2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata, redesigned for the 2020 model year, presented a bold and distinctive look that was polarizing among consumers. Its broad grille and tapered tail made it instantly recognizable. The N Line version enhanced this design with functional and stylistic changes, such as larger air intakes, gloss black side mirrors, and bold 19-inch wheels. The rear featured a subtle gloss black lip spoiler and a reworked bumper with a four-outlet exhaust system, giving it a stealthy performance-oriented appearance. Inside, the Sonata N Line boasted sport front seats with Nappa leather bolsters and Dinamica suede inserts, red stitching, aluminum pedal covers, and dark chrome accents, along with a standard panoramic sunroof.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The GT trim, evaluated for this review, came with Steel Gray paint, the GT2 Package, and a price of $26,900. The Forte GT featured a new grille, headlights, and bumpers for 2022, along with fresh wheel designs and new fog lights and taillights for the GT-Line and GT trims. The GT trim stood out 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 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque from 1,650 rpm to 4,000 rpm. It featured an eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters, rev-matching, and a launch control system. Drivers could choose between Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Custom driving modes. The Sonata N Line also had an Active Sound Design (ASD) engine note enhancement system and a sport-tuned exhaust. The car's performance was further enhanced by stiffer engine and transmission mounts, faster rack-mounted electric steering, larger brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. It rode on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. The Sonata N Line delivered a thrilling driving experience, with responsive steering, firm underpinnings, and reliable brakes. It averaged 23.7 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 27 mpg.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, on the other hand, 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. Drivers could select from Smart, Normal, or Sport driving modes. The Forte GT had a sport-tuned suspension with an independent rear design, a sport-tuned exhaust, and larger 18-inch alloy wheels with available Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer performance tires. The Forte GT provided a lively driving experience with effortless acceleration and a good blend of ride and handling characteristics. However, its brakes were not up to the task of demanding mountain descents, and the car's engine noise at highway speeds was noticeable. The Forte GT averaged 25.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA's estimate of 30 mpg with the DCT.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line featured heated front sport seats with Dinamica suede inserts, offering a balance between comfort and lateral support. The front passenger seat had a manual height adjuster, and the rear seats provided adequate legroom and comfort, with rear air conditioning vents and a USB port. The Sonata's interior storage space was generous, though the center console design was somewhat inelegant. The trunk offered 16 cubic feet of space, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat for added utility. The Smart Trunk hands-free release feature was convenient, though the lack of an interior handle for closing the trunk was a minor inconvenience.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, equipped with the GT2 option package, featured 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 front passenger seat was height-adjustable, and the rear seats provided ample room and support. The Forte GT also had a dual-zone automatic climate control system and rear air conditioning vents. The trunk offered 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, with a grab handle on the inner side for easy closing. The rear seats folded down to expand capacity.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line came with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Standard features included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, a Bose premium sound system, HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a three-year subscription to Blue Link connected services. However, it lacked a WiFi hotspot and a tuning knob for the radio. The infotainment system offered Sounds of Nature, a feature that provided ambient noise tracks for relaxation. Hyundai Digital Key was also standard, though it only worked with Android devices.

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 also had wireless smartphone charging and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with intuitive menu structures and knobs for volume and tuning. However, the voice recognition system was hit-and-miss, and the purple-themed graphics required some acclimation.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was equipped with Hyundai’s SmartSense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). This included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, driver-attention warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features included a Rear Occupant Alert system, a Safe Exit Warning system, and Highway Drive Assist. The Sonata N Line's ADAS performed smoothly and accurately, reducing driver stress. The standard Sonata received high safety ratings, though the N Line's ratings were not yet available.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered more Kia Drive Wise technology, with standard features 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. Additional safety features included cyclist detection, navigation-linked adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The Forte received high marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave it a four-star overall rating due to concerns about rear passenger injury in a side impact.