte received updates, including a new grille, headlights, bumpers, and fresh wheel designs. The GT-Line and GT trims featured sportier looks with red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels. Inside, the Forte's cabin remained similar to the previous year's model, with a 4.2-inch driver information display, an updated center console, and improved infotainment systems. The GT-Line and GT trims used a new type of simulated leather. The Forte GT's interior had a sporty look with analog gauges, round air vents, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. The seats featured Germanic-inspired perforations, patterns, and stitching, while polished metal accents added a touch of sophistication.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The base LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. While adequate, this powertrain paled in comparison to the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine available in the EX, EX-L, and Touring trims. The turbo engine delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, providing a more spirited driving experience. The Civic's sophisticated four-wheel independent suspension and precise steering made it a joy to drive, especially with the Touring trim's 18-inch wheels. However, the CVT detracted from the overall experience with its droning and lack of responsiveness. Despite this, the Civic excelled in fuel economy, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile driving loop, surpassing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg in combined driving.

The 2022 Kia Forte retained most of its mechanical components from the previous year. The FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The fuel economy for this engine was 35 mpg in combined driving for the FE trim and 33 mpg for the LXS and GT-Line. The Forte GT, however, offered a more exhilarating driving experience with its turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This engine could be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters. The GT trim also featured a sport-tuned suspension with an independent rear design, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, and available Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer performance tires. The Forte GT's modifications resulted in effortless acceleration and enjoyable driving dynamics, though it fell short of being a true performance sedan. The brakes, in particular, struggled during demanding driving conditions, and the engine noise at highway speeds was noticeable. The Forte GT averaged 25.8 mpg on the testing loop and 32.8 mpg during a week-long loan, slightly below the EPA estimates.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low to the ground, making entry and exit a bit of a workout. Once inside, the seats were comfortable, with the driver's seat offering eight-way power adjustment. However, the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment, which could have improved accessibility. The rear seats provided ample space and excellent thigh support, though the absence of rear air conditioning vents was a drawback. The center console offered impressive storage options, and the trunk, with 15.1 cubic feet of space (14.7 in the Touring trim), was generous for the class.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, especially with the GT2 option package, offered numerous comfort features, including 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 height-adjustable front passenger seat, standard on all trims, ensured proper leg support for all occupants. The dual-zone automatic climate control system and rear air conditioning vents kept passengers comfortable during long trips. The rear seats provided ample space and support, though the hard plastic front seatback panels were a minor drawback. The Forte's trunk, with 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, was the largest in the segment, accommodating full-size suitcases and offering a grab handle for easy closure.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology showed its age, with the base LX trim offering a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text-messaging support, and a more powerful 1.5-amp USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the Touring trim included navigation with voice recognition, digital traffic, and a 10-speaker premium audio system. The voice recognition system in the Touring trim was unsophisticated, requiring specific prompts for successful operation. Overall, the Civic's technology package was functional but lacked the sophistication of newer systems.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT trims, adding infotainment and safety systems. The FE and LXS trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The GT-Line and GT trims, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen display, required a cable for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but offered additional features like SiriusXM satellite radio, a voice recognition system, and Kia Connect connected services. The Forte GT also had standard wireless smartphone charging and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though the voice recognition capabilities were hit-and-miss. The Forte's Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a standout feature, alerting drivers when traffic ahead started moving.

The 2021 Honda Civic came equipped with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and lane-keeping assist. The Civic also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera. The LaneWatch system, available starting with EX trim, used a camera to monitor the right lane but had limitations, such as susceptibility to damage and the need to reference both the infotainment screen and side mirror. The Civic lacked a traditional radar-based blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic warning but had a 180-degree reversing camera view. The 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS for the Touring trim and received five-star ratings in every assessment from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered more Kia Drive Wise technology across all trim levels, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, 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 with rear automatic braking, and a Safe Exit Warning system. Depending on the trim level, additional safety features included cyclist detection, navigation-linked adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The HDA system paired adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist for semi-autonomous driving on highways. The IIHS gave the Forte high marks for crashworthiness and driving assist systems, though testing for the revised LED headlights was incomplete. The NHTSA awarded the 2022 Forte a four-star overall crash protection rating, with a three-star frontal impact rating for the front passenger and concerns about rear passenger injury in a side impact.